Gone But Not Forgotten

Honoring fallen comrades is an important part of the AOG mission and we ask to be notified as soon as possible of the death of any graduate, Air Training Officer or cadet so that we can take appropriate actions. The AOG has learned of the following deaths within the past 90 days.

For best results, try searching by Last Name (e.g. Smith), Class Year (e.g. 1959), or Cadet Squadron (e.g. CS-01). More complex searches may not return desired results.

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Lt Col Sierra Burgess - Class of 2000, CS-21

Deceased on March 26, 2021 - Informed on March 29, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services will be held on 2 Apr 2021 at 10:00 am at the Hurlburt Field Air Park; 315 Independence Road; Hurlburt Field, FL 32544. He will be laid to rest at the USAFA Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation; https://specialops.org.

Lt Gen (Ret) Anthony Burshnick - Class of 1960, CS-04

Deceased on August 17, 2021 - Informed on August 24, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A funeral mass will be held on 25 Sep 2021at 1200 hours at St. Bernadette Catholic Church; 7600 Old Keene Mill Rd; Springfield, VA 22152. Burial will be in the USAFA Cemetery on a later date still to be determined. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association; PO Box 96011; Washington, DC 20091-6011; (800) 272-3900; www.alz.org. An online obituary is not currently available.

1st Lt Kyle Campbell - Class of 2018, CS-21

Deceased on March 12, 2021 - Informed on April 13, 2021

Please contact the Association of graduates for condolence information. A memorial service will be held on 17 Apr 2021 at 1000 hours at the Thunderbirds Hangar; 4445 Tyndall Ave; Nellis AFB, NV 89191-6079. If you plan to attend the service please RSVP to Alane.schwartz.1@us.af.mil (609) 321-2483 or Richard.Rodriguez.42@us.af.mil (201) 233-9993. The service will also be live-streamed at <https://youtu.be/FnQJe2_lxiM> .

Dr. Michael Cannon - Class of 1970, CS-27

Deceased on February 26, 2012 - Informed on June 11, 2012

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services were held on 3 March 2012 in Union, OR. Memorial contributions may be made to the Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation; 1121 SW Salmon St Ste 100; Portland, OR 97205-2021 or online at www.ohsu.edu/about/dchf/help/default.cfm (800) 800-9583.

Mr. Joe Carpenter , Jr. - Class of 1978, CS-10

Deceased on June 20, 2021 - Informed on June 29, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A Celebration of life will be held on 3 Jul 2021 at 2:00 pm at the Gilbert Presbyterian Church; 235 East Guadalupe Road; Gilbert, AZ 85234.

Maj (Ret) John Carter - Class of 1983, CS-11

Deceased on October 9, 2020 - Informed on December 3, 2020

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Services are pending for the summer of 2021. His obituary may be seen here: https://www.centralmaine.com/2020/12/02/obituaryjohn-bernhard-carter/

Maj Gen (Ret) Frank Casserino , Jr. - Class of 1977, CS-34

Deceased on January 4, 2021 - Informed on January 7, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A graveside service will be held on 15 Jan 2021 at approx 1445 at the USAFA Cemetery. His obituary can be found at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/colorado-springs-co/frank-casserino-9986569. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made in lieu of flowers to the Officers' Christian Fellowship; 3784 S Inca St; Englewood, CO 80110 or online at https://give.ministrylinq.com/app/giving/ocfusagive.

Maj Paul Comeau - Class of 1990, CS-39

Deceased on November 12, 2007 - Informed on November 29, 2007

Memorial Services: November 29, 2007, 11:00 a.m., St Pius Catholic Church, Portland OR. Memoiral Donations: Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation, 1121 SW Salmon St Ste 201, Portland OR 97205-2021, (503) 294-7101, http://www.ohsu.edu/health/clinics-and-services/doernbecher/index.cfm or Catholic Charities Portland, 231 SE 12th Ave Portland OR 97214-1342, ww.catholiccharitiesoregon.org.

Col (Ret) David Cooksey - Class of 1989, CS-31

Deceased on May 14, 2021 - Informed on May 19, 2021

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held on 22 May 2021 at 4:00 pm, at the Bayside Community Dock; 951 Bayside Bluff Road; Jacksonville, FL 32259. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent online to the "Bayside Wounded Warrior Fund";https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/. any checks for donations may be mailed to the following; Bayside Wounded Warrior Fund, LLC; Attn: Andrew Wilfong; 1048 Anchor Road; St Johns, FL 32259.

Col (Ret) Kenneth Coon - Class of 1982, CS-07

Deceased on April 22, 2021 - Informed on April 29, 2021

Please contact the association of Graduates for condolence information. A funeral service will be held on 8 May 2021 at 1030 hours at the Countryside Baptist Church; 2124 S Western Rd; Stillwater, OK 74074; (405) 372-2023. The service will be live streamed from his obituary page at Strode Funeral Home https://strodefh.com/book-of-memories/4600607/Coon-Col-Retired-Ken/index.php. Look under his picture for Photos and Videos for the link. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made in lieu of flowers to the Tasia Blue Rescue at www.TasiaBlue.com or To the Fisher House Foundation at www.fisherhouse.org. Checks to either organization may be sent in care of the Strode Funeral Home; 610 S Duncan St; Stillwater, OK 74074.

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Next of Kin

For Next of Kin support resources please visit: https://www.usafanextofkin.org/

Frequently Asked Questions

Gone But Not Forgotten Annual Publication

The Air Force Academy Association and Foundation are introducing a new benefit to better memorialize USAFA graduates and support their families. We are launching a new annual memorial publication in 2025.

A: As the Academy graduate population ages, Checkpoints is increasingly insufficient in accommodating the increasing number of obituaries. This has necessitated the creation of a new publication as part of our commitment to remembering all fallen graduates, Air Training Officers and cadets.
A: The purpose of the publication is to honor and perpetuate the legacy of the Long Blue Line through the personal stories of our graduates. The publication is in the spirit of our mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.
A: Gone But Not Forgotten will be part of the final name, which is not yet finalized.
A: No, but the Association will list basic information on deaths in each issue of Checkpoints.
A: No. If/when memorial articles are sent to the AOG, the tribute is posted to this webpage.
A: A complimentary copy will be mailed to a loved one of the deceased. It is not yet determined if the printed publication will be available at a nominal cost or at no cost to AOG members.
A: There will be a one-year transition period. Memorial articles sent in to run in Checkpoints in 2024 will also appear in the inaugural memorial publication. The deadline for Gone But Not Forgotten submissions in the December 2024 issue of Checkpoints is mid-October, but any memorial articles about deaths for the remainder of 2024 received by mid-January 2025 will appear in the inaugural 2025 stand-alone publication. Then going forward, the full years’ worth of tributes would be published in the next year’s volume.
A: The first memorial publication will likely be printed in February or March of 2025.
A: We currently have a 400-word maximum for each memorial tribute and will continue with that limit for the first stand-alone publication. We’re doing this because we have already received submissions at that length and don’t plan to ask for longer versions for the 2025 edition.
A: We will transition to roughly 450- or 900-word options for memorial tributes. Whoever writes and submits the memorial article with have the option to write to either word limit.
A: A recent favorite photo of the deceased, when possible. The photo (head and shoulders, color preferred) should be emailed as a .jpg and sent as a high-resolution image.
A: Please email Next-of-Kin Support Specialist Terri Davis at deceasednotifications@usafa.org.
A: That is coming soon.
A: Please reach out to David Bitton, assistant director of strategic communications and publications, at 719-247-8745 or use our Contact Form.

Gone But Not Forgotten