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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Maj (Ret) Daniel Jarka - Class of 1977, CS-35

Deceased on May 22, 2024 - Informed on June 12, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Service information: Burial take place at 1100 hours 12 June 2024 at the USAFA cemetery. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Men's United States Air Force Academy Rugby team at https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1885/21/interior-2col.aspx?sid=1885&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063, choose view all giving opportunities and search for Rugy or the Sarcoma Foundation of America at https://www.curesarcoma.org/donate-today/. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/colorado-springs-co/daniel-jarka-11838630

Maj (Ret) Garold Butdorf - Class of 1976, CS-08

Deceased on May 14, 2024 - Informed on June 6, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Service information: Graveside service, 1300 hours on 20 June 2024 at Oakwood Cemetery, 1225 Oakwood St., Fremont, OH 43420. Memorial donations: in lieu of flowers donations can be made to any veteran organization, athletic department or church of your choice in Gary's name. Obituary: https://www.hannemanfuneralhomes.com/obituary/Garold-Butdorf

Col (Ret) William Rankin - Class of 1966, CS-21

Deceased on May 26, 2024 - Informed on June 5, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Mass: 0930 hours on 3 June 2024 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 233 East Summit, San Antonio, TX 78212. Graveside service: 1115 hours on 3 June 2024 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209. Obituary: https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/obituaries/phag0838371

Lt Col (Ret) Jeffrey Love - Class of 1989, CS-22

Deceased on April 22, 2024 - Informed on June 4, 2024

Please contact the Assocation of Graduates for condolence information. Service: A private family memorial will be held at a later date. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Operation Vet NOW, 436 Beatty Rd., Monroeville, PA 15146 or at opvetnow.org. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dillontribune/name/jeffrey-love-obituary?id=55163960

Mr. Kevin Bassett - Class of 1977, CS-06

Deceased on May 9, 2024 - Informed on May 21, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1000 hours on 14 June 2024 at Blessing Colonial Chapel, 401 Elm St. Mansfield, TX 76063. A Committal service will follow at 1400 hours at Dallas- Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211. Obituary: https://www.blessingfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Kevin-Bassett/#!/Obituary

Mr. Gary Dickinson I - Class of 1964, CS-11

Deceased on February 1, 2024 - Informed on May 14, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. No further information is available at this time.

Dr. Justin Cummings - Class of 1998, CS-37

Deceased on May 2, 2024 - Informed on May 13, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Memorial service: 1200 hours on 8 May 2024 at City Church Tallahasse, 3215 Sessions Rd, Tallahassee, Fl 32303. Interment with military honors was held at 1400 hours 8 May 2024 at the National Cemetery *5015 APalachee Pkwy, Tallahassee, FL 32311 Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/tallahassee-fl/justin-cummings-11796948

Brig Gen (Ret) George Cole , Jr. - Class of 1967, CS-20

Deceased on April 30, 2024 - Informed on May 13, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation: 1000 until 1100 hours on 18 May 2024 at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home, 601 Highway 80 East, Haughton Louisiana 71037. Service information: 1100 hours on 18 May 2024 at hIll Crest Memorial Funeral Home, 601 Highway 80 East, Haughton Louisiana 71037. A reception will immediately follow. Obituary: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/haughton-la/george-cole-11792945

Lt Col (Ret) Jerry Caskey - Class of 1960, CS-09

Deceased on May 2, 2024 - Informed on May 7, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Funeral service: 1400 hours on 22 June 2024 at Autry's Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home, 1910 East Tyler St., Athens, Texas. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Good Shepherd Rescue of Texas, https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/goodshepherdrescue. Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/jerry-caskey-obituary?id=55040462

Dr. Zane Mitchell , Jr. - Class of 1983, CS-26

Deceased on April 27, 2024 - Informed on May 6, 2024

Please contact the Association of Graduates for condolence information. Visitation: 1500-1800 hours on 8 May 2024 at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 West Franklin St., Evansville, IN 47712. Funeral Service: 1600 hours on 8 May 2024 at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 West Franklin St., Evansville, IN 47712. Burial: At a later date at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. Memorial donations: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Vanderburgh County Humane Society, https://give.vhslifesaver.org/. Obituary: https://www.pierrefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Zane-Mitchell-2/#!/Obituary

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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