John David George

West Point, 1958

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by William P. Adams on January 10, 2019:

I wrote this article for the Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral (FL) Chapter newsletter: __________ "Those who honor Me, I will honor..." (1 Samuel 2:30) Do you know someone who honors God in the way they live their life? Would you agree that by honoring God that man or woman is himself or herself worthy of much honor? I hope you can tell the story of at least one such person who has significantly impacted your life. My story is about a humble and great man named John George. "Colonel George" is the only way I could ever refer to him, for when I came to know him I was a lowly West Point plebe and he a highly decorated Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry. The age and status difference was enough to strike fear and awe in me, but there was much more about the man that would engender a desire to honor him from my heart. You see, Col. George was an Army officer who unashamedly loved God and loved soldiers. In his retirement, after 22 years of active military service, Col. George served cadets for a decade as West Point Staff Representative of the Officers' Christian Fellowship, a military-wide ministry of officers/to officers that teaches the Bible and equips military leaders to be authentic followers of Jesus Christ. That's the opportunity I and hundreds of other budding officers had thanks to Col. George. He graduated USMA with the class of 1958. A "ground pounder," he successfully led units in Vietnam and many other dangerous assignments. A scholar, he taught on the faculty of West Point. A scientist, he served the Army Research Institute for the Behavioral Sciences. Most importantly for me, however, he modeled the lifestyle of a strong leader not afraid to follow Jesus in military context. Col. George passed away a few months ago. I had not been in touch with him for many years. I regret that, for I failed giving him the full measure of honor he was due from a grateful cadet once under his tutelage. I'm comforted to know that he went home to the God of heaven whom he served so faithfully, the God who promised to honor those who honor Him. Receive this as an encouragement not to wait, not to withhold, but to rightly honor the one you know who has honored God and secured the admiration of your heart. "Render therefore to all their due...honor to whom honor is due." (Romans 13:7) Bill Adams, USMA 81

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