“Frank grew up on a lake in Tennessee. Loved to waterski and scuba dive. Was close with his family, a TN State-champion wrestler, and went to the Air Force Academy and was captain of the wrestling team there. He dreamed of flying and was always service-oriented. He had a calling to protect others. Frank won just about every Air Force award. He was a decorated combat fighter pilot and was recognized as the best instructor pilot. We met in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He was assigned there with the US Air Force flying Block 60 F-16s and I was there as a diplomat at the Embassy working on Iran. We met at the Marine bar Chesty’s at a Happy Hour my first day in country and lived and dated in Abu Dhabi for two years. We got married in Washington, DC and had our son, Sean two years later. Frank deployed to Afghanistan when Sean was 2 weeks old. He was due to come home a year later when he was killed in an insider attack. Frank was leading a team in Kabul, Afghanistan helping the Afghans to build a viable Air Force. He uncovered corruption undertaken by the Afghan Air Defense leadership and airmen and reported anomalies and nefarious activities which included misuse of American resources by Afghan forces. The Afghan Ministry of Defense was unhappy with his work and his actions to curb Afghan misuse of Air Force resources and orchestrated an ambush killing Frank and 7 other US Air Force Airmen and a US contractor. Frank was exceptional, devoted, kind, hard-working and very respected. He was the best part of us and we miss him every day.”

Sugar Bear Foundation Honors the men and women who have given their lives in service to our country while we support the spouses and children they leave behind. Please consider making a donation today to help us continue the programs we offer.