MG George ’88 Retires after 33-Year Military Career

On May 7, MG John A. George ’88 turned over command of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) and retired from the Army after a 33-year military career. George graduated from the Academy in 1988, and he held several command and staff assignments during his Army service. He deployed on numerous Army missions, including Operation Joint Guardian (NATO), Kosovo, where he served as Chief of Force Issues and Requirements, and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, as the Chief, Afghanistan National Police Force Management Branch. George’s tenure with DEVCOM began in November 2019, a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. In response to the pandemic, DEVCOM released a future of work concept paper to its more than 27,000 soldiers, civilians and contractors, embracing remote work, flexible work schedules and innovative hiring practices. The command, which comprises eight reporting units and three regionally aligned international elements, is the Army’s largest technology developer. “I was proud to join your team 18 months ago, and I am even more proud today to have served alongside each of you,” George said during his retirement ceremony. “It is my hope that I leave the Army better than I found it: that I inspired and encouraged those around me; that I trusted individuals to work their full capacity; that I empowered my teammates to strive for greatness and compassion.