Rich Neal: “I rise this morning to mourn the loss of a great American patriot, Major General George W. Keefe, former adjutant…”

“I rise this morning to mourn the loss of a great American patriot, Major General George W. Keefe, former adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard who passed away last week at the age of 79. A lifelong resident of Northampton, Massachusetts, which I had the honor of representing for 20 years, General Keefe dedicated his life in service to our country, his community, and protecting the freedoms we all hold so dear. He was called an airman's airman and wore the uniform with great honor and, indeed, distinction. I knew General Keefe well and got to see firsthand what an exemplary leader and decent person he was. Beyond his military accomplishments and commendations, he was a loving husband, a dedicated father and grandfather, and, indeed, to many of us, a very good friend. General Keefe enlisted with the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base as an airman in 1956 at the age of 17. He continued to work his way up the ranks, becoming an officer and eventually serving as the wing's vice commander. In 1999, General Keefe was asked to serve as adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, the first Air Force officer and western Massachusetts resident to hold that post in more than 200 years of history. He retired in 2005, ending what is deemed a remarkable military career. The motto in the Air Force is: ``Aim High. Fly-Fight-Win.'' George Keefe did that for nearly a half century.…”