On this day of remembering fallen U.S. military veterans, the Greenville Composite Squadron is mourning the passing of U.S. Army Major Steward A. McGurk, who died while serving his country on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Major McGurk was a Cadet in this squadron in the early 2000s and was a former Cadet Commander of Encampment.

Major McGurk was a Foreign Area Officer regionally focused on China and East Asia as well as an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician and team leader with international experience leading combat, humanitarian, and training missions. At the time of his death, he was serving in a training and advisory capacity in Mongolia.

After leaving the Greenville squadron in 2002, McGurk graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in International Relations. He continued his studies throughout his military career, earning an associate's degree with Honors in Chinese Mandarin from the Defense Language Institute (DLI), Monterey, California, and a master's degree in East Asian Studies from Stanford University.

McGurk's prior assignments have included: Commander, 702nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, Grafenwoehr, German; Operations Officer, 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Afghanistan; and Operations Officer, 752nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Co., Baghdad, Iraq. 

We extend condolences to his parents, Floyd and Jacklyn McGurk, and his brother, Marshall McGurk, all of whom have been active members of this unit in past years.