Goodfellow retired deputy commander passes away

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erica Rodriguez
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Retired Lieutenant Colonel John Andrew "Dixie" Cupp, former 17th Training Group Deputy Commander, passed on Saturday, July 27, 2013, after a 28-month battle with melanoma.

Cupp was born September 29, 1959 in Chattanooga. He entered the Air Force in May 1979 and commissioned in May 1994.

Cupp was diagnosed with melanoma, an extremely aggressive skin cancer, in December 2008 when he was stationed at Peterson Air Force Base.

Cupp arrived at Goodfellow in 2010 to serve as the 17th Training Group Deputy Commander. As deputy commander, he planned and implemented vital Air Force and Defense Department directed intelligence, cryptologic, fire protection and technical applications training. He also provided assistance to the commander in managing flow of more than 12,500 students per year in more than 700 courses from all four services and 50 foreign nations. He was always involved with and interacting with his students.

Once arrived at Goodfellow, Cupp became involved with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. In 2012, he was the keynote speaker at the Tom Green County Relay for Life event and the Relay Leadership Summit, where he shared his story of his battle with cancer and perseverance.

"I have to remember it's not about me it's about what I can do with this," Cupp said at the Relay Leadership summit. "If I can get out there and share my story and talk about prevention, I would feel just wonderful. We didn't even worry about melanoma when I was a kid and it makes me feel so good when parents send me pictures of their children with sunscreen and bonnets. It shows that I got through to them."

Cupp retired after serving 33 years, and left to Tennessee to continue his fight.
 
Goodfellow's Top-3 Association teamed up with Michael Mitchell, honorary base command chief and local businessman, to create the Lt. Col. Andy "Dixie" Cupp Scholarship Fund. The scholarship was created to honor him and support his belief that Airmen should always better themselves through education and training.