Country and community was everything to Michael D. George.  A US Army veteran, he served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and was awarded the Purple Heart, as well as the Air Medal, Bronze Star, and Distinguished Flying Cross.  Following active duty, he joined Florin Fire Protection District (which later became Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District) in 1972 as a fire dispatcher and quickly rose through the ranks to fire captain by 1983.  He was an avid motorcycle rider and enjoyed auto racing, racquetball, tennis, and wine tasting.  Job-related cancer claimed his life.