I found out yesterday that a friend of mine -- a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and a private security contractor -- passed away in January of this year. His name was Albert "Al" Bayer.

I had sent numerous text messages and email messages to him since late the previous year (2019) as well as phone calls. All unreturned. I called again yesterday. No answer. His sister called me back minutes later to tell me the news. He died of cancer.

Al was, like so many of us in our profession, a humble man, an honorable man, a man of integrity, and a thorough professional. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

The news of Al's death came as quite a shock to me. He never mentioned anything that indicated that he wasn't on extended leave for anything other than personal reasons -- that he just needed a break.

May Al be granted permission to enter the gates of Heaven and taken into the embracing arms of Jesus for eternity.

I will miss Al.