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GEORGE D. ZAMKA (LIEUTENANT COLONEL, USMC)
NASA ASTRONAUT (PILOT)
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 29, 1962 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Married to the former Elisa P. Walker of Mississippi. They have two children. Recreational interests include weight lifting, running, bicycling, scuba and boating. His mother, Sofia Zamka, resides in Florida. His father, Conrad Zamka resides in Indiana. His brother lives in Florida.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Rochester Adams High School, Rochester Michigan, in 1980; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy in 1984; received a Masters of Science degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1997.
ORGANIZATIONS: United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Marine Corps Association, and Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
SPECIAL HONORS: Navy Strike Air Medal (6), Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, and various other military service and campaign awards. Distinguished Graduate, United States Naval Academy. Commodore’s list and Academic Achievement Award, Training Air Wing Five. NASA Superior Accomplishment Award.
EXPERIENCE: Zamka was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in May 1984. After basic flight training, he was trained as an A-6E pilot at Whidbey Island, Washington in 1987-88. He then flew with Marine All Weather Attack Squadron VMA(AW)-242 in El Toro, California. He attended the Marine Aviation Warfare and Tactics Instructor Course and was assigned as the Squadron Weapons and Tactics Instructor. In 1990, he trained to be an F/A-18 pilot and was assigned to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA(AW)-121, also in El Toro. He flew the F/A-18D Night Attack Hornet during overseas deployments to Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Southwest Asia. Zamka flew 66 combat missions over occupied Kuwait and Iraq during Desert Storm. In 1993 he served with First Battalion, Fifth Marines in Camp Pendleton, California and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Western Pacific. He was selected to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School class 94A and graduated in December 1994. Zamka was then assigned as an F/A-18 test pilot/project officer and the F/A-18 Operations Officer for the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS). While assigned to NSATS, Zamka flew a wide variety of tests in the F/A-18 Hornet to include high angle of attack, loads, flutter, and weapon system programs. Major Zamka returned to VMFA(AW)-121 in 1998 and was serving as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer, deployed to Iwakuni, Japan when selected for the astronaut program.
He has over 3500 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as a pilot by NASA in June 1998, he reported for Astronaut Candidate training in August 1998. He completed the initial two years of intensive Space Shuttle and ISS training, scientific and technical briefings, and T-38 flight training. Currently, Zamka is assigned to the Shuttle Operations Branch of the Astronaut Office, where he serves as lead for the training and procedures division. He will serve in technical assignments until assigned to a space flight.
MARCH 2004
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