George W. Solhan

George Wsevolod Solhan was born on December 30, 1945 to Yaroslawa Harabach Solhan and Ivan Solhan. He was born prematurely in a displaced persons camp in Fussen Germany, when his mother found safety there after evacuating wartime Ukraine with George's sister, Christina. George, his mother and sister came to America on a liberty ship via Ellis Island in 1950.

George began his education in a new country and culture, speaking only Ukrainian, but he overcame his challenges, adapted and excelled, eventually earning his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland; an M.S. in National Resource Strategy at the National defense University/Industrial College of the Armed Forces; and graduated from the Senior Acquisition Course of the Defense Acquisition University. He is a National Security Decision-Making Fellow of the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, and a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA. In addition, Solhan is a graduate of Executive Courses at the Elliot School of the George Washington University and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

George retired from the Senior Executive Service in 2013, culminating a Federal Civil Service career of 23 years. For 9 years at the Office of Naval Research (ONR), he was the Deputy Chief of Naval Research for Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare and Combating Terrorism; the Department Head, ONR 30; and the Director of Marine Corps Science and Technology. He was responsible for leading, managing, directing, and integrating an extensive Science and Technology program which consists of basic research, applied research and advanced technology development in a wide range of technical disciplines and warfare areas. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Technology, Marine Corps Systems Command; Senior Research Scientist, Battelle Memorial Institute. He was a Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.

Following retirement, George and his wife, Wendy, moved to Tampa and he formed a private consultancy specializing in science and technology innovation and application, foremost with the National Armaments Consortium as Director of Customer Affairs.

A retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel with combat experience in the Republic of Vietnam and Infantry and Special Operations experience through the Regimental level, his military decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Meritorious Service Medal. He is also recipient of the 2008 Presidential Rank Award and the Department of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award. He loved the Marine Corps and all his fellow Marines.

George's life force was powerful, and his presence was felt by everyone in any room. His passing leaves all who love him grieving the enormity of the loss of him. He was a warrior and an adventurer, endlessly curious and truly brilliant. But the foundation and meaning of his life was his family. He leaves his lifelong friend and wife of 15 years, Wendy Cloutier Solhan; his daughters, Christyna (Washington DC) and her fiancee Nathan Clark, and Marika Solhan (Boston, MA) and her fiancee Vince DeMore; step-daughter Amanda May, her husband Joe May, and his granddaughter, Anna May (Tampa); his sister, Christina Solhan Isajiw, her husband Wsevolod Isajiw (Toronto), and their children, Mark Isajiw, Sophia Isajiw, Christopher Isajiw, his partner Sonia Farmer, and Marta Budu-Arthur and her husband, Kwesi Budu-Arthur. He leaves many, many dear friends as he joins the friends who departed before him.

Interment and memorial services will be held in 2022 on a date to be determined at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington DC.