James was a good man and a great friend, working with him every day was the best part of an (admittedly) tough assignment to Creech.  Even after we moved away, I continued to value his friendship and advice, the way he took care of his people was exemplary.  Godspeed my friend!  "Here's a toast, to the host, of those who love the vastness of the sky..."

Mr. Freeman aka "Freedawg",

It was an absolute honor and a pleasure to have instructed alongside you during my time at Goodfellow. If there was anyone who was guaranteed to have a smile on their face and be in an upbeat mood when you walked into the office in the morning, it was most definitely you. Whether you were telling jokes or taking them with stride, you were always a positive force in and out of work. I remember being a little hesitant at the job when I first started and you offered great advice and words of encouragement. We'd always talk about sports, cars, firearms, and life at Creech. 

What I will miss the most about you though is your sense of humor, the jokes, and your contagious laugh. Rest in peace my friend and thank you for everything.

James was one of the best men I've known.  

He was a fine instructor.  He taught thousands of new intelligence officers--thousands--they did the math.  When you consider the second and third order effects, his impact on the Air Force is staggering.

He was quick to laugh.

He was quick to help

He didn't quit.

And, none of that is what he was best at.  James made people better.  He *listened* to *you*.  He took the time to really know you, and he used that knowledge to make you better.  To cheer, to challenge, even to correct, but it all made you better.

I recently had a chance to talk to one of James' former students she phrased it very well, "Mr. Freeman taught me how to be a good person."

 Freedawg, you were a better friend than I deserved. 

I miss you, Brother.

Reflecting on the time I was fortunate enough to share with Mr. Freeman, I simply cannot picture him without a smile on his face.  The man was as sincere as they come.  When using the phrase "good people," James is exactly the kind of person you'd be referencing.  I'm honored to have worked alongside James "Freedawg" Freeman as a fellow instructor and my eyes are welled with tears to think him no longer with us.  His legacy lives on, though, in the minds of students, peers, friends and - most importantly -  his family.  My heart and deepest sympathies go out to them.  

Miss you Freedawg

-Garrett W

I Remember

I remember going to local restaurants with James where the server would hand me a menu but only look at James and say "your usual".

I remember multiple discussions regarding his students and how he always wanted to give them the latest information and constructive criticism. He would often ask me to take briefings with him to make sure he was giving unbiased and accurate feedback.

I remember all the friendly banter in the instructor pit, and how he always had a laugh and a smile, even if the joke was on him.

I remember when we used to joke that his firearms could still be considered "new in box" a year after he bought them since he could never seem to get out to the range with us (and once he finally did, I bet you a dollar he still never got around to cleaning them).

I remember when James called me up one weekend to say he bought a new vehicle and was driving over to show me. A few minutes later this giant truck arrives in my driveway with James behind the wheel with a giant grin on his face. We immediately have to take it out to do some off-roading. Once we have it nice and dirty we drive to the nearest car wash only to get turned away by the attendant because the truck was so big it would break the car wash.

I remember James calling me to keep me updated on the latest news from San Angelo, or how he was always looking for job openings in the hopes of luring me back TX so we could work together again.

I remember....

James Freeman was a man who loved his family, was dedicated to his students, supportive of his friends, and served his country honorably. I am honored to have known him, and blessed to have called him my friend.

James was one of the first NCOs I met after arriving in Germany in 1992.  Fast becoming friends, I knew as a single NCO I always had a place, his family's dinning table, to go for a good holiday or occasional meal, or even a Cowboys game.    Thank you James for your friendship and making me part of the family.   Prayers to James, Betty and the family.  RIP my friend.

I had the honor of working alongside James every day at the Intel Officer Course for over 3 years. He was a consummate professional who loved his job because it gave him an opportunity to positively impact so many young minds. I learned a lot from his quiet leadership, and I became a better instructor, friend, coworker, and man because of the lessons he imparted. His students benefited tremendously because his approach was to guide and mentor, and he had a unique way of doing that through some of the most grueling and difficult portions of our course. What his students will never appreciate is the pleasure and honor it was to serve alongside him as a peer - his fellow instructors were truly blessed to have him around, not just because of his contributions to the curriculum, but because he was just a regular guy...funny, lighthearted, self-deprecating, and forever willing to have a laugh, even at himself. He received no reprieve from fellow cadre when his Dallas Cowboys inevitably crumbled the first game of the season, or when he always picked Duke to win more games in our NCAA Tournament Challenge than they ever did, or how he became a Spurs fan only when the playoffs started. He was more than anything else a good person, dedicated more to others than to himself, and that it how I will always remember him. Until Valhalla, brother.

My condolences go out to the Freeman family at this difficult time. Please know that he made an impact on many many lives as a teacher. RIP.

Mr. Freeman was probably the only person at the 14N course who told me I briefed better than I really did and gave me confidence on days I felt like giving up.  He definitely impacted my life in a positive way, and I'm sure fellow AF intelligence officers around the world will say the same thing.  My favorite instructor through the course; he was the one we could count on to always tell it how it was.  He identified with everyone in my class, and definitely helped us develop into better officers and even better people.

Thoughts and prayers to the Freeman family.

May you rest in peace, Sir.

Mr. Freeman was a great instructor. I had the pleasure of being one of his students this past December and I learned a lot from him. He will truly be missed by the 14N community. My thoughts and prayers to the family.

Mr. Freeman was an extremely kind. Students and staff will remark on his instructing and work abilities, in which he gave his whole self to his work and his students. I especially liked the time he took to get to know each student and their career path. We in the Air Force travel and meet many people in our lives, there are special people we come across that leave a mark on us and he was one of them. Lt Majerus

Great instructor, but a better person. He will surely be missed around the schoolhouse.  He definitely helped this 14N.

Great instructor and mentor for a not so young LT coming through the schoolhouse. Mr Freeman always kept us on our toes and was a wealth of knowledge that impacted the future of of career field in many ways. Go rest high on that mountain sir... you will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues.

 Mr. Freeman was one of the best instructors at Goodfellow. Extremely kind hearted, just & fair. He helped shape not just our intellect but also our character both by precept & by example. His sincerity, passion for imparting knowledge, wisdom, kindness, humor and love all left a lasting impression on many. Grateful to God that our paths crossed. You'll live on in the hearts and lives you impacted. I salute this great man. May his kind soul RIP.

Mr Freeman was an amazing human being - I'm forever grateful for having spent time with him during our overlap at Goodfellow...I knew very few that could match his passion, energy and knowlefldge. He treated every event as an opportunity to learn...and made such a tremendously positive impact on our staff and students. My heart aches to know he's not among us anymore but he carved out a section in our hearts for the rest of our days.

Mr. Freeman was a great instructor- as one of his recent students, I appreciated how he took time and showed patience with us, and compassion. He pushed us when we needed it, too. I send my deepest condolences to his family, may he rest in heaven!

Mr. Freeman, you were an amazing instructor, mentor and friend - and that legacy will live on with all the students who have come through your classroom.  I am so grateful for the privilege to have taught beside you.

James Freeman was a kind hearted, funny, all around good guy.  He could make you laugh and didn't mind being laughed at, especially when it came to his beloved Cowboys.  He was a hard worker that cared deeply about the mission and his fellow instructors.  He will be missed by all of us who were lucky enough to have known him.  To Betty, his children and extended family, I would like to say that James is at peace now and no longer in pain.  Please know that you are in our prayers during this difficult time.  God Bless.

MSgt. Freeman was my NCOIC early on in my Air Force career. 432 OSS. He was a good person and a good NCO and mentor. He was quick with humor and a friendly smile. I looked up to him and you could say he helped shape my early Air Force career. Sadly, it's been a long time since I've talked to him. Wish I could've had the chance. I wish to give his family my condolences in this obviously difficult time. He will be missed.

Goodbye James.  I will miss you sitting here next to me every day making your funny comments about people, life, and world events.  We are all deeply saddened and hurting inside.  We miss you.  God bless you my friend.  Don't worry, the Cowboys will get rid of Romo.  I will cheer for you when they win the Super Bowl even though you know I am not a fan!  Know that you are always with us here in the 315 TRS and the Intel Officer Course.  Forever your friend, Chief.

OBITUARY

James Terry Freeman

December 2, 1964 – April 2, 2017

Johnson's Funeral Home

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