George Van Otten

Until 2009, I worked for the U.S. Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and prior to that, taught geography at Northern Arizona University. I was also a member of the U.S. Air Force (1967-1983; five years active duty) and served as a C-130 pilot from 1968-1972. After completing a Ph.D. at Oregon State University, I joined the geography faculty at Northern Arizona University and in 1983 switched from the Air Force to Army Reserves, initially as an ordnance officer. In 1988, I transferred from ordnance to intelligence and served in that role until I retired from the military in 1996. During the several decades I spent at Northern Arizona University, I worked closely with the Indian Nations of Arizona on rural development, educational programs, and land-use planning. I am a member of the Association of American Geographers, and also hold the rank of professor emeritus at Northern Arizona University. I retired from Civil Service in 2006, but continued working on course development as a contractor until December of 2009. I am now fully retired (except for part-time teaching).

I have been married to my wife (Ruth) for more than thirty years. We have five children and nine grandchildren. Our home is situated on a few acres at the base of the Huachuca Mountains in rural Cochise County, Arizona. I enjoy working on antique cars, hiking, fishing, and gardening. Since retirement however, most of my time has been dedicated to my wife, our children, and our grandchildren.