COL George A. Bannon began his military career as an enlisted soldier in 1966 when he entered the U.S. Army. After completing Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, where he trained as an Artillery Fire Direction Specialist, he attended the Artillery Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 17 December 1966 in Class 1-67.

COL Bannon then served three years in the 1^st Battalion, 81^st Artillery, a nuclear-capable Pershing Missile battalion in Wackernheim, Federal Republic of Germany; as Platoon Leader and Battery Executive Officer in Battery B, Commander of Battery C and Assistant Battalion Operations Officer (Asst S-3). His next assignment was in Vietnam with the 2^nd Battalion, 11^th Field Artillery, a 155mm towed howitzer battalion of the 101^st Airborne Division (Airmobile), as Fire Direction Officer, Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Commander of Service Battery, and S-4 (Logistics Officer). His final assignment was with the 101^st Airborne Division as Assistant Division Artillery S-4, after which he left active duty.

Following active duty, COL Bannon had a civilian career in retail operations and logistics, during which he served in the 50^th Armored Division of the New Jersey Army National Guard, as well as in several Army Reserve units in Pennsylvania and Texas. During his National Guard service, COL Bannon served as Battalion Liaison Officer, Intelligence Officer (S-2), Operations Officer (S-3), Executive Officer, and  Commander of the 4^th Battalion, 112^th Field Artillery (8” self-propelled) in Lawrenceville, New Jersey; Battalion Commander of the 1^st Battalion, 112^th Field Artillery (155mm self-propelled) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and Assistant S-3, S-3, and Executive Officer of the 50^th Armored Division Artillery. Due to civilian employment, COL Bannon relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and transferred from the New Jersey Army National Guard to the Army Reserve where he commanded the 479^th Field Artillery Brigade (USAR), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with units in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

COL Bannon is a graduate of Rider College, the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, the Logistics Management Development Course, and other military schools.

His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2^nd award), Army Commendation Medal (2^nd award), Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (4^th award) and other service and campaign awards.

COL Bannon is a member of the Field Artillery OCS Hall of Fame at Fort Sill and is a life member of numerous military associations and veterans service organizations, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, Association of the United States Army, Reserve Officers Association, United States Field Artillery Association, The American Legion, and many others. He has held command positions in The American Legion at the Post, District, and Division levels, and has served on several American Legion committees and commissions at both the state and national levels. Following his retirement from the military with 31 years of service in 1997, COL Bannon became active in a number of veterans' organizations in which he had previously been just a card-carrying member, as a way of “giving back.” Separate from those duties, he served as a member of the Board of Directors in a leadership role for four 501(c)3 veterans’ organizations, to include the Artillery OCS Alumni Chapter, Inc., where he was instrumental in broadening and strengthening the legacy of Artillery OCS. He has also been active in fostering a relationship among the AOCS Alumni Chapter, the US Army OCS Alumni Association, and the Field Artillery graduates from the Branch Immaterial OCS at Fort Benning, for the mutual benefit of all parties. He has been recognized as the Post Legionnaire of the Year, is a recipient of the 2006 President’s Volunteer Service Award and is a recipient of both the Honorable and Ancient Orders of Saint Barbara.

COL Bannon retired as Director of Transportation from Foley’s Department Store in Houston, Texas. At the time of his induction, COL Bannon lived in Huntersville, North Carolina, with his wife, Sue Ellen. They have four children and six grandchildren.