Major Christopher M. Cooper Endowed Air Force ROTC Excellence Fund

Michael and Timothy Cooper named the endowment for their son and brother, Major Christopher M. Cooper, pictured here. Major Cooper died in the line of duty.

Established in 2008 by Michael L. Cooper and Timothy A. Cooper, the Major Christopher M. Cooper Endowed Air Force ROTC Excellence Fund will support the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at The University of Texas at Austin.

Major Christopher M. Cooper graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1997 with degrees in psychology and aeronautics. His father, Michael, and his brother, Timothy, created the endowment after he was killed in the line of duty July 21, 2008. Major Cooper died when the B-52 he was piloting crashed off the coast of Guam.

Major Cooper wanted to fly since he was 4. Turning that dream into a reality, he went through the Air Force ROTC program while at . After graduating, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1997. He served two tours of duty, one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, where he received a bronze star for his work as an Air Force liaison officer. Major Cooper’s father says he loved his career and was proud to be an Air Force pilot.