 However he grew up in Panama City and graduated from Balboa High School, the American Canal Zone high school, in 1979.He obtained a bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy in 1983.From 1983 to 1988 as an Air Force junior officer, García served in staff officer assignments for U.S. Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska and at the United States Southern Command then located in Panama.