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Lt. Gen. Guenther, Army's First CIO, Passes Away

Lt. Gen. Otto J. Guenther, USA (Ret.), served on AFCEA's Educational Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors for several years.

Lt. Gen. Lt. Gen. Otto J. Guenther, USA (Ret.) was a proud supporter and mentor of the Green Terror Battalion at McDaniel College, where he served on the Board of Trustees since 2006 and was named chair in 2019. Here he is addressing attendees at the Green Terror Battalion ROTC Commissioning Ceremony in 2017. Photo courtesy of McDaniel College

Photo courtesy of McDaniel College The AFCEA family fondly remembers the life of Lt. Gen. Otto J. Guenther, USA (Ret.), a stalwart advocate of introducing and instilling a passion for STEM disciplines early in children’s lives. Gen. Guenther served on AFCEA International’s Educational Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors from 2015 to 2019.

“The AFCEA family is saddened by the loss of such a champion for students and teachers, and a military trailblazer,” said AFCEA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Robert M. Shea, USMC (Ret.). “Otto embodied what it means to be of service—to one’s nation, to one’s community and to one’s friends and family. He was a tremendous servant leader and friend.”

Gen. Guenther served for 34 years in the U.S. Army, beginning his long and distinguished career as a second lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps and culminating his service as the Army’s first chief information officer (CIO) at the Pentagon. He served at all levels in multiple service and joint assignments, including tours in Korea, Vietnam and as commanding general of Communications Electronics Command (CECOM), where he led the research and development, acquisition and logistics support for command, control, computers and communications.

Under his guidance, CECOM led the Army in patent generation, and Gen. Guenther was the Army leader in technology transfer agreements with industry and academia. After serving as the first CIO of the Army, he retired in 1997. Though he retired from active duty, he continued to support the military in a civilian capacity with Computer Associates International’s Federal Systems group and with Northrop Grumman’s Tactical Systems Division.

Gen. Guenther selflessly donated his time, expertise and warm personality to help ensure a number of efforts were successful, said Fred Rainbow, who served as executive director of AFCEA’s Educational Foundation from 2005 to 2014. “It was an honor and privilege to know and work with Gen. Guenther. He defined ‘class,’” Rainbow said.

Gen. Guenther died Oct. 14 at age 80 after battling pancreatic cancer.