John P. Otjen
John P. Otjen | |
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![]() Otjen as Deputy Inspector General in 1992 | |
Born | 1941 or 1942 (age 82–83) |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1964–1995 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Commands | First United States Army 8th Infantry Division 2nd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal (4) |
John Putnam Otjen (born 1941/1942)[1] is a retired United States Army officer. He attained the rank of lieutenant general, and his command assignments included First United States Army and the 8th Infantry Division.
Early life
[edit]Otjen grew up in Elm Grove, Wisconsin.[2] In 1960, he graduated from Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin.[2]
Otjen attended the United States Military Academy.[3] The Corps of Cadets took part in a 1964 birthday celebration for Douglas MacArthur (MacArthur's last).[3] During preparations for the event, organizers realized that Otjen's great-grandfather Theobald Otjen was the Congressman who had appointed MacArthur to West Point in 1899.[3] This resulted in Otjen getting to meet MacArthur for an individual discussion, and both the family connection and the meeting were widely reported in United States newspapers.[3]
Military career
[edit]Early career
[edit]After his 1964 graduation from West Point, Otjen completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course and Ranger School.[4][5] Otjen was also a graduate of Airborne School and the Pathfinder course.[5] In 1965, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, a unit of the 101st Airborne Division.[6]
In 1966, Otjen went to Vietnam as a liaison officer on the staff of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, a unit of the 25th Infantry Division.[5] His continued Vietnam War service with the 25th Division included platoon leader,[7] executive officer,[2] and commander of 2d Battalion's Company A,[6] and aide-de-camp to the 25th Division commander, John C. F. Tillson.[8] He was promoted to captain in 1967.[9]
Otjen completed the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and also graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1971 with a Master of Business Administration.[4] He was promoted to major in 1974, and graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1976.[4]
In 1977, Otjen was assigned to the 2d Battalion, 9th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 2d Infantry Division in South Korea.[4] From 1979 to 1981, Otjen commanded 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, which had recently been re-flagged from 2d Battalion, 9th Infantry.[5]
In 1981 Otjen graduated from the United States Army War College, after which he served as assistant chief of staff for personnel (G-1) on the staff of the 8th Infantry Division.[5] From 1982 to 1985 he commanded the 2d Brigade, 8th Infantry Division.[5]
After completing his brigade command, Otjen served as chief of staff for the 1st Armored Division,[5] and deputy chief of staff for support at Central Army Group in Heidelberg, West Germany.[10]
General officer
[edit]From 1989 to 1990, Otjen was assistant division commander of the 8th Infantry Division.[10] He commanded the division from 1990 to 1992, and began the process of mobilizing the organization to take part in Operation Desert Storm.[11] Some 8th Division units took part in the conflict, but the bulk of the division did not deploy before the conflict ended.[12] Otjen was the 8th Division's last commander before the organization was inactivated in 1992.[13]
From 1992 to 1993, Otjen was the Army's Deputy Inspector General for inspections, training and automation.[14] During his time in this post, Otjen was co-chairman of a working group which provided advice to the Secretary of Defense on the issue of lifting the government's ban on homosexuals being allowed to serve in the military.[15] The group recommended keeping the ban in place; Secretary of Defense Les Aspin considered this recommendation and several other options before issuing the regulations that became known as the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.[15]
From 1993 to 1995, Otjen was commander of First United States Army, and oversaw the organization's relocation from Fort Meade to Fort Gillem.[16] Otjen retired in 1995.[16]
Post-military career
[edit]After his retirement from the military, Otjen was deputy director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.[17] He was later an executive with L3, a defense contractor.[18]
Awards and decorations
[edit]![]() |
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Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster | |
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Defense Superior Service Medal |
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Legion of Merit |
Bronze Star with "V" device and three oak leaf clusters | |
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | |
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Air Medal with bronze award numeral 2 |
Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters | |
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Army Achievement Medal |
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | |
Vietnam Service Medal with silver service star | |
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Army Service Ribbon |
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Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 3 |
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Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star |
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Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr in gold (Germany) |
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National Order of Merit (France), Officer |
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Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation |
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Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Family
[edit]Otjen and his wife Ann M. Otjen are the parents of three children, Thomas, Michael and Sarah.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ Trumbull, Robert (27 January 1964). "President and U.S. Cadets Salute MacArthur at 84". New York Times. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "Receiving Promotions in Vietnam".
- ^ a b c d "West Point Cadets to Bring MacArthur Birthday Salute".
- ^ a b c d e "Know Your Companions: LTG (Ret.) John P. Otjen".
- ^ a b c d e f g "Lieutenant General John Putnam Otjen".
- ^ a b "1st Brigade 2/14th".
- ^ "The Bad Breaks Keep Plaguing Sergeant Bode".
- ^ "Photo caption: Watching children from the village of Tan Thoi frolic on a new piece of playground equipment".
- ^ "2nd Bn, 14th Inf".
- ^ a b "Awards, John Putnam Otjen".
- ^ "Pathfinders Close Another Chapter In Their Distinguished History", pp. 2, 4, 13.
- ^ "Pathfinders Close Another Chapter In Their Distinguished History", p. 4.
- ^ "Pathfinders Close Another Chapter In Their Distinguished History", p. 2.
- ^ a b c "Fort Meade commander retires today".
- ^ a b "Outside Study Challenges Findings Of Internal Pentagon Study on Gays".
- ^ a b "1st Army Leaves Fort Meade".
- ^ "Marshall Center Curriculum, Student Body, Impact Grow".
Sources
[edit]Newspapers
[edit]- Leung, Shirley (June 30, 1995). "1st Army Leaves Fort Meade". Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD.
- Jones, Bob (Advertiser correspondent) (May 1, 1966). "The Bad Breaks Keep Plaguing Sergeant Bode". Tropic Lightning News. Củ Chi Base Camp, South Vietnam: Public Affairs Office, 25th Infantry Division.
{{cite news}}
:|first=
has generic name (help) - Lippman, Thomas W. (Washington Post) (August 27, 1993). "Outside Study Challenges Findings Of Internal Pentagon Study on Gays". The Tech. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- "West Point Cadets to Bring MacArthur Birthday Salute". Minneapolis Morning Tribune. Minneapolis, MN. Associated Press. January 25, 1964. p. 3.
- "1st Brigade 2/14th". Tropic Lightning News. Củ Chi Base Camp, South Vietnam: Public Affairs Office, 25th Infantry Division. November 4, 1966. p. 7.
- "2nd Bn, 14th Inf". Tropic Lightning News. Củ Chi Base Camp, South Vietnam: Public Affairs Office, 25th Infantry Division. January 20, 1967. p. 9.
- "Receiving Promotions in Vietnam". Waukesha Daily Freeman. Waukesha, WI. April 1, 1967. p. 2 (Saturday Review).
- "Photo caption: Watching children from the village of Tan Thoi frolic on a new piece of playground equipment". Tropic Lightning News. Củ Chi Base Camp, South Vietnam: Public Affairs Office, 25th Infantry Division. May 15, 1967. p. 3.
- "Fort Meade commander retires today". Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD. September 28, 1993.
- Hartman, Bob (June 1, 2016). "Know Your Companions: LTG (Ret.) John P. Otjen" (PDF). The Free State Officers Call. Fort Meade, MD: The Military Order of the World Wars: General George G. Meade Chapter. p. 2.
Internet
[edit]- Kozaryn, Linda D. (September 11, 1998). "Marshall Center Curriculum, Student Body, Impact Grow". archive.defense.gov/. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense. Armed Forces Press Service.
- "Lieutenant General John Putnam Otjen". The Akers Historical Uniform Collection. Oklahoma City, OK: T. S. Akers. April 18, 2014.
- "Awards, John Putnam Otjen". Hall of Valor. Springfield, VA: Military Times. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
- "L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. Shareholder Information Statement". www.sec.gov/. Washington, DC: Securities and Exchange Commission. 2012.
Magazines
[edit]- Otjen, John P. (January 1, 1992). "Pathfinders Close Another Chapter In Their Distinguished History" (PDF). Pathfinder. APO, NY: Public Affairs Office, 8th Infantry Division.
- 1942 births
- Living people
- Military personnel from San Antonio
- People from Elm Grove, Wisconsin
- United States Military Academy alumni
- United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
- United States Army War College alumni
- Wisconsin School of Business alumni
- United States Army generals
- United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Military personnel from Wisconsin