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]

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]

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]

^[4][14]

Otjen and his wife Ann M. Otjen are the parents of three children, Thomas, Michael and Sarah.^[14]

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.
• 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.