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L1EUTI~NANT GENEI~AL (RET.) 0'1''1'0.1. (aJENTnEI~'63

1.1. (Jenera I 0110 John (iuenther was horn in I.llng HI anch, New Jersey.
Upon completion of Reserve Officers Training Corps curriculum and gradu:ltion
Ir\II 11 Western Maryland College in 1963, he W:lScommissioned a Second Lieutenant

in the SigHnails Cmoirlpits:l.ry education includes the Signal Officer Basic Course, the
Infantry Officer Associate Advanced Course, Command and (ieneral StalfCollcgc,
the Army War. College and the Program Managers Course at the Defense Systems

ManagemGenetneCraollleGguee.nther'S career '.hegan as a platoon leader in Korea. following
that tour, he was assigned to fort Ritchie, Maryland, where he served two years as
a Technical Control Officer, Detachment Commander and Company Commander.

hom there, he served in Alaska as :111 Evaluation and Systems
Implementation Officer with the Defense COlllmunic:ltions Agency. His next
assignment was in Vietnam with the United States Army, Vietnam. 04.

Returning to the U.S., he was the Assistant Division Signal Officer and
Signal Ballalion Executive Officer for the Ist Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

Olio next served as a Personnel Actions and Professional Development

Officer at the Military Personnel Center in Washington. D.C.
lie then commanded the I02nd Signal Battalion in Gerlll:lny. followed by

a tour as Division Chief and Telecom Division Chief, Deputy Chief of Staff.

Operations. 5th Signal Command in Worms, Germany.
Military schooling: May to September 1967. Infantry Advanced Course.

U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga.; and August 1971 to June 1972.
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Directly after graduation at Leavenworth came enrollment at the florida
Institute of Technology at Melhourne, where in August 1973 he earned a Master of
Science degree in procurement and contracting management

In 1983, General Guenther assumed command of Defense Contract
Administration Services Region, New York, where he was responsible for the
administration of contracts worth more than $15 hillion. In 1985, he hecame the
Director of the Defense Acquisition Regulation (DAR) System and Director of the

DAR CouInnci1l9. 87 he was selected to he a Project Manager for Army Data Dislrihution
Systems (PLRS, EPLRS, JTJl)S). Soon after this assignment started in 1988 he was
selected to be a Brigadier General and assumed the duties as Program Executive
Officer for all Communications Systems in the Army at fort Monmouth. New
Jersey. In 1992, 0110 became the Commanding General for Comlllunication
Electronics COlllmand at fl. Monmouth where he served until January 1995. In
January 1995, he moved to the Pentagon and hecame the Director of Informlltion
Systems for Command, Control, Communications and Computers and the Chief
Information Officer for the Army. He retired from this assignment on July 31,1997.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the
Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the ~ronle Star Medal
(with Oak Lear Cluster). the Meritorious Service Medal (With four. Oak leaf
Clusters). the Joint Service Commendation Medal,the Army COlllmendatlon Medal
(with Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Secretary of Derense Identification Badge.

At his retirement Olio was the most senior signal officer in the Army. lie
was the most senior alumnus serving on active duty having completed the ROTC

program. General Guenther is married to the former Jan Peterson and they have two

daughters. Debra and Tracey.