The Official Government Press Center for Fort Hood, Texas
DATE: February 10, 2022 2:44:23 PM CST
MEDIA ADVISORY – John W. Diem retires as Civilian Executive Director at U.S. Army Operational Test Command, virtual ceremony Friday
John W. Diem, Executive Director of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at West Fort Hood, Texas, retires in a virtual ceremony from its headquarters here Friday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m.
John W. Leffers, acting interim Executive Director of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at West Fort Hood, Texas.
WEST FORT HOOD, Texas – John W. Diem will retire in a virtual ceremony here Friday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. after serving as Executive Director of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command since November 2017.
A resident of Bryan, Texas, Diem is the only senior executive service member at Fort Hood, and is the federal civilian equivalent to a one-star general officer.
He started his career service as an Army commissioned officer after receiving his commission as an Air Defense Artillery Officer from the University of Texas A & M in 1978. He became a test officer in January 1982 when he reported to his first duty station — Fort Hood — where he was assigned to TRADOC Combined Arms Test Activity as a military test officer in the Battlefield Automation Test Directorate known today as USAOTC’s Mission Command Test Directorate.
Since then, he has held positions of increasing responsibility in testing, training, and operations, to include service as the III Corps G3-Rear from 2003 to 2005 and as an innovator in the use of simulations to test and train combat systems, networks, and mission command in operationally realistic environments.
After his Civil Service retirement, Diem will be joining the staff at Texas A&M.
Diem’s mother, Mrs. Kathy Diem, lives near the Fort Sam Houston area located in San Antonio, Texas and reads the San Antonio Express-News newspaper.
Fort Sam Houston is part of Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) along with Lackland and Randolph Air Force Bases.
Diem is being replaced by Harker Heights resident John W. Leffers as acting interim Executive Director.
Leffers entered Federal Service in September 2019 as the Senior Test Manager for USAOTC’s Maneuver Support and Sustainment Test Directorate. He hails from Utica, New York and retired after 28 years of service with the U.S. Army as an Infantry Colonel in 2019. He served three 12-month combat tours: Operation Iraqi Freedom (twice) in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Media wanting to cover Diem’s retirement event should use the Teams link above.
Additional photos of John W. Diem’s time at the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at West Fort Hood, Texas:
John W. Diem, Executive Director of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command, speaks about the future of operational testing during the OTC Commander’s Senior Leader meeting during December 2019. Diem retires in a virtual ceremony Friday. (U.S. Army photo)
(From left-to-right) Mr. John W. Diem, U.S. Army Operational Test Command (OTC) Executive Director; Col. Ronald R. Ragin, (then, OTC Commander); Command Sgt. Maj. William A. Justice, (then, OTC Command Sergeant Major); Ms. Bonnie A. McIlrath, Director, Test Technology Directorate, OTC; Col. Patrick E. Curry, (then, Director, Mission Command Test Directorate), OTC; Mr. William J. McKiernan, Deputy Director, Maneuver Test Directorate, OTC; Ms. Sara A. Van Dusen, (then, Deputy Director & Senior Test Manager, Aviation Test Directorate), OTC; and Mr. William G. Adams, OTC Civilian G3/5 Operations and Plans Chief, join together in the ribbon cutting to officially open the equipment testing unit’s new Technology Integration Center Aug. 28, 2019. Diem retires in a virtual ceremony Friday. (Photo by Mr. William C. Beach, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Test and Documentation Team)
(From left-to-right) Killeen Independent School District Superintendent Dr. John Craft; Central Texas College Chancellor Jim Yeonopolus; Texas A&M University-Central Texas President Marc Nigliazzo; and Mr. John W. Diem, Executive Director of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command, display the “Cyber Information Sharing Pledge” Aug. 28, 2019, which is expected to build a critical foundation of trust, partnership and commitment that will be central as the four entities enter future collaborative endeavors. Diem retires in a virtual ceremony Friday. (Photo by Mr. Tad Browning, Lead Audiovisual Production Specialist, Test Documentation Team, U.S. Army Operational Test Command)