Courtesy Photo | Deputy to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, Mr. Robert...... read more read more
Sometimes, an adventure becomes more than you anticipate—it becomes your life. For Robert Kazimer, Deputy to the Commanding General at the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, that adventure has spanned more than 50 years of service.
In 1974, a newly graduated high school senior from Meriden, Connecticut, traveled to West Point, New York, and never looked back. Inspired by his father’s stories of criss-crossing the Pacific on troop ships from China to India to Australia during World War II, Kazimer knew from a young age that he would seek a career of service. Accepted to both West Point and the Naval Academy, he chose the Army after his father remarked “there is just something special about Terra Firma.”
For Kazimer, entering West Point wasn’t just a milestone; it became a commitment to a lifetime of service. “I never set an expiration date for my time in the Army,” he said. “I was surprised when many of my classmates decided to leave after five years. I thought, ‘You’ve put in so much effort to get here and survive —why stop at five?’”
After graduating with an emphasis in physics and concentration in nuclear engineering, Kazimer’s first assignment was with the 82nd Airborne as a Combat Engineer. His passion for adventure and challenge led him from Airborne to Ranger School—natural pursuits for a young second lieutenant. “Being in the 82nd, you’re part of a rapid deployment force, always ready to respond to the nation’s needs,” he recalled.
Kazimer’s desire for self-development took him next to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he met Ellen, a young Naval officer who would later become his wife. “Yes, I was fraternizing with another service,” he joked. “But it was perfect—we were in the same program, graduated together, and ended up at the Pentagon.”
As the Army nuclear program waned, Kazimer transitioned to operations research and systems analysis (ORSA). At the Pentagon, he was assigned to the newly formed Army Artificial Intelligence Center while Ellen evaluated Navy programs, balanced budgets, and developed strategies to determine which initiatives should continue. In 1985, the Army was exploring how emerging technologies like mini super computers and rule-based artificial intelligence could support the challenges of integrating new weapons systems, such as the Abrams tank and Apache helicopter, into its arsenal. “The Army wasn’t ready for the rapid influx of new systems,” Kazimer explained. “Motor pools buildings couldn’t even fit our new Abrams tank.” The AI Center used powerful computers to analyze data, develop modified TOEs, and manage readiness efforts, while also supporting AI efforts across Army labs and development centers who were laying the groundwork for technologies we now take for granted, like self-driving cars and GPS-assisted navigation.
Kazimer’s career then took him to Korea, where he served as Assistant Division Engineer for 2nd Infantry Division near the DMZ. “Combat Engineers are at the front, where obstacles need to be cleared or rivers crossed,” he said. “I learned to think like an engineer but have the heart of an infantryman.”
After Korea, and schooling at the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, he joined U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, just weeks before Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. Kazimer deployed during Operation Desert Storm and returned home in early 1991. Subsequent assignments included roles with the 24th Infantry Division (later the 3rd Infantry Division) and the Combined Forces Command in Korea, where he led theater planning, combat simulations, and supported large-scale exercises.
In the early 2000s, Kazimer returned to the Pentagon as Deputy for Plans, Resources, and Operations in the Army G-1. His second tour began just three weeks before the September 11 attacks. “I was in a conference room less than an hour before the aircraft hit,” he recalled somberly. While he survived, many of his colleagues, including LTG Tim Maude, the DCSPER, did not. Operating from a contingency site, Kazimer and his team worked to prepare the Army for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Kazimer’s expertise in modernization and IT led to his final assignments in uniform, including a role at the Center for Army Analysis and a leadership position in IT portfolio management in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary. After retiring from active duty, he transitioned to civilian service, eventually becoming the Chief Information Officer for the Army Corps of Engineers. “The Corps is like a mini-Army,” he explained. “It manages rivers, ports, and harbors while also handling military construction.”
In February of 2016, Kazimer joined the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, Georgia, where his diverse background in engineering, operations, and IT proved valuable. “It was an exciting opportunity to contribute to the modernization and the construction of the new campus,” he said. “Most importantly, my wife was on board with the move.”
After 51 years of service, Kazimer is preparing for the next chapter. He and Ellen, who raised two children—one a former Naval officer and the other an Army captain—are looking forward to celebrating their 40th anniversary by retracing their honeymoon along the Maine coast. “After that, we’ll visit our son in Hawaii,” he said. “And beyond that, only Ellen knows.”
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.17.2025 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 548467 |
| Location: | GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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