IN MEMORIAM: Cmd. Sgt. Maj. John C. Butler (Aug. 10, 1950 – Nov. 19, 2025)
CSM John C. Butler (US Army, Retired), 2004 Military Intelligence Hall of Fame Inductee, passed away on Nov. 19, 2025.
Born in San Diego, California, John Butler began his military career as an infantry soldier in 1969.After basic and advanced individual training, he was sent to Company D, 1/8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in Vietnam, where he earned a Purple Heart for wounds sustained during combat in 1970–1971. He also had assignments with the 3/8th Cavalry in Germany, 1/31st Infantry and United Nations Command Security Group–Joint Security Area in Korea, and as a drill sergeant at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Butler’s first association with intelligence came in 1984, when he was selected to serve as a senior intelligence sergeant in the fledgling S-2 office of 3d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Ord, California. Despite having no other staff or intelligence experience, he threw himself into his new duties and wrote the intelligence portion of the 3d Brigade’s operations plan in preparation for the unit’s certification during Exercise Celtic Cross IV. He then supervised the Intelligence Section and ensured the prompt, accurate flow of intelligence information throughout the command during the fast-paced exercise.
By 1985, after seventeen years in the infantry, Butler decided to make a career change to Military Intelligence. He completed the Intelligence Analyst Course and was subsequently returned to his S-2 position in the 3d Brigade. His common-sense approach to his intelligence duties was immediately recognized during GALLANT KNIGHT 86, when the XVIII Airborne Corps commander singled him out for outstanding contributions to the command post exercise.
Butler’s next assignment was as first sergeant of B Company, 107th MI Battalion, in the 7th Infantry Division. In this role, he provided exceptional leadership, mentoring, and training for all soldiers in his unit. He particularly stressed the importance of training and education to their growth. After his time as first sergeant, in 1990, he became the G-2 sergeant major of the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Polk, Louisiana. During Operation DESERT SHIELD, he created an in-depth training program for all the G-2 soldiers in anticipation of deployment to Southwest Asia. In the process, he raised unit readiness to its highest level, while continuing to provide quality intelligence support to the division.
In 1992, after attending the Sergeants Major Academy, Butler tackled what he considered his most challenging assignment as command sergeant major of the 302d MI Battalion, 205th MI Brigade, in Germany. Under his leadership, the unit not only vastly improved its morale and cohesion but also was cited as the best intelligence organization of its type during a V Corps Battle Command Training Program. During this assignment, Butler was personally responsible for the successful relocation of his battalion from Frankfurt to split locations at Wiesbaden and Heidelberg. Throughout the process, the battalion continued to provide full intelligence support to V Corps, while also achieving the highest retention rate and completing comprehensive intelligence training for all battalion soldiers.
Butler moved on in 1996 to Fort Hood, Texas, where he became the command sergeant major for the 15th MI Battalion (Aerial Exploitation), 504th MI Brigade, III Corps. His final assignment was as the brigade command sergeant major for the 504th, then under the command of Col. (later major general) James “Spider” Marks. Again, Butler’s continued support of training and leadership development through mentoring resulted in an exceptional command climate within the brigade.
Butler retired in 1999 after having positively influenced all the soldiers and commands in which he served. He would later describe his leadership philosophy as one that focused on training and mentoring foremost and being honest, respectful, and loyal to the soldiers, the commander, the mission, the unit, and the Army.