Robert J. Letendre

Chief Warrant Officer Five(CW5) Robert J. Letendre, United States Army (Retired), served an extraordinary 32-year active duty career marked by technical mastery, strategic foresight, and enduring contributions to the Warrant Officer Cohort and the broader Army. Born on January 25, 1947, in Fall River, Massachusetts, CW5 Letendre enlisted in the Army on October 31, 1966, in Providence, Rhode Island. Following basic and advanced individual training, he was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in Lai Khe, Vietnam, from 1967 to 1968—an early trial by fire that would forge the foundation of his long and decorated service.

After Vietnam, Letendre’s assignments reflected a rare depth of technical proficiency and adaptability. He served as an instructor at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, then moved overseas to Sagami Depot, Japan. In 1971, he was selected for the elite Army Nuclear Power Plant Operator Course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, a distinction that propelled him into one of the Army's most unique technical domains. In 1975, while serving aboard the Army’s Floating Nuclear Power Plant STURGIS in the Panama Canal Zone, he was appointed as a Warrant Officer One in the Engineer Branch—an inflection point that initiated a remarkable Warrant Officer career spanning 24 years.

CW5 Letendre's subsequent assignments underscored his status as a premier technical and operational expert. He served as Facilities Engineer Officer for a 200-bed Combat Support Hospital, Staff Officer for the Engineer School’s Review of Education and Training for Officers (RETO) Study, and Chief of Technical Training for the Army’s rigorous year-long Prime Power School. His dual command tours as detachment commander and technical advisor to the U.S. Ambassador in the Dominican Republic overseeing the 30MW WEBER and 50MW IMPEDANCE floating power plants represented some of the Army’s most strategically sensitive and technically demanding missions.

From 1989 to 1999, Letendre held three consecutive Senior Warrant Officer nominative positions—Leader Development Officer at the Warrant Officer Division, Chief of Warrant Officer Training, and Leader Development at HQ TRADOC, and Chief of Plans and Training Development at the Warrant Officer Career Center. These roles placed him at the epicenter of transformational change within the Warrant Officer Corps during a defining decade. He contributed to or led critical efforts including the Total Warrant Officer Study, the Warrant Officer Management Act, and the Warrant Officer Leader Development Action Plan —policy cornerstones that elevated the Warrant Officer from technical specialist to full-spectrum leader and advisor.

Letendre’s legacy is particularly pronounced in the development and institutionalization of leader competencies within the cohort. His work ensured that today’s warrant officers are not only recognized for their technical acumen but also as strategic advisors to

commanders and operational leaders in their own right. The fact that senior warrant officers now serve on major Army command staffs is a direct evolution of initiatives in which he played a formative role.

His mentorship of fellow WOs was deeply felt across the Army. As recounted during his induction into the Order of the Eagle Rising Society in 2019, Letendre reflected on the collaborative achievements of his peers and the gratifying experience of shaping the institutional future of the Warrant Officer profession. His humility, professionalism, and vision earned him widespread respect. As one young CW3 told him years after his retirement, “Thank you for paving the way”—a sentiment that echoes across generations of Army leaders.

Letendre’s post-retirement service continues to reflect the Army values and his personal ethos of lifelong commitment. As a life member of MOAA and volunteer with the Fort Stewart Retired Soldier Council, Central Florida USO, and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, CW5 Letendre lives out the “Soldier for Life” philosophy. His civilian professional work has included senior analytical and leadership roles with the Department of Homeland Security, TRADOC, and various defense contractors—where he applied his extensive experience in organizational development, policy, and emergency management.

Recognized with numerous awards—including the prestigious Order of the Eagle Rising Society—Letendre’s influence on the Warrant Officer Corps is enduring. His leadership shaped not only the trajectory of individual Soldiers but also the doctrine, development, and identity of the Warrant Officer profession itself.

Today, CW5 (Ret.) Letendre resides in Winter Springs, Florida, where he remains active in veteran advocacy, public service, and community engagement. His career, both in uniform and beyond, exemplifies the Army’s highest standards of service, character, and leadership.