Robert Shelley Guest was born into a military family in Linz, Austria on April 22, 1947. He was one of five children of Colonel James Willard Guest (U.S. Army, Retired) and his wife Margaret. His father served a full career, and the extended family could boast of generations of service members many with close connections to West Point. Bob’s maternal grandfather, Brigadier General Wyburn Dwight Brown, USMA Class of 1919, was particularly influential in convincing Bob to become a field artilleryman. Other relatives who were graduates of USMA include Colonel Harry O. Amos ’45, Colonel Richard Hunt ’50, and his son, Steve Hunt ’77.
Growing up as an Army brat meant many moves and overseas postings, which developed in Bob a strong interest in other cultures and fueled his desire in later years to travel throughout Europe and eventually serve in Christian missions in Mexico and Senegal. Bob was an Explorer Scout, earned placement in the National Honor Society and graduated from Granby High School, Norfolk, VA in 1964. He loved golf and played skillfully. After a year at Johns Hopkins University, he earned a congressional appointment through Florida’s 5th District Representative, William C. Cramer, and entered USMA in July 1965.
Bob was tall and stood out among his class of over 1,100 new cadets eager to meet West Point’s challenges. His stature earned him the attention of the detail of upper classmen who were more than happy to grill Bob while his much-relieved classmates kept a low profile. His Company A-1 classmates quickly recognized Bob’s natural humility, his academic abilities, and his willingness to support any classmate in need. He was on the dean’s list every semester. He also followed directives! As one classmate recalls, Bob responded to a corps-wide memorandum advising all cadets have their wisdom teeth checked and removed. Many didn’t comply but Bob did, enduring “pain and suffering” from “golf-ball size” cheeks for days. He dutifully met that trial with calm and grace.
Upon graduation, Bob attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK and the winter Ranger course at Fort Benning, GA. He never forgot the latter experience because frostbite hounded him for years. He then served three years in Germany in the 1st Armored Division as a battery XO, assistant battalion S-3, service battery commander, and as a member of the division fire support element. Bob served his final year of active duty in Korea as a battery commander and assistant G-4 with the 4th Missile Command.
Bob returned to the States and embarked on a civilian career in the telecommunications industry while remaining in uniform as an Army Reservist. His interest in cultures and foreign affairs led him to also pursue a Master of Arts in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Bob’s 24 years in the telecommunications world allowed him to showcase his strong skills in research, analysis, sales and marketing. Starting with AT&T in Washington, DC in 1976 he worked in U.S. Government Long Lines Communications, followed by national account manager for NASA. Bob continued his expertise as marketing representative for Federal Accounts with an IBM/AETNA/Comsat consortium expanding to sales management within the Government Systems Division of Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company. He eventually landed in Bell Atlantic/Verizon, sharing his professional skills and problem-solving abilities with them for 17 years. Recognized for his strength of character, fairness, and accountability, a remark often heard was “Bob Guest gets things done!” 
Concurrently, as an Army Reserve officer at the Pentagon, Bob was involved in personnel and manpower policies as a military assistant and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) for Reserve Mobilization. Bob was lauded for his adept managing of divergent
approaches and his straightforward, pragmatic manner of developing collective solutions. He worked in a collaborative manner with inter-agency partners in creating the Army Directive on Reserve Component Stationing. Bob wrote speeches and congressional testimony on force structure and Army Reserve Command and Control. He completed the Army Command and General Staff College, was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1986 and retired in 1992. 
On the personal front, Bob questioned his life, not so much from a legacy standpoint but in measuring his relationship to God. His sisters had accepted Christ and encouraged Bob to follow, which he did in 1985. His academic abilities helped quench his thirst for theological knowledge, which he applied to spiritual pursuits with tangible results. In 1995 Bob married Karen Hansen, and they committed to grow in obedience to Christ through missions and outreach. Florida became their home in 2005, much to Bob’s delight and comfort. While he was reticent in discussing his professional accomplishments, he did think scoring in the 70s a few times on the golf course ranked near the top. Bob served as deacon at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church, chairing the missions committee, leading the Christian education team, and teaching Bible studies at home, at church and through prison ministries. As the global conflict with terrorism brought more deployments abroad, he fostered relationships in support of mission to North America’s Chaplains’ Ministry, which serves the spiritual needs of military personnel. He also served on the board of directors for New Harvest Missions International in Togo, West Africa. Bob’s impact on his church is best expressed by his pastor who said, “I wish every church had at least one Bob Guest.”
Bob succumbed to Parkinson’s and throat cancer in 2018. His sense of fulfillment is evidenced by his own testimony, “…grateful for a loving wife, family and friends…and most grateful for a saving faith in Christ Jesus, by God’s grace alone.”
 — Family and Classmates