Lieutenant Colonel Kerry Lynn Cailteux (U.S. Army, Retired) was born in Concordia, KS, the son of Kenneth and Ethel (Midgie) Cailteux. Kerry, the eldest of four siblings, grew up in Clyde, KS. Kerry graduated from Clyde High School and arrived at West Point in the summer of 1971.
Kerry had a real thirst for knowledge. At a young age, he read an entire set of encyclopedias from A to Z. He was always found with a book or computer in his hands. Back in the days before calculators, his classmates would ask him, “What is 5.365 times 4.342?” He would do the math in his head and produce the answer in seconds. The answer was always right!
Always positive, Kerry never failed to uplift all around him. This was especially true during plebe year. He was often heard to say, “Sir, have I got a story for you!” This talent really found favor with an oft grumpy First Class. Kerry would humorously introduce himself using the /k/ sound: “I am Kerry Cailteux from Clyde, in Cloud County, Kansas.” Kerry was known fondly by his nickname of “Flex.” He had an accident in high school that caused his arm to bend at a weird angle, and all his buddies gave him a hard time about it by calling him “Flex.”
Kerry was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Fine Arts Forum, the Computer Forum, and several clubs: Archery, Outdoor Sportsman and Hunting. He also served as the editor of the Chapel Crier.
After graduation from West Point in 1975, Kerry branched Armor and attended the Armor Officer Basic Course (Fort Knox, KY). He then served as a platoon leader and company executive officer at Fort Riley, KS. Kerry then attended the Armor Officer Advanced Course (Fort Knox). Next, Kerry was sent to the Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey, CA), where he studied Arabic and obtained a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs. After his studies, the Army sent Kerry and his family to Tunisia for a year to further his Arabic studies and serve with the Office of Military Cooperation (OMC) in Beirut. Then he went back to Fort Riley to serve as a squadron operations officer and assistant division operations officer. After this troop assignment Kerry was sent back to the Middle East to serve in Lebanon, Oman and Cairo, Egypt as a foreign aea officer. In Cairo, where he eventually settled, Kerry served as the chief, Land Forces, OMC, and managed the largest U.S. Army Foreign Military Financing-funded security assistance program in the world at the time and traveled throughout the Middle East in carrying out his duties. Kerry graduated from the U.S. Army War College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute.
After retirement from the Army in 2000, Kerry continued to serve his country for two more decades as a U.S. civilian contractor based in Cairo. Key roles included senior logistician, program manager, and vice president, Egypt. In his last position, Kerry served as director of the Middle East for the Advanced Technology Systems Company (ATSC), acting as an in-country liaison with the Egyptian Ministry of Defense, Armament Authority, and Egyptian Military Services for ATSC programs in Egypt and across the Middle East. Kerry passed away suddenly on November 23, 2020.
Kerry’s family included his wife, Gilda, his siblings: Konrad (Christine) Cailteux of New York, NY; Kaylene (John) Curtis of New Smyrna Beach, FL; and Marlene (Gayle) Cailteux of Lenexa, KS; his children: Kathleen DesOrmeaux of Williamsburg, VA; Michael Cailteux of Norfolk, CO; Karelynn (Travis) Overfelt of Lee’s Summit, MO; Sherlynn (Chris) Siok of Lee’s Summit; and Kylie Cailteux of Kansas City, MO; his niece, Lauren (Kyle) Maples of Washington, DC; and grandchildren: D’Artagnan, Charlie May, and Liam.
Kerry was tremendously talented, shared his big heart, supported his classmates, friends and family, and served his country until the end. We will miss him.
— Kerry’s family and G-4 classmates