Jerry O. Tuttle

Jerry Owen Tuttle (December 18, 1934 – October 30, 2018) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy. He was the second Captain of and commanded the ; Naval Inspector General; Deputy and Chief of Staff for the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations; and Deputy Director for Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency.

His awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (4), Distinguished Flying Cross (3), Meritorious Service Medal (2), Air Medal (25), Navy Commendation Medal (4), and Letter of Commendation from the Japan Defense Agency. He was also a recipient of the Gray Eagle Award.

Early Navy career Tuttle joined the Navy in March 1955 and was soon selected for the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. He was designated a Naval Aviator and commissioned as an Ensign after completing his flight training in October 1956. After studying at the Naval Postgraduate School, Tuttle was awarded a bachelor's degree in Communications Engineering in 1965. He later earned a master's degree in International Relations from George Washington University in 1969.

In Vietnam, Admiral Tuttle was decorated for personal heroism three times, flying 260 missions in the single-seat light attack A-4. He served in VA-44, VA-15, VA-112 and VA-174. He commanded VA-81 and Carrier Air Wing Three. It was joked that JOTS really stood for the “Jerry O Tuttle's System.” After the first 18 months of Carrier Group Eight's efforts, when finally formalized and using the Joint Naming protocols of the time, “Joint Operational Tactical System” was adopted as a more acceptable alternative.

Tuttle also spearheaded DOD and NATO adoption of “over-the-air rekeying” (OTAR) for communications encryption/decryption keys. This innovation, originated by the Navy European Command, permitted code keys to be securely distributed via electronic communications channels, thereby virtually eliminating necessity of production and distribution of thousands of physical keys. This obviated astronomical logistical and security costs while also closing vast communications espionage vulnerabilities thought, until that time, to be inherently unavoidable.

Later life Tuttle died on October 30, 2018, in Fairfax, Virginia. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.