The U.S. Army has announced that Chief Information Officer Leonel Garciga, a two-time Wash100 awardee, stepped down from his role on Friday.
As government and industry officials continue conversations about Army modernization efforts, military and industry leaders will gather on June 18 at the 2026 Army Summit to discuss the service’s evolving technology priorities. The event will feature discussions on AI, reconfigurable air defense and cost-effective fires, cybersecurity, and the future of the tactical edge. Sign up now!
In a LinkedIn post published Tuesday, the Office of the Army CIO said officials held a farewell ceremony on Friday, May 1, recognizing Garciga’s service and efforts in advancing the Army’s digital transformation, cybersecurity and data strategies, along with his professional impact on colleagues across the force.
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Who Is Leonel Garciga?
Garciga is a U.S. Navy veteran who has worked across the Department of War and the intelligence community in acquisition, engineering, intelligence and IT roles since 2003.
He took on the role of Army CIO in 2023.
Before becoming Army CIO, he served as director of Army Intelligence Community Information Management within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, G-2.
Garciga also held leadership roles at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization, where he served as chief technology officer and senior adviser on technology matters.
He also worked as deputy CIO for the Joint IED Defeat Organization, served as an intelligence analyst and IT specialist at U.S. Joint Forces Command Joint Transformation Command-Intelligence and began his federal career as a mechanical engineer at the Navy Engineering Logistics Office.
What Efforts Did Garciga Advance as Army CIO?
During his tenure, Garciga advanced enterprise IT modernization, cybersecurity and procurement initiatives across the Army.
In March, the service announced that it awarded 14 enterprise contracts over an eight-month period as part of efforts to streamline procurement and reduce duplicative contracting activities. Garciga said the Army planned to continue expanding the enterprise contracting model for software and digital platforms.
Garciga also discussed Army efforts to modernize IT systems, consolidate legacy systems and expand enterprise services during appearances at government technology events.
In February, he issued interim cybersecurity guidance governing the operation and network connectivity of small unmanned aircraft systems across the military branch. In 2024, he signed five policy memos seeking to advance software modernization and accelerate cybersecurity through DevSecOps.
Garciga’s Potomac Officers Club Appearances
Garciga spoke at the last two Potomac Officers Club Army Summits, in 2024 and 2025. Find our coverage below, as well as our piece on his acceptance of his 2025 Wash100 Award.
- Army CIO Garciga Targeting ‘Butts in Seats’ in Contracting Reform [Potomac Officers Club; June 18, 2025]
- Army CIO Leonel Garciga Shares Top Priorities for Next 2 Years [GovCon Wire; June 26, 2024]
- Army CIO Leonel Garciga Accepts 2025 Wash100 Award [GovCon Wire; August 7, 2025]
- Army CIO Leonel Garciga Receives 2024 Wash100 Award at Potomac Officers Club Summit [GovCon Wire; June 28, 2024]
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