 Board of Directors — Thomas W. O’Connell
The Honorable Thomas W. O’Connell, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, has been appointed to EMS Technologies’ Board of Directors in 2007, and currently serves on the Nominations and Governance Committee.
A 1968 Distinguished Military Graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Mr. O’Connell served in the Army until 1995, culminating in a three-year assignment at the Central Intelligence Agency. His military career included infantry service in Germany, a combat tour as an advisor in Vietnam, numerous assignments in Special Operations Intelligence units and an exchange tour with the British Army in the UK. He commanded a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division and served as the Senior Intelligence Officer for the Joint Special Operations Command. Mr. O’Connell also commanded a Special Operations Intelligence Brigade and served in Grenada, Panama, and the first Gulf War. He received several awards for valor in combat zones as well as the Purple Heart and the Air Medal.
In his civilian career, Mr. O’Connell held senior management positions with ESystems Inc. and later Raytheon Company, working on critical infrastructure protection and advanced special operations and intelligence projects.
Nominated by President George W. Bush to become Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in May 2003 and serving until April 2007, Mr. O’Connell was responsible for civilian oversight of budgets of over $10 billion dollars annually, as well as 52,000 Special Operations personnel. He received both the Defense Department’s and the Coast Guard’s highest awards for civilian service.
A resident of Alexandria, Va., Mr. O’Connell has Master’s degrees in Public Administration from Central Michigan University; in Strategic Studies and International Relations from the Naval War College; and an advanced degree in National Security Management from Industrial War College.
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