Lt Gen Mary F. O'Brien Biography
Lt. Gen. Mary F. O’Brien is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. She is responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for policy formulation, planning, evaluation, oversight and leadership of Air Force intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and cyber effects operations capabilities. As the Air Force’s Senior Intelligence Officer, she is directly responsible to the Director of National Intelligence and the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. She leads six directorates and supports a73,000-person intelligence and cyber operations enterprise with a portfolio valued at $72billion across the Air Force.
Lt. Gen. O’Brien received her commission upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. She has served in a variety of intelligence command and staff assignments. Her commands include the 22nd Intelligence Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland; 691st ISR Group, RAF Men with Hill, United Kingdom; and 70thISR Wing, Fort George G. Meade. Lt. Gen. O’Brien has also served in numerous staff leadership positions including the Joint Staff, the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison, Headquarters U.S. Air Force and Air Force Space Command and served as the U.S. Cyber Command Director of Intelligence.
Prior to her current assignment, she served as Commander, Twenty-fifth Air Force, and was responsible for more than 29,000 personnel conducting worldwide operations and the delivery of multisource intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products, applications,capabilities and resources. In addition, she served as the Commander of the Service Cryptologic Component responsible to the Director, National Security Agency and Chief,Central Security Service, as the Air Force’s sole authority for matters involving the conduct of cryptologic activities.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal