Aaron B. O'Connell's scholarly interests span four inter-related fields: 20th century military history, cultural history, U.S. foreign affairs, and American politics. His scholarly publications focus on understanding the effects of U.S. military influence and infrastructure inside and outside the United States. O'Connell's public history pieces mostly concern how the U.S. military affects contemporary domestic and political culture.
Prior to joining UT Austin, O'Connell served 22 years in the Marine Corps, which included assignments as a Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Special Advisor to General David Petraeus in Afghanistan, and the Senior Defense Official / Defense Attache' at U.S. Embassy, Juba, South Sudan. From 2016-2017, he served in the Obama Administration as Director of Defense Policy & Strategy on the National Security Council.
O'Connell is the author of "Underdogs: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps," which explores how the Marine Corps rose from relative unpopularity to become the most prestigious armed service in the United States. He is also editor of "Our Latest Longest War: Losing Hearts and Minds in Afghanistan," which is a critical account of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan since 2001. O'Connell has authored numerous articles on military affairs and military history and his opinion pieces have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. He teaches courses in military history, U.S. foreign policy, U.S. military culture and the U.S.s role in the world since 1898.
Ph.D.
in History, Yale University, 2009
MPhil
in History, Yale University, 2005
M.A.
in American Studies, Yale University, 2003
M.A.
in English, Indiana University, 2002
B.A.
in American Studies, Trinity College, 1995
20th century military history, cultural history, U.S. foreign affairs, and American politics, Afghanistan, South Sudan, civil-military relations, national security policy, military culture
Co-chair,
Local Arrangements Committee, 2018 Meeting, American Historical Association (2016 - Present)
Member,
Policy committee, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (2016 - Present)
Director,
Defense Policy & Strategy, National Security Council (2016 - 2017)
Member,
Program Committee, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (2014 - 2015)
U.S. Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché,
U.S. Embassy Juba, South Sudan (2014 - 2015)
Grant Reviewer,
Military Records Research Grant, National Archives and Records Administration (2013 - 2014)
Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin E. Dempsey,
Chairmans Action Group, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington DC. (2012 - 2014)
Article referee,
The Journal of Military History and History: The Journal of the Historical Association (UK). (2011 - 2016)
Special Adviser to the ISAF Commander,
General David H. Petraeus, Commanders Initiatives Group, ISAF, Kabul Afghanistan (2010 - 2011)
Strategic Analyst for the Commandant of the Marine Corps,
Strategic Initiatives Group, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon (2007 - 2010)
Military Adviser to the Director,
Office of WMD Terrorism, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Department of State, Washington DC (2006 - 2007)
McMullen Seapower Fellowship
- USNA (2016)
Jay Johnson Professorship for Leadership and Ethics
- USNA (2015)
Outstanding Academic Title for Underdogs
- ALAs Choice Magazine (2014)
