Aaron O'Connell
Phone: +1 202 235 3820
Email: aaron.oconnell@austin.utexas.edu
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. His public history and commentary mostly concern how the U.S. military affects contemporary politics and culture. He is currently writing a history of the Global War on Terror.
Prior to joining the UT Austin History Department, O'Connell served 26 years in the Marine Corps, the last decade of which was spent serving as a strategic advisor to a number of four-star general officers: the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commander of the War in Afghanistan, the Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, and, later, the Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. From 2016-2017, he served in the Obama Administration as Director of Defense Policy & Strategy on the National Security Council staff. His final military assignment was as the Officer in Charge of the Marine Corps History Divisions Joint History Element, which provided direct historical support the senior military officer in the United States: the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
O'Connell is the author of "Underdogs: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps," which explores how the Marine Corps rose from relative unpopularity at the start of World War II to become the most prestigious armed service in the United States by the late Cold War. 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 online, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. He teaches courses in military history, U.S. foreign policy, counterinsurgency operations, U.S. military culture, and the history of strategy.