Brig. Gen. Shannon O’Harren serves as the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Intelligence, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. In this position, he assists the Director of Intelligence responsible to the Commander, ACC, for intelligence policy, weapons system requirements and combat Air Force readiness. He guides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tactics, techniques, procedures and training application to active and Reserve component ACC forces worldwide.
Brig. Gen. O’Harren was commissioned in 1992 as a graduate of the ROTC program at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is a career intelligence officer and also served as a National Aeronautics and Space Administration military liaison officer and aircrew member.
Brig. Gen. O’Harren has held numerous key staff positions at the unit, operational, Combatant Command, Joint Staff and Office of the Secretary of Defense level. He has directed and commanded specialty joint and interagency teams and supported numerous overseas contingency operations. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Wartime Director for Intelligence, J2, United States Forces Korea.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
1996 Master of Education, Organizational Development and Management, Boston University, Boston, Mass.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2000 Master of Business Administration, Finance and Information Systems, Manhattan College, New York, N.Y.
2002 Special Operations Liaison Element Course, Joint Special Operations University, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2002 Joint Special Operations Air Component Course, Joint Special Operations University, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2002 Asia-Pacific and Middle East Orientation Courses, Joint Special Operations University, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2004 Certificate in National Security Strategy, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2011 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell, AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Joint Combined Warfighting School, Joint Command and Staff College, Norfolk, Va., by hybrid
2020 Middle East and South Asia Political-Economic Conflict Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C
2020 China and The Far East Political-Economic Conflict Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Transnational Issues Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2022 AI for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass.
2023 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, Institute for Defense and Business, Durham, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1992–September 1993, Student, Intelligence Operations Officer Course, 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2. September 1993–October 1994, Chief, Electronic Threat Analysis Branch, 7th Air Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
3. October 1994–November 1997, Chief, Intelligence Systems and Automation Support, Directorate of Intelligence, Electronics Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
4. November 1997–December 1999, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Detachment 560 Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Manhattan College, New York, N.Y.
5. December 1999–February 2002, Reserve Augmentee and Action Officer, Pacific Air Forces Air Intelligence Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
6. February 2002–February 2004, Intelligence Applications Staff Officer, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. February 2004–February 2006, Chief, Intelligence Futures Branch, Headquarters AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8. February 2006–February 2008, Intelligence Flight Commander, 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan
9. February 2008–September 2013, Deputy Chief, Command Intelligence Branch, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
10. August 2009–September 2011 (detailed), Special Projects Officer, Secretary of Defense Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Task Force, OUSD-I, Washington, D.C.
11. October 2011–September 2012 (detailed), Military Liaison Officer (Aircrew), National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
12. October 2012–March 2013 (temporary duty), Headquarters Pacific Command, Joint Innovation and Experimentation Division, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
13. September 2013–May 2015, Reserve Assistant to the Vice Director for Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
14. May 2015–September 2017, Director, Joint Staff J2 Joint Reserve Intelligence Support Element (JRISE), Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
15. September 2017–April 2018, Vice Deputy Director, Joint Staff J28, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
16. April 2018–September 2021, Director for Intelligence, J2 (Wartime), U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, Seoul, South Korea
17. September 2021–present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director for Intelligence, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2002–October 2002, Director of Intelligence, Special Operations Liaison Element, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command, Operation Enduring Freedom, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a captain
2. April 2003–August 2003, Director of Intelligence, Special Operations Liaison Element, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Al Udeid AB, Qatar, as major
3. August 2006–October 2006, Director of Operations, 451st AEG (NASA WB-57 Operations), OEF, Al Udeid AB, Qatar and Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, as a major
4. October 2008–December 2008, Director of Operations, 451st AEG (NASA WB-57 Operations), OEF, Al Udeid AB, Qatar and Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, as a lieutenant colonel
5. August 2009–September 2011, Special Projects Officer, Secretary of Defense Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Task Force, OUSD-I, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
6. October 2011–May 2012, Aircrew trainee and Advanced Team Commander, 451st AEW (NASA WB-57 Operations), OEF, Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, as a lieutenant colonel
7. September 2013–May 2015, Reserve Assistant to the Vice Director for Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
8. May 2015–April 2018, Director, Joint Staff J2 Joint Reserve Intelligence Support Element (JRISE) and Deputy Director for Intelligence, National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center, National Military Command Center, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
9. April 2018–September 2021, Director for Intelligence, J2 (Wartime), U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, Seoul, South Korea, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Basic Parachutist
NASA Aviation Badge: Sensor Equipment Operator (not worn)
Aircraft: NASA WB-57 (permanent loan to NASA from U.S. Air Force)
Flight and Combat Hours: Masked by NASA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two ‘M’ devices and hourglass device
NATO Medal
PUBLICATIONS
“Information Driven Interagency Operations in Afghanistan”, Joint Force Quarterly, National Defense University Press, October 2008
(Current as of March 2023)