Lieutenant Colonel O'Connell was born on 28 May 1985 in Millis, Massachusetts. He holds an undergraduate
degree in criminal justice from Western New England College and a masters of science in leadership from
Boston University. He was commissioned in November 2007.
Following initial training at The Basic School and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Lieutenant O'Connell received orders
to Fifth Battalion, Tenth Marines at Camp Lejeune, NC from 2009 to 2011. In 2009 he served as Company
Fire Support Officer and Platoon Commander in Company D, 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of 2D Marine Expeditionary Brigade. In 2010 he served
as Battalion Fire Support Officer and Weapons Company Executive Officer to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Returning to 5th Battalion, 10th Marines in late 2010, Lieutenant
O'Connell served as the Headquarters Battery Commander until Summer 2011.
Promoted to the rank of Captain in December 2011, he was assigned to The Basic School in Quantico, VA
where he served as a Warfighting Instructor, Staff Platoon Commander, BOC Executive Officer, and
Instructor Education Program Officer until July 2014. In July 2014, he was assigned as a student in the
USMC Expeditionary Warfare School.
From 2015 to 2017, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marines in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii where he served
as Assistant Operations Officer and Commanding Officer, Headquarters and Battery C. In 2016 he was part
of the Unit Deployment Program to Okinawa, Japan as the Battery Commander for Battery C. Returning to
1st Battalion, 12th Marines in late 2016, he served as the Assistant Operations Officer until Summer 2017.
In 2017 he reported to Marine Corps University to serve as a student at Command and Staff College for
Academic Year 2018. Promoted to Major in October 2017, he served as a Faculty Advisor for conference
group five at Marine Corps University's Expeditionary Warfare School until 2020, receiving the Marine
Corps University's Rose award for instructor of the year in 2020.
In August of 2020 Major O'Connell reported to 2d Battalion, 11th Marines to serve as 5th Marine Regiment
Assistant Fire Support Coordinator. In this billet he executed several training events with 5th Marines, 1st
Marine Division, and Expeditionary Strike Group 3. On 1 June 2021 he assumed the duties of Executive
Officer for 2d Battalion, 11th Marines. On 20 May 2022 he departed 2d Battalion, 11th Marines and was
assigned as Battery Commander of Headquarters Battery, 11th Marine Regiment.
In July of 2023 Major O'Connell transferred to Okinawa, Japan and reported as the Regimental Logistics
Officer for 12th Marine Regiment. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in September 2023, he participated in
the resignation of the unit to 12th Marine Littoral Regiment. In summer 2024 he departed 12 Marine Littoral
Regiment to return to Camp Pendleton, California to assume command of 1st Battalion, 11th Marines.