Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Alaska
Brigadier General Timothy P. O'Brien is the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Joint Forces Headquarters - Alaska, and the Commander, Alaska Air National Guard. As commander, he ensures the training and equipping of over 2,000 Alaska citizen Airmen in two flying wings. He provides airlift, rescue, aerial refueling, air control, and space warning and surveillance capabilities in support of state and federal missions worldwide.
General O'Brien received his commission through the Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson AB, Tenn., in August 1988. He has commanded a combat search and rescue helicopter squadron, held a variety of operational flying and staff assignments at the wing level, and completed a Headquarters Air Force staff assignment in acquisition and requirements. He was also the first Air National Guard Commandant of the United States Air Force Officer Training School.
Prior to this assignment, General O'Brien served as the Commander of the 168th Air Refueling Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The 168th Air Refueling Wing, "Guardians of the Last Frontier", provides Air Force capabilities of Global Reach and Vigilance through the combined operations of Air Refueling and Space Warning Squadrons. The unit maintains a constant watch and commitment for Pacific Air Forces, Northern and Air Force Space Commands and Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region. He is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours in various models of the HH-60G, HH-3E and other aircraft.
1985 California State University, Bachelor of Arts, Music, East Bay,
California
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2002 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2006 Air War College, Master of Strategic Studies, Maxwell Air Force Base,
Alabama
2012 United States Northern Command, Dual Status Commander Qualification
Program, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
1. September 1988 - October 1989, Student, Undergraduate Pilot
Training-Helicopter, Fort Rucker, Alabama
2. October 1989 - October 1991, H-3 Helicopter Pilot, 129th Air Rescue Squadron,
Moffett Field, California
3. October 1991 - July 1992, HH-60 Pilot, 129th Rescue Squadron, Moffett Field,
California
4. July 1992 - February 1999, HH-60 Pilot, 210th Rescue Squadron, Kulis Air
National Guard Base, Anchorage, Alaska
5. March 1999 - February 2000, HH-60G Instructor Pilot, 210th Rescue Squadron,
Kulis Air National Guard Base, Anchorage, Alaska
6. March 2000 - February 2001, HH-60 Evaluator Pilot, 210th Rescue Squadron,
Kulis Air National Guard Base, Anchorage, Alaska
7. March 2001 - February 2002 HH-60 Evaluator/Instructor Pilot, 210th Rescue
Squadron, Kulis Air National Guard Base, Anchorage, Alaska
8. March 2002 - February 2003, Deputy Chief, Global Mobility, National Guard
Bureau, Arlington, Virginia
9. March 2003 - February 2005, Branch Chief, Combat Force Requirements, Air
National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Virginia
10. Mar 2005 - May 2006, Student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base,
Alabama
11. May 2006 - January 2008 Commander, 210th Rescue Squadron, Kulis, Air
National Guard Base, Anchorage, Alaska
12. January 2008 - April 2008, Commander, 210th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron,
Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
13. April 2008 - May 2009, Commander, 210th Rescue Squadron, Kulis Air National
Guard Base, Anchorage, Alaska
14. May 2009 - May 2010, Deputy Commander, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air
Force Base, Alabama
15. May 2010 - Oct 2010, Commandant, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force
Base, Alabama
16. March 2013-Present, Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Alaska Air National
Guard, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
Ratings: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 3,575
Aircraft flown: UH-1H, UH-60A, UH-60L, HH-3E, CH-3E, MH-60G, HH-60G, MI-35
Pilot wings from: Fort Rucker, Alabama
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Aerial Achievement Medal (with1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Gallant Unit Citation (with1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with "V" device, 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters,
and 2nd Ribbon)
Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (with "O" Device)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terror Service Medal
Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1
Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 1 Silver Hourglass, "M" device, and Numeral 3)
Smalls Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal - Afghanistan
Kuwait Liberation Medal - Government of Kuwait
Second Lieutenant 11 August 1988
First Lieutenant 10 October 1990
Captain 12 May 1993
Major 19 May 1998
Lieutenant Colonel 4 February 2003
Colonel 2 February 2010
Brigadier General 12 February 2014
(Current as of August 2014)