Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Newsroom

    Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders

    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      Maj. Gen. Sean M. FerrellEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
                
                Second Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                April 29, 1990First Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 September 17, 1992Captain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          September 17, 1994Major                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            October 01, 2001Lieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               September 01, 2006Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          February 01, 2012Brigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                June 01, 2017Major General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    December 01, 2019Engage OnFacebook PostsYour browser is incompatible with this widget.
                        
                        View on Twitter
        
        Maj. Gen. Sean M. FerrellMajor General SEAN M. FARRELLMaj. Gen. Sean M. Farrell is the Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In this role, he oversees the study of special operations requirements and techniques, ensuring joint interoperability and equipment standardization. In addition, he prepares assigned, attached and augmented forces to conduct special operations against threats to protect the Homeland and U.S. interests abroad.

Maj. Gen. Farrell was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Florida State University. He is a command pilot with over 3,500 flight hours in the AC-130H Spectre, AC-130W Stinger, AC-130U Spooky and C-130E Hercules aircraft and has flown combat missions in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He has commanded at the wing, group and squadron levels. 
 
Prior to this assignment, he served as Director for Force Structure, Requirements, Resources and Strategic Assessments, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

EDUCATION 
1990 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla. 
1993 Master of Science, Applied Behavioral Science, Communications Systems technology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 
2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB Ala., by correspondence 
2012 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS 
1. February 1991–February 1992, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz. 
2. February 1992–December 1993, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 
3. December 1993–November 1994, Program Manager for International Cooperation, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 
4. November 1994–March 1997, C-130E Pilot, Training Officer, Moody AFB, Ga. 
5. March 1997–April 1998, AC-130H Pilot, Chief of Flight Safety, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
6. April 1998–April 2000, Instructor Pilot, Chief of Squadron Safety, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
7. April 2000–April 2001, Evaluator Pilot, Flight Commander, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
8. April 2001–April 2002, AC-130H, Chief Pilot, Standardization and Evaluation, 16th Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
9. April 2002–April 2003, AC-130H/U, Chief Pilot, Standardization and Evaluation, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
10. April 2003–February 2004, Chief, Standards and Evaluations AC-130 Branch, Headquarters AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
11. February 2004–March 2006, Operations Officer, Readiness Division, J-3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 
12. March 2006–January 2008, Operations Officer, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
13. January 2008–June 2009, Commander, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Cannon AFB, N.M. 
14. August 2009–September 2009, Deputy Commander, 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
15. September 2009–April 2010, C-130J Program Element Monitor, Secretary of the Air Force, Acquisitions, Global Reach, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 
16. April 2010–December 2010, Chief, Tactical Airlift Branch, Secretary of the Air Force, Acquisitions, Global Reach, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 
17. December 2010–April 2011, Chief, Tactical Airlift, Special Operations Forces and Trainer Division, Secretary of the Air Force, Acquisitions, Global Reach, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 
18. August 2011–June 2012, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 
19. June 2012–June 2013, Senior Analyst, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 
20. June 2013–January 2015, Commander, 27th Special Operations Group, Cannon AFB, N.M. 
21. January 2015–June 2016, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
22. June 2016–July 2018, Director, Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 
23. July 2018–June 2019, Director, Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 
24. June 2019–June 2021, Director, Force Structure, Requirements, Resources and Strategic Assessments, USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla. 
25. June 2021 – present, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 2004–March 2006, Operations Officer, Readiness Division, J-3, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major 
2. June 2012–June 2013, Senior Analyst, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel 
3. June 2019–June 2021, Director, Force Structure, Requirements, Resources and Strategic Assessments, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a major general
4. June 2021–present, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a major general

FLIGHT INFORMATION 
Rating:   command pilot 
Flight Hours:   more than 3,500 
Aircraft Flown:   T-37, T-38, C-130E, AC-130H, AC-130W, C-146A, PC-12, U-28, MC-130J, CV-22 and AC-130U

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 
Defense Superior Service Medal  
Distinguished Flying Cross with “V” device 
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one cluster 
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters 
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters 
Aerial Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters 
Joint Service Commendation Medal 
Air Force Commendation Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION 
Second Lieutenant April 29, 1990 
First Lieutenant Sept. 17, 1992 
Captain Sept. 17, 1994 
Major Oct. 1, 2001 
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 2006 
Colonel Feb. 1, 2012 
Brigadier General June 1, 2017 
Major General Dec. 1, 2019

(Current as of March 2023)




Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis Line  Careers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian Service Connect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website


Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil