Kelly A. Aeschbach is a retired

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

vice admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

who last served as the commander of Naval Information Forces from 2021 to 2024. Before that, she served as Director of the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office and Commander of the

Office of Naval Intelligence The Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) is the military intelligence agency of the United States Navy. Established in 1882 primarily to advance the Navy's modernization efforts, it is the oldest member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and serv ...

. and prior to that as Deputy Director of Intelligence for United States Forces – Afghanistan.

Education and early career

Kelly Aeschbach was born on August 5, 1968 and graduated from

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

in 1990 with a degree in International Affairs. During her studies, she participated in

Naval ROTC The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Origins A pilot Naval Reserve unit was established in September 1924 ...

and upon graduation, became a naval intelligence officer. She later earned an MBA from

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...

in 1998. Aeschbach has participated in several military operations during her service, including Patrol Squadron (VP) 6, where she was deployed to Adak, Alaska, and Okinawa, Japan. She also served on Amphibious Squadron 1, where she was deployed to the Western Pacific and the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

. She also participated in

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

, the official U.S. government name for the Global War on Terrorism, with Carrier Strike Group 9, and Headquarters, Resolute Support, Afghanistan. Her ashore assignments have included Joint Intelligence Center Pacific in Aiea, Hawaii; Tactical Training Group Pacific in San Diego; Naval Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee; U.S. Naval Forces Europe in London; U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida. She also served as a military fellow at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean, Virginia, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations staff at the Pentagon, and Naval Information Forces in Suffolk, Virginia.

Leadership roles

From 2013 to 2015, Aeschbach served as the commanding officer for Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic in Norfolk. She subsequently became Chief of Staff for the Naval Information Forces. In September 2016, President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

recommended that Aeschbach be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Not long after, Aeschbach became the Deputy Director of Intelligence for the entire United States Armed Forces in Afghanistan. In this capacity, she spoke at the 2017 anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. "For 76 years, we've remembered Pearl Harbor. We've remained vigilant. And today's armed forces are ready to answer the alarm bell", she was quoted as saying. In her current role, Aeschbach seeks to prevent further such attacks from occurring by helping to lead US efforts in "information warfare". In April 2021, Aeschbach was nominated for promotion to

and reassignment as commander of U.S. Naval Information Forces. She was subsequently relieved as director of the NMIO and commander of the ONI by Rear Admiral Gene F. Price on May 3, 2021. She relieved Vice Admiral Brian B. Brown as commander of NAVIFOR on May 7, 2021.

Awards

* Defense Superior Service Medal * Legion of Merit *

Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) is an award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense. In the order of precedence of the United States Armed Forces, it is worn between the Purple ...

* Meritorious Service Medal * Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal * Navy Achievement Medal.

References

, - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Aeschbach, Kelly Living people George Washington University alumni San Diego State University alumni Female admirals of the United States Navy 1968 births