USSOCOM Deputy Commander Biography (2024)


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  • Biography
  • Designation
  • Previous Assignment
  • Education

Lt Gen Sean M. Farrell is the Deputy Commanding General for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He ensures the readiness of joint special operations forces and, as directed, conducts operations worldwide.

Lt 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. He has commanded at the wing, group, and squadron levels.

Prior to his current assignment, Lt Gen Farrell was the Deputy Commanding General, Joint special Operations Command, Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

Became the deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, March 2024.

  1. February 1991 – February 1992, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
  2. February 1992 – December 1993, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
  3. USSOCOM Chief of Staff
  4. December 1993 – November 1994, Program Manager for International Cooperation, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
  5. November 1994 – March 1997, C-130E Pilot, training officer, Moody AFB, Ga.
  6. March 1997 – April 1998, AC-130H Pilot, Chief of Flight Safety, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  7. April 1998 – April 2000, instructor pilot, Chief of Squadron Safety, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  8. April 2000 – April 2001, evaluator pilot, Flight Commander, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  9. April 2001 – April 2002, AC-130H, Chief Pilot, Standardization and Evaluation, 16th Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  10. April 2002 – April 2003, AC-130H/U, Chief Pilot, Standardization and Evaluation, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  11. April 2003 – December 2003, Chief, Standards and Evaluations AC-130 Branch, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  12. December 2003 – March 2006, operations officer, Readiness Division, J-3, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
  13. March 2006 – January 2008, operations officer, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  14. January 2008 – June 2009, Commander, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Cannon AFB, N.M.
  15. August 2009 – September 2009, Deputy Commander, 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  16. September 2009 – April 2010, C-130J Program Element Monitor, Secretary of the Air Force, Acquisitions, Global Reach, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
  17. April 2010 – December 2010, Chief, Tactical Airlift Branch, Secretary of the Air Force, Acquisitions, Global Reach, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
  18. December 2010 – April 2011, Chief, Tactical Airlift, SOF & Trainer Division, Secretary of the Air Force, Acquisitions, Global Reach, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
  19. August 2011 – June 2012, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  20. June 2012 – May 2013, Senior Analyst, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
  21. May 2013 – January 2015, Commander, 27th Special Operations Group, Cannon AFB, N.M.
  22. January 2015 – June 2016, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  23. June 2016 – July 2018, Director, Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
  24. July 2018 – June 2019, Director, Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
  25. June 2019 – September 2019, Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
  26. June 2021 – March 2024, Deputy Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Liberty, NC
  27. March 2024 – present, Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL


  • 1990 Bachelor of Arts in political science, Florida State University, Tallahassee
  • 1993 Master of Science in 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, by correspondence
  • 2009 Air War College, by correspondence
  • 2012 Master of Science in national resource strategy, The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.​

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USSOCOM Deputy Commander Biography (2024)
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