Kelly Aeschbach

Kelly Aeschbach is a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, currently serving as Deputy Director of Intelligence for United States Forces – Afghanistan. In this role, she oversees efforts to prevent unexpected strikes and maintain US informational dominance abroad.

Education and early career
Rear Adm. Kelly Aeschbach graduated from George Washington University in 1990. During her studies, she participated in Naval ROTC and upon graduation, became a naval intelligence officer.

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. She also participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, 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, Captain 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 recommended that Aeschbach be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.

Not long after, Rear Adm. 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.”

Awards

 * Defense Superior Service Medal
 * Legion of Merit
 * Defense Meritorious Service Medal
 * Meritorious Service Medal
 * Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
 * Navy Achievement Medal