Brig. Gen. Mark McGill is the Deputy Director for Global Operations in the Joint Staff J-3. As DDGO, he is responsible for advising the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff Director of Operations on operations in the information environment. This includes conducting interagency coordination and managing the preparation of orders for cyber operations, psychological operations, military deception and other special programs.
Brig. Gen. McGill received his commission in 2000 from the United States Air Force Academy and has spent the majority of his career in special operations as a special tactics officer, commanding at the squadron, group and wing level and deploying numerous times. Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. McGill was the Director of the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science in Operations Research, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Master of Military Art and Operational Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Policy Management, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2017 Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2019 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2000–September 2001, Project Officer, Distributed Common Ground System, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
2. October 2001–December 2003, Special Tactics Officer Trainee, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
3. December 2003–May 2006, Flight Commander, 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
4. June 2006–May 2010, Flight Commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
5. May 2010–June 2011, Operations Officer, 720th Operations Support Sq, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. June 2011–June 2012, Commander, 720th Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. June 2012–August 2013, Air Force Fellow, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
8. August 2013–June 2014, Commander, 724th Operations Support Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.
9. June 2014–June 2016, Commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.
10. June 2016–June 2017, Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
11. June 2017–July 2019, Deputy Division Chief, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell, Joint Staff J-5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. July 2019–July 2020, Deputy Director, Air Force Special Warfare Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2020–June 2022, Commander, 724th Special Tactics Group, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.
14. June 2022–July 2024, Commander, 352d Special Operations Wing, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
15. July 2024–July 2026, Director, Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
16. July 2026–present, Deputy Director for Global Operations, Joint Staff J-3, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2017–July 2019, Deputy Division Chief, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell, Joint Staff J-5, Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2024–July 2026, Director, Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.as a colonel
3. July 2026–present, Deputy Director for Global Operations, Joint Staff J-3, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion Of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal
Air and Space Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Air and Space Recognition Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2000
First Lieutenant May 30, 2002
Captain May 30, 2004
Major January 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2013
Colonel January 1, 2020
Brigadier General Frocked
(Current as of August 2026)