Maj. Gen. Aaron Prupas is the Director for Defense Intelligence (Warfighter Support) within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he serves as the principal staff Director within OSD responsible for developing policy, conducting oversight, synchronizing, managing and ensuring adequate resourcing in the areas of intelligence support to combatant commands and combat support agencies/National Reconnaissance Office; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML known as Project Maven); Defense Intelligence Analysis; Foreign Partner Engagement, and Military Intelligence Disclosure to Foreign Partners. Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Prupas served as the Director of Intelligence and Information for North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, both headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
Maj. Gen. Prupas entered the Air Force in 1990 after commissioning from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a career intelligence officer and weapons instructor. He has served in a variety of Air Force, Joint and Office of the Secretary of Defense positions and has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. His combat deployments include operations Southern Watch, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Resolute Support.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science, English, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1996 Master of Arts, Information Systems Management, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
1998 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2004 Master Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
2005 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2012 Executive Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2016 Cyber Operations Executive Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Senior Joint Information Operations Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1990–February 1991, Student, Air Intelligence Officer Course, 3486th Student Squadron, Air Training Command, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2. February 1991–June 1992, Military Political Affairs Analyst, 544th Combat Applications Squadron, 544th Strategic Intelligence Wing, Offutt AFB, Neb.
3. June 1992–May 1993, Staff Support Intelligence Officer, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. (February 1993–May 1993, Intelligence Watch Officer, Air Combat Operations Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
4. May 1993–June 1994, Space and Missile Event Officer, U.S. Space Command/North American Aerospace Command, Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Colo.
5. June 1994–July 1996, Deputy Chief, J2 (Intelligence) Special Activities, USSPACECOM/NORAD, Peterson AFB, Colo.
6. July 1996–June 1998, Chief, 8th Fighter Squadron Intelligence Branch, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M. (December 1996–March 1997, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia)
7. June 1998–October 1999, Chief, Operations Intelligence Element, 49th Operations Support Squadron, 49th FW, Holloman AFB, N.M. (February 1999–May 1999, Chief of Intelligence, 49th Expeditionary Operations Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy)
8. October 1999–March 2001, Assistant Director of Operations for Academics, U.S. Air Force Weapons School Intelligence Division, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. March 2001–November 2001, Chief, Weapons School Academics, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. November 2001–July 2003, Intelligence Flight Commander, 52nd OSS, 52nd FW, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (March 2002–June 2002, Chief of Intelligence Weapons and Tactics, Combined Air Operations Center, Prince Sultan AB, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
11. July 2003–June 2004, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 2004–June 2005, Course Instructor and Advisor, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2005–June 2007, Commander, 19th Weapons Squadron, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
14. July 2007–July 2008, Student, College of Naval Warfare, Naval War College, R.I.
15. July 2008–June 2010, Deputy Chief, Commander's Initiatives Group, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
16. June 2010–May 2012, Commander, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
17. May 2012–May 2014, Commander, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
18. June 2014–April 2015, Principal Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
19. April 2015–April 2016, Deputy Director of Intelligence, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff of Intelligence to NATO Resolute Support Headquarters
20. July 2016–March 2017, Director, ISR Strategy, plans, Policy and Force Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21. March 2017–April 2018, Director, Warfighting Operations Support, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
22. April 2018– June 2019, Director of Intelligence, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley Eustis, Va.
23. July 2019–May 2021, Director of Intelligence and Information for NORAD and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Peterson AFB, Colo.
24. June 2021–present, Director for Defense Intelligence (Warfighter Support), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2008–June 2010, Deputy Chief, Commander's Initiatives Group, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2014–April 2015, Principal Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
3. April 2015–April 2016, Deputy Director of Intelligence, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff of Intelligence to NATO Resolute Support Headquarters, as a brigadier general
4. July 2019–May 2021, Director of Intelligence and Information for North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
5. June 2021–present, Director for Defense Intelligence (Warfighter Support), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1990
First Lieutenant May 30, 1992
Captain May 30, 1994
Major July 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2005
Colonel Sept. 1, 2010
Brigadier General Aug. 3, 2015
Major General, June 18, 2019
(Current as of February 2022)