Biography

John O’Connell was commissioned in 1985 through the United States Air Force ROTC as a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science. He earned his pilot wings at Vance Air Force Base. Oklahoma. After graduation he remained at Vance as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP).

While in Air Training Command, John flew as a T-37 Instructor Pilot and Evaluator Pilot. He was recognized for his talents as an instructor and recruited to Headquarters Air Training command to work as an Instructional Program Developer. He edited and revised numerous flight-training manuals, including the Aeromedical Familiarization Program for flight surgeons to foster a better understanding of the physiological and psychological effects of flying. John received a follow-up assignment to Air Mobility Command (AMC) flying the C-141.

As an Aircraft Commander and Instructor Pilot on the C-141, he flew worldwide missions. These included multinational military intervention missions into Bosnia-Herzegovina and Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. AMC leaders hand picked him as Deputy Chief of a selectively manned unit responsible for training the next generation of operational and logistical technicians, managers, and senior leaders at the Air Mobility Warfare Center in Fort Dix, New Jersey.

At the end of his active-duty commitment, John joined the Air National Guard in Newburgh, New York. He flew the C-5 as a traditional Guardsman out of Stewart Air National Guard Base. His civilian career was as a pilot with a major US airline. His civilian flight qualifications include the B-727, A3I9/320, and 8-757/767. John also shared his love for flying as an FAA Certified Flight instructor, maintaining qualifications in numerous single engine airplanes. Lt Col O’Connell was recalled to active duty in 2003. He is an Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, retiring from the Air Force as a command pilot.

Several mergers and downturns in the economy resulted in furloughs from the airline. On one furlough he worked for the Department of Homeland Security as a mass evacuation and air transportation specialist. On another he was a co-owner of a snow and ice management company. This company specialized in large commercial contracts. As an accredited snow contractor, he represented this trade industry on several trips to Washington, DC. John was proud that over the ten-year period this company operated, his focus was on hiring veterans. Because of his progressive vision loss, he is now retired.

John joined the Blinded Veterans Association in 2019 after attending the VA Lyons VISOR HOPTEL program. He has been the BVA New Jersey Regional Group Secretary since 2022. John is a graduate of the BVA Ambassador program. He uses the knowledge he gained from this program to advocate for all Veterans at the state and federal level. He has also served as Vice Chair to the BVA Awards Committee and is currently on the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Committee. John is passionate about helping the visually impaired and was recently appointed by the Governor of New Jersey to the Commission for the Blind State Rehabilitation Council.

John enjoys sports and currently plays ice hockey with the New York Metro Blind Hockey team, which encompasses blind players from the greater New York City area. He travels four hours one way for practice via public transportation and has attended tournaments throughout the country. He also plays hockey with the New Jersey Warriors, a disabled veteran hockey team. John enjoys his association with the younger veteran crowd on this team. It is made up mostly of Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn Veterans. He is the only blind veteran on the team. Recently, the New Jersey Warriors won the first-ever Warrior Hockey National Championship, winning five straight games in Tier Four.