Terrence "Terry" O'Connell served as Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board from 1994 – 2001.

Terrence "Terry" O'Connell was appointed by Secretary of Defense William J. Perry as Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board (RFPB) on November I , 1994. The RFPB, established by Congress in Statute (10 USC 10301) in 1952, acts through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs as the principal, independent policy adviser to the Secretary of Defense on all matters involving the Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, including the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve. The twenty-four member Board is composed of Assistant Secretaries of the three military departments for Reserve Affairs; Active, Guard and Reserve flag and general officers representing the Joint Staff, each of the Services, and their Guard and Reserve components. In his civilian capacity, Mr. O'Connell is a founder and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Davis O'Connell, a Washington based governmental relations firm. Davis O'Connell serves a wide range of clients, in a number of issue sectors to include defense procurement and policy; military personnel and training; base closure, realignment and reuse; veterans' affairs; long term strategic counsel for major corporations and small businesses; community development; energy policy; and education.

Mr. O'Connell has worked in government and politics for over twenty-five years. In addition to his national experience as Political Director and Assistant to the Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee, Mr. O'Connell has worked with state and local governments in the United States and abroad. These efforts include extensive work with national, state, and local election campaigns, as well as government reorganizations.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan (1967) in Economics and History, Mr. O'Connell worked briefly as a Junior High School teacher in Amherst, New York, until his enlistment in the U.S. Army.

Commissioned through the Army Officer Candidate School program in 1968, Mr. O'Connell's military service includes duty as a Platoon Leader with the 2/12 Infantry and the 3/4 Cavalry, both elements of the 25th Infantry Division in the Republic of Vietnam. It was with the "Aero Rifles." 3/4 Cavalry, that Mr. O'Connell's combat actions resulted in the award of the Distinguished Service Cross and the Bronze Star with "V" Device-2nd Oak Leaf Cluster. Other awards include the Purple Heart- 2"d Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with "V" Device, Air Medal with "15" Device, Combat Infantryman Badge and the Parachutist Badge. Mr. O'Connell is a member of the U.S. Army Infantry Hall of Fame. Following a long stay at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Mr. O'Connell retired from the Army with the rank of Captain in 1972.

Mr. O'Connell resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife, Linda, and their three children.