Damien O’Connell is a military historian and world-recognized facilitator of decision games. From May 2020 to June 2023, he served as a Non-Resident Fellow with Marine Corps University’s Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare.

From 2012-2016, Damien led the efforts of Marine Corps University’s Case Method Project to institutionalize the case method at The Basic School (TBS), the Marine Corps’ school for newly commissioned and appointed officers. From 2017 to 2021, he was the Senior Learning and Development Consultant at Cognitive Performance Group.

Damien has successfully facilitated educational events and workshops for Green Cell Consulting; Southwest Traders; Vet Voice Foundation; the US Marine Corps’ Plans, Policies, and Operations Department; multiple Marine Corps battalions; the Baltic Defence College; the Latvian NCO Instructor School; and the Latvian Training and Doctrine Command.

Damien has presented or taught multiple times at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, the Swedish Defence University, the Finnish National Defence University, the Estonian National Defence College, the Baltic Defense College, the US Naval Academy, the FBI National Academy, and elsewhere. He has also facilitated workshops for Avion Express, Microsoft, and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.


E: damien.oconnell@aycsecurity.com