Rear Admiral Gordon Russell is a graduate of the University of Colorado, and received his commission in May 1981, through the Aviation Officer Candidate School. After receiving his commission, Russell received orders to Training Squadron 10, where he finished Basic and Intermediate Flight Training as the top naval officer in his class.
Russell requested release from active duty in 1982 and, in March 1984, affiliated with the Navy Intelligence Reserve Command. Russell’s unit and staff assignments include: intelligence analyst and department head billets with Fleet Intelligence Center Pacific and Joint Intelligence Center Pacific units; assistant deputy chief of staff, Training and Readiness, Navy Intelligence Reserve Command; executive officer and commanding officer, United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) 0270; chief staff officer, Reserve Intelligence Area 6; commander, Reserve Intelligence Area 13; and chief of staff, Navy Intelligence Reserve Command.
Operational tours include two-months as the assistant intelligence officer aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) while deployed to the Arabian Gulf; recall to active duty from January 2002 to May 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom while serving as chief, Operational Intelligence Division, Joint Intelligence Center, SOUTHCOM. In this capacity, Russell led 168 joint military and civilian personnel who produced intelligence for the commander, senior staff, Task force commanders, and 30 U.S. Embassy country teams; recall to active duty April 2008 to March 2009 as the CJ9 strategic intelligence officer, Multi-National Force-Iraq. As the sole intelligence officer in a directorate of 187 personnel, he was responsible for facilitating directorate access to force-and corps-level intelligence organizations, as well as reach back to the broader intelligence community.
Russell’s first flag assignment in 2009 was as commander, Navy Intelligence Reserve Command. In 2010, he was assigned additional duty as Reserve deputy commander, Navy Cyber Forces, and led the Reserve command through a major realignment and stand-up of the Information Dominance Corps Reserve Command, with responsibility to man, train and equip the 6,800 Reserve Information Dominance Sailors in preparation for deployment and operational support.
Russell has completed Joint Professional Military Education I, Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, and is a joint qualified officer level III. His personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, as well as various unit and campaign awards.