On 18 February 1964 a medal to be known as “An Bonn Seirbhíse Dearscna” or, in English, “The Distinguished Service Medal”, was introduced by the Defence Forces. The medal may be awarded to officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the Defence Forces and to members of the Army Nursing and Chaplaincy Services in recognition of individual or associated acts of bravery, courage, leadership, resource or devotion to duty (other than any such acts or duty performed on war service) arising out of, or associated with, service in the Defence Forces.
Before being awarded a Military Cadetship in the Irish Defence Forces, Major General (Maj Gen) Maureen O’Brien graduated from University College Galway (UCG) with a B.Sc. and H. Dip. Ed. In 1983 she was commissioned into the Infantry Corps, returning to the Cadet School, Military College, some years later as an Instructor. Since then, Maj Gen O’Brien has held many different appointments in operations, training and strategic planning. In 2011 she became the first female in the Irish Defence Forces to be promoted to the rank of Lt Col and in 2012 became the first female Infantry Battalion Commander when she was appointed Officer Commanding 27 Infantry Battalion in Dundalk. As Colonel, she held the appointment of Director of Communications and Information Services. In this role she was responsible for the provision of efficient and effective communications and information systems for the command, control and administration of the Defence Forces at home and overseas.
Maj Gen O’Brien has extensive overseas service. Her first two UN deployments were to Lebanon (UNIFIL). She has also served in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and East Timor (UNTAET). In 2005 she was seconded to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Sarajevo (BiH) for eighteen months. In 2009 she became the first Irish female officer to serve as a Deputy Commanding Officer of an Infantry Battalion in CHAD (MINURCAT). In 2012 she deployed to UNIFIL once more as Chief of Operations Planning in a multi-national Sector HQ in Lebanon. On promotion to Brigadier General in 2019, she deployed as Deputy Force Commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Forces (UNDOF) Mission in the Golan, Syria. She spent 11 of her 18-month deployment as the Acting Force Commander. In July ’21, Maj Gen O’Brien deployed to United Nations Headquarters, New York to take up the appointment of Deputy Military Advisor to USG for Peace Operations.
Maj Gen O’Brien has also completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology and holds a first-class Master’s Degree in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies.
