Maxie McFarland
Maxie L. McFarland (also known as Maxie MacFarland) was a senior U.S. government defense executive. He was one of thirteen tier-3 Defense Senior Executives and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2) for the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, Virginia. In June 2011, he became Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning at the Sierra Nevada Corporation. He died on November 8, 2013 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame in 2014.
As TRADOC G-2, McFarland led the Army’s work on future military operations and possible threats. He helped develop concepts, educate leaders, design new capabilities, and support training and experimentation. He coordinated with Joint Forces Command, other agencies and services, and private and academic partners to create the Operational Environment—the Army’s view of the future. He often used unconventional methods to reflect the complex and uncertain nature of the OE.
McFarland sponsored a number of programs to support the Army and joint forces, including the Army Opposing Force Program, the Army Starfish Program, Red Teaming, the Army Culture and Foreign Language Strategy, the Human Terrain System Foreign Military and Cultural Studies, and the Joint Training Counter-IED Operations Integration Center (JTCOIC). These efforts supported deployed forces, coalition partners, the Army’s training centers and schools, and various capability development and integration centers.
From December 2005 to May 2007, McFarland helped establish and grow the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) at the direction of the Army Chief of Staff. He served as a special adviser to the director and as deputy director for concepts, strategy and intelligence. He helped create JIEDDO’s Counter-IED Operational Integration Center, started the law enforcement support program, and led the development of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to counter IED threats, among other initiatives.
Maxie McFarland was born August 5, 1950. He earned a BS in Business from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1973), an MEd in Psychology and Counseling from Southern Arkansas University (1985), and an MA in Strategy and Policy from the Naval War College (1995). He completed key military training programs, including the Signal Officers Basic Course, Infantry Officers Advanced Course, Counter-Intelligence Officers Course, the Command and General Staff College, and the Electronic Warfare/Signals Intelligence Course.
He joined the Army in 1973 as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps, switched to infantry in 1975, and moved to Military Intelligence in 1985. He held many command and staff roles in the United States and overseas, served twice as a battalion commander, and completed four tours as a G-2 at division to Army level. He retired as a Colonel after more than 25 years of service and joined the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service in July 2002.
McFarland participated in conferences and authored several works. His awards include the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive (2006); the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2002); two Legions of Merit (1995, 1997); three Meritorious Service Medals (1992, 1994, 1996); the Army Commendation Medal; the Army Achievement Medal; the Army of Occupation Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Southwest Asia Service Medal; the Kuwait Liberation Medal; the NATO Medal; the Army Service Ribbon; four Overseas Service Ribbons; and the Military Parachutist Badge.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 01:18 (CET).