Rodney P. Kelly is a retired major general in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

. He served in the Air Force from 1967 through 2001.

Early life and education

A native of southern Illinois, Kelly attended Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, receiving a B.S. in agriculture in 1966 and an M.A. in business administration in 1968. He completed the

Reserve Officer Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...

program in 1967 and was commissioned a lieutenant.

Military career

He was a command and combat pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours. In the course of his 34-year career he commanded several Air Force units, including the 527th Aggressor Squadron and the 3rd Wing,

Elmendorf Air Force Base Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Originally known as Elmendorf Field, it became Elmendorf Air Force Base after World War II. It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Air Command ( ...

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

. He served as director of operations at the headquarters of U.S. Space Command, then as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and programs for the United States Air Force in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

until his retirement on January 1, 2002.

Decorations

Kelly received several awards and decorations for his outstanding service to the United States. These honors include: the

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

; the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

with oak leaf cluster;

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: Singapore *Pingat Jasa Gemilang, or Meritorious Services Me ...

with three oak leaf clusters;

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establi ...

; and the

Air Force Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

with oak leaf cluster. *

with oak leaf cluster *

with three oak leaf clusters *

with oak leaf clusters

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Air Force generals Military personnel from Illinois Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal {{USAF-bio-stub