Gen. Mark D. Kelly, USAF (Ret), completed his 38-year Air Force career as the commander, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.,  a global organization operating and sustaining conventional fighter; command and control (C2); rescue; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); cyber; and electronic warfare (EW) forces operating from 11 Air Force Bases and more than 300 operating locations around the world where he trained, equipped and provided combat-ready air, space, cyber, and intelligence forces for worldwide rapid deployment and operations. 

Prior to leading Air Combat Command, Kelly served as the deputy chief of staff for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon. He has also commanded two numbered air forces (12AF and 9AF), an air expeditionary wing in Afghanistan, two fighter wings and a fighter squadron.  Besides six combat deployments, he has served in multiple locations in Europe and the Pacific, including an exchange tour with the Royal Australian Air Force.

Kelly entered the Air Force in 1986, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, the National War College, and the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education.

Kelly earned his pilot wings at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including over 800 combat hours in fighter aircraft.

Kelly resides in Raleigh, N.C., and currently serves as an independent defense and leadership consultant. His current efforts focus on education, innovation, emerging technology, and building high performing organizations. Along with his service on the MOAA board of directors, he is on the strategic advisory boards of several defense companies, technology startups, and emerging technology investment funds.