Mr. James L. Kelly, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, serves as the Director of Resource Integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Kelly is responsible for the planning, programming and budgeting of financial resources for weapons systems sustainment, equipment and logistics, and installation support. As part of the Air Force corporate structure, Mr. Kelly monitors performance of operations and maintenance, working capital funds and investment programs, participates in program and financial review groups, and advocates for financial adjustments to optimize force readiness. He also oversees preparation and defense of these Air Force programs for the Chief of Staff Air Force, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress. He is also responsible for enterprise-wide logistics technology vision, strategy, advocacy and policy to maximize readiness.
Prior to this assignment, Mr. Kelly served as the Deputy Director, Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. His other assignments included the Deputy Director Sustainment, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters Air Force, the F-35 Logistics Team Leader, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment), and various other acquisition logistics and financial management positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and in the Department of the Army.
Mr. Kelly began his 42-year military career as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Army Initial Entry Rotary Wing Aviator Course and the Army Aircraft Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Test Pilot Course. He flew as Pilot in Command of the AH-1S Cobra and the AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopters, as he served as a company, battalion and brigade Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and V Corps Maintenance Test Flight Evaluator. He flew combat missions in the first Persian Gulf War and security missions in Bosnia.
EDUCATION
1989 Associate of Science, Aviation Business Administration, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1998 Bachelor of Science, Aviation Maintenance Management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2004 Master of Public Administration, The American University, Washington, D.C.
2008 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1982–1983, Student, OH-58A/C Kiowa Aero-Scout and AH-1S Attack Helicopter Pilot Tracks, United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. 1983–1985, AH-1S Cobra Attack Helicopter Pilot in Command, 501st Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Armor Division, United States Army Europe, West Germany
3. 1985–1986, Student, Aircraft Armament Maintenance Officer Course, United States Army Aviation Logistics School, Fort Eustis, Va.
4. 1986–1987, AH-1S Cobra Attack Helicopter Pilot in Command/Armament Maintenance Officer, 82nd Aviation Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.
5. 1987–1989, Student, AH-64A Attack Helicopter Pilot Transition Course, United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence, Fort Rucker, Ala.
6. 1989–1991, Student, Maintenance Manager/Maintenance Test Pilot Course, AH-64A Attack Helicopter Pilot Track, United States Army Aviation Logistics School, Fort Eustis, Va.
7. 1991–1995, AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot in Command/Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 2/227th Aviation Battalion, 3rd Armor Division, First Persian Gulf War
8. 1995–1996, AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot in Command/Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 2/227th Aviation Battalion, 3rd Armor Division, NATO Forces, Bosnia
9. 1996–1997, AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot in Command/Aircraft Maintenance Officer/Maintenance Test Flight Evaluator, V Corps Army Aviation Safety and Standardization Detachment, Headquarters, United States Army Europe, Germany
10. 1997–2002, Logistics Staff Officer (Aviation and Safety) Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, G4, Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. 2002–2005, Acquisition Logistician, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Integrated Logistics Support), Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. 2005–2007, Director, Weapon Systems Acquisition Logistics, Office of Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology), Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. 2007–2008, Professional Military Education Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. 2008–2010, Chief, Logistics Integration Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, G4, Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. 2010–2019, F-35 Logistics Team Lead, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Sustainment), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. 2019–2021, Deputy Director Sustainment, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. 2021–2025, Deputy Director, Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
18. 2025–present, Director of Resource Integration, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Army Aviator
Flight hours: more than 3,500
Aircraft flown: Bell AH-1S, BH-47, BH-204, OH-58A/C and UH-1H; Boeing AH-64A; Sikorsky TH-55A; Cessna CE-150/-152/-172 and Piper PA-18/-28/-31/-32/-42/-44
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with “Numeral 2” device
Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal
NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award
U.S. Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award
U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Award
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
Federal Aviation Administration Airline Transport Pilot, Airplane and Helicopter
Advanced Financial Management, Life Cycle Logistics and Program Management
Senior Acquisition Course, Defense Leadership and Management Program
(Current as of December 2025)