Colonel Matthew F. Kelly

Col. Matthew F. Kelly was born in Butte, Montana. He graduated from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, with a bachelor’s degree in history and was commissioned into the U.S. Army Chemical Corps through the ROTC program. He also holds master’s degrees in environmental management from Webster University, masters of Military Arts and Science with a focus on homeland security from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and a masters of National Security Strategy from the National War College.

Kelly’s staff assignments include Battalion Chemical Officer, 3d BN 321st FA Regiment, and Brigade Chemical Officer, 2d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division. He then served as the Executive Officer to the US Army Special Operations Command G3. He deployed as part of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) and served as the Coalition Liaison Officer.

Kelly was selected to serve as the commander of the 14th Chemical Reconnaissance Detachment, 3d Special Forces Group and after a second deployment in support of CJSOTF-A, he served as the Battalion Operations Officer (S3) for the 3d Group Support Battalion. He subsequently served as Chemical Officer for 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Washington.  

He served as the Battalion Operations and Executive Officer for 2d Chemical Battalion, and the Brigade Operations Officer, 48th Chemical Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

He was then selected to serve as the Chemical Biological Branch chief, J57, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After his tour with JSOC, he commanded 83d Chemical Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia. His most recent assignment was as the Chemical Corps Officer Branch Chief, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky.

He is a graduate of every level of officer education from the Officer Basic Course to the Senior Service College, the Joint Planners Course and the Defense Support to Civil Authority Phase II. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Advanced Airborne School Jumpmaster Course and Airload Planners Course.

He is married with three children.