Book John Kelly

John F. Kelly is a retired four-star U.S. Marine Corps general and former senior government official with a long career of public service. Born in Boston, he enlisted in the Marines during the Vietnam War era and earned his officer's commission near the end of college, then rose steadily through the ranks. His final military command, from 2012 to 2016, was as head of United States Southern Command, overseeing American military operations across Central America, South America and the Caribbean. In January 2017 he became the first Secretary of Homeland Security of the Trump administration, and six months later he was named White House Chief of Staff, the first career military officer to hold that post in decades, serving into early 2019. His decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. He has also served on corporate boards, including Caliburn International. As a speaker, Kelly draws on a lifetime in uniform and at the highest levels of government to talk about leadership, duty, national security and making decisions under pressure.