Robert J Kelly

Biography

Kelly graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1959 and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1961. Kelly's flying career included air combat in Vietnam War Staff tours included the Naval Postgraduate School and in the Pentagon. He was a graduate of the Navy Nuclear Training Program, and went on to command USS Enterprise (CVN-65). In April 1983, Enterprise ran aground on a sandbar in San Francisco Bay while returning from deployment and remained stuck there for several hours. He served as Vice Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the National War College, and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy, and Operations. His final naval assignment was as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) from 1991 to 1994. During his time at CINCPACTFLT he punished a number of subordinates for violating the Navy's policy against sexist behavior. Later, he told a sexually explicit joke at a staff meeting and was subsequently rebuked for it by his superiors. He was the senior Naval Aviator at the 1991 Tailhook scandal, and was subsequently recommended for forced retirement by Secretary of the Navy John Howard Dalton. After retirement, he was the Executive Vice President of The Wing Group, a leading international developer of energy projects. In March 1999, Kelly became the President and Chief Operating Officer of Energetics, Inc., an energy consulting company and wholly owned subsidiary of the VSE Corporation. Kelly has been the president of Pensacola Country Club.