Press Release
☷Army Flight School Grad Follows in Father s Footsteps
National Guard ( By Press Release office)
Mar 10,2024
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Warrant Officer Paul D . Kelly recently graduated flight school and received his silver wings . Along the way , he connected with those who knew and flew with his late father , Col . Paul M . Kelly , who was killed in action when WO1 Kelly was just 9 years old . At Fort Novosel , WO1 Kelly would come across reminders of his father , like a license plate with his father ' s call sign on a vehicle outside the simulator complex . He also found connections with instructors who had crewed the aircraft his father was on when it was shot down in Iraq . Despite his father ' s tragic death , WO1 Kelly remembers him as a loving and dedicated father . The Kelly family has a history of military aviation , with WO1 Kelly ' s grandfather also being a pilot . WO1 Kelly always wanted to follow in their footsteps , even though he sometimes doubted his abilities . Retired Lt . Col . David Cooper , who served with my father , also shared kind words about him and the impact he had on his life . At the pinning ceremony , my mom was there holding a photo of my late father , and my younger brother , who is also in the military , was by my side . It was a proud moment for all of us . I owe a lot to my family , fiance , and mentors who have supported me , including my dad ' s friends who helped me navigate my path into aviation . Becoming a pilot has always been a dream of mine . I had some detours along the way , but luckily I had a strong support system cheering me on and believing in me . My dad ' s friends and family really helped me stay focused on my goal of becoming a pilot . I ' m thankful for them . After joining the National Guard as an infantryman and pursuing my college education , I switched to becoming a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic . A deployment to Kosovo in 2021 showed me how Army Aviation operates , and I fell in love with flying . I decided then that I wanted to pursue this as a lifelong career . During flight school , I often wished I could talk to my late father , especially during moments like my solo flight in the Lakota helicopter . It was a big confidence boost and one of my favorite memories from flight school . I ' ve known his boys since they were in grade school , and I ' ve seen them grow up , " Cooper said . "Their dad was a true hero . " He praised the family ' s strength . "His wife has been a huge inspiration to me and many others . She ' s really involved with veterans support organizations , and her love for her husband is something special . Seeing her holding his picture at the pinning ceremony today is something I ' ll never forget , " Cooper said . Joe Roughneen , an Army instructor who served with WO1 Kelly ' s father , talked about the impact his leadership had . "We were really good because of guys like him . He was so smart and dedicated that he made things happen just by sheer will , " Roughneen said . Retired Col . Brett Criqui , who served with Col . Kelly , said he was someone he looked up to . "I think about him every day and the impact he had on my life . It ' s incredible to see his two boys carrying on his legacy , " Criqui said . WO1 Kelly said he struggled to understand his father ' s absence , but after becoming an Army aviator , he has a new perspective . "Now I understand why he did everything he did . I know how much goes into this job and why he had to be away from home , " WO1 Kelly said . He now understands the sticker on his father ' s truck that said , "I ' d rather be flying . " "Now I get it , " he said . As WO1 Kelly joins the same unit his father once commanded , his goal is to serve his country full time , just like his dad did .
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