Rear Admiral Richard R. Kelly assumed his duties as Director, Global Maritime and Air Intelligence Integration on July 10, 2006. As Director, he is responsible for developing maritime security intelligence policy, coordinating information access and integration across the global maritime intelligence community of interest, and enhancing Maritime Domain awareness objectives.
From July 2004 through August 2006, Admiral Kelly served as Director, Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) West. JIATF West is the U.S. Pacific Command’s executive agent for planning and conducting counter-drug activities in an area of operations covering over 105 million square miles.
At the time of his selection to flag rank, Admiral Kelly was serving as the Sponsors’ Representative for the Deepwater Program - the program to replace the Coast Guard’s aging and obsolescent fleet of offshore cutters and aircraft with a modern, integrated system. Admiral Kelly was responsible for updating Deepwater’s mission analysis, force planning and operational requirements to meet post-9/11 threats and challenges.
Admiral Kelly has served extensively as a cutterman and a judge advocate. He commanded USCGC Tampa, which interdicted over 3000 Haitian and Cuban migrants during the summer 1994 mass exodus, and served as Commander, Task Unit 44.7.4, in tactical command of the migrant interdiction operation in the Windward Passage. Before that, he served in USCGC Steadfast as a Deck Watch Officer, USS Harold E. Holt as Navigator, and USCGC Bear as Executive Officer. Aboard HOLT, he qualified as a Tactical Action Officer during contingency operations in the Gulf of Oman with the USS Constellation battle group. In three cutter tours, Admiral Kelly participated in 17 major drug seizures.
Admiral Kelly’s most recent legal assignment was Chief, Office of General Law, where he was “corporate counsel” to Coast Guard senior leadership on a myriad of topics. Before that, he was first legal advisor to the Coast Guard’s Maritime Law Enforcement School. From August through December 1991 he served as legal advisor to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, for the Maritime Interception Operation enforcing UN sanctions against Iraq.
Admiral Kelly is from Massapequa, New York. He graduated first in his Coast Guard Academy class with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and was commissioned in 1976. He graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center and was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1983.
Admiral Kelly's personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal with Operations “O”, Coast Guard Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal with Operations "O", and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is qualified as a Coast Guard Cutterman and a Navy Surface Warfare Officer.