President Trump’s Chief of Staff, General John Kelly is a remarkable man.
In 1970, as a young man during the Vietnam War, Kelly’s mother told her son his draft number was coming up. What did John Kelly do? He enlisted in the Marine Corps.
Since that time, Kelly has served America, spending forty years as a Marine, rising to the rank of four-star general.
In January of this year, John Kelly was appointed to lead the Department of Homeland Security in the Trump administration. This past summer, when President Trump asked him to move into the White House and replace outgoing Chief of Staff and Kelly did what he has always done…he stepped up and served his country.
On Thursday, Kelly address the press gathered for the daily briefing. In an emotional and powerful address about presidential protocol expected after an American soldier is killed in battle, John Kelly displayed the strength, grace and sensitivity rarely witnessed in this administration.
Kelly’s explanation of the steps taken following the death of a soldier was gripping and tear-jerking, offering details only known by someone who had experienced it from inside the military and also a perspective from the receiving end as a parent who has been told the horrific news their child died in battle.
Gen. Kelly, whose son was killed in action, explains how remains of soldiers killed in action are returned home. https://t.co/7L2RYQDOgA pic.twitter.com/om3itPs7gE
— ABC News (@ABC) October 19, 2017
As a Gold Star father (Kelly’s son died in combat in Afghanistan in 2010), Kelly knows the pain of losing a child to war. His background as a Marine commander has also given him the unique knowledge of what happens after a soldier has died on the battlefield.
Kelly called out Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and wondered why she was listening to the call made by President Trump to the grieving widow of Sgt. La David Johnson. (Reports on various news outlets state Mrs. Johnson asked the Congresswoman of she wanted to listen to the call.)
Kelly on Pres. Trump's call to Gold Star widow: "It stuns me that a member of Congress would have listened in on that conversation." pic.twitter.com/dMLv7vDcOg
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) October 19, 2017
After witnessing Kelly’s press briefing, I wondered why we cannot have men like John Kelly serving this nation?
Thursday night, I shared some thoughts on the topic.
Follow Mike Opelka on Twitter — @stuntbrain
