Maj. Gen. Joseph Kelley returns to being just Joe Published May 30, 2007 By Phil Kudner The Daily Southown CHICAGO -- One day you're talking to the guy behind you in high school English, and the next thing you know, about 36 years later, Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Joseph E. Kelley is retiring from the U.S. Air Force. Some of you may remember that I nominated Kelley as the most outstanding graduate of Chicago's Bogan High School after Barry Greenstein, a professional no-limit hold 'em poker player was officially given that honor. Kelley sent an e-mail a couple of days ago inviting me to his retirement party later this month. It was short. Self-deprecating. And it mentioned nothing about his accomplishments. Kelley received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970 after growing up in Chicago's working-class Scottsdale neighborhood. Four years later, he graduated second in his class at the academy. He attended Rush University Medical School and finished in three years. Today he is joint staff surgeon, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He serves as the chief medical adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and combatant commanders. According to his official military biography, "he coordinates all issues related to operational medicine, force health protection and readiness among combatant commanders." In other words, Joe became a very, very important guy. I remember him as a tall, gangly kid with a huge grin. Was he the smartest kid in school? My nomination would have gone to Frank Hankus, the kid in my history class who worked at McDonald's in the evenings. Frank became a vice president of real estate for McDonald's Corp. But Joe was pretty darn smart. Teachers loved him. He was an honors student and starting center on the basketball team. Unlike most "brains" and most "jocks," Joe was friendly with just about everyone. He was a nice guy. That's what I remember best about him. But here's what his official military biography has to say: "The general continued his education with a residency in general surgery at David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California ... He moved to Nellis AFB, Nevada, where he was a general surgeon and later chief of general surgery. The general was certified by the American Board of Surgery and attended the Aerospace Medicine Primary Course where he was a distinguished graduate. Prior to departing, Nellis AFB, General Kelley was presented the Walter Award for outstanding leadership. "At Misawa Air Base, Japan, the general was chief of hospital services, chief of surgery and interim chief of aerospace medicine. In 1986, General Kelley was reassigned as commander of the 90th Strategic Hospital, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo. ... and he was selected as the Strategic Air Command's Outstanding Medical Leader. "As commander of the 857th Strategic Hospital, Minot AFB, N.D., General Kelley became the only individual to win the Strategic Air Command's Medical Leadership Award for a second time ..." Kelley has a rating of chief flight surgeon with 750 flight hours. He has flown the KC-135, C-141, C-135, C-137, E-4, F-16, B-52 and UH-1. He has been awarded the distinguished service medal, defense superior service medal, legion of merit, meritorious service medal with three oak leaf clusters and a bunch of other stuff. He was promoted to captain in 1977, major in 1982, lieutenant colonel in 1986, colonel in 1991, brigadier general in 1997 and major general in 2003. Satirist Calvin Trillin once said the most unnerving part about becoming a grown-up is realizing that the goofballs you hung out with as a kid are now in positions of responsibility and national leadership. I wasn't very close to Joe in high school, although we did play some one-on-one basketball in the alley behind his house. But when I learned he had remained in the Air Force rather than entering private practice, where he could have earned more money, I wasn't surprised. Some people say military combatants in Iraq and Afghanistan are receiving the finest medical treatment in the history of American warfare. Maybe Joe had something to do with that. That wouldn't surprise me, either. But as I looked at a photograph of Kelley looking all distinguished in his uniform, with medals and ribbons all over his chest, I was taken aback. I mean this is the kid who sat behind me in Donna Banks' English class. Maj. Gen. Kelley, by the way, signed his e-mail, "Joe." Yep. That's the kid I knew. USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)