James Harold Kelly

A retired US Army officer and Defense executive with over 45-years of service in the Department of Defense. My professional writings include studies, concepts, and academic papers for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs, and the Deputy Secretary of Defense. He is the former editor of a quarterly periodical, "The Joint Air Land Bulletin." I am the author of a historical fiction series entitled “I am a Soldier, First and Always." The series includes "The Distinguished Career of General Winfield Scott Hancock, Volume One: Rebellion and Volume Two: Turning Point," and "These Sacred Lands," a story of friendship and sacrifice on the Great Plains. A military career has allowed me to pursue my passion for walking history's battlefields. They have included the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War (through the Carolinas to Pennsylvania and New York); the Great Sioux War, World War II (in Europe and the Pacific Islands); and Korea. Always interested in why decisions were made and how actions were executed, one has a different perspective standing on the ground where Hamilton led a night attack at Yorktown or where Hancock sent First Minnesota against a much larger Confederate Brigade at Gettysburg. In my research for "These Sacred Lands," one stands on the Rosebud battlefield in Montana, realizing that the battle was a prelude to the Little Bug Horn, less than two hours away, where Custer would meet his fate. Yet the story falls short when "Custer's Last Stand" takes place one week later. Placing fictional characters in historical settings allows me to be creative amid factual events and among historical characters. I want the readers to be intrigued by the fictional characters while the historians agree the events are accurately portrayed. The learning curve is steep when I am immersed in research. Writing is a new career for which I am grateful. Winfield Hancock's story began when I was asked to lead a short presentation on the general to National Defense University students at Gettysburg. His story ultimately took five years to write. My latest work, “These Sacred Lands," followed a character from the Hancock story after the Civil War to the Great Plains. I first walked the ground on forts and battlefields in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana, where the U.S. Cavalry patrolled and Lakota Sioux roamed the region. The Black Hills, "Paha Sapa" to the Lakota, are sacred lands from which the novel's name was drawn. One could almost feel the spirits on battlefields like the Rosebud and the Little Big Horn. My library is full of fiction and non-fiction, memoirs and letters, and stories of people and battles. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and two Masters of Science degrees in Business Administration and National Resource Strategy. My wife Linda and I left Washington D.C. behind in 2017 and reside in Venice, Florida. Learn more: https://www.jharoldkellystories.com