Colonel (R) Kelly E. Hines grew up in Whitesboro, Oklahoma, a very small town in the southeast corner of the state with a high school graduating class of 18. A four-year varsity basketball player, class President, class Vice President, and President of the Future Farmers of America, Kelly learned the values of leadership from a young age. 

In 1985 Kelly joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard and began Infantry Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia three days after graduating from high school at the age of 17. Seven years later, in 1992, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from East Central University in Ada, OK and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in Army Aviation and married Shannon Bailey, establishing Team Hines. 

Over the next two decades, Kelly served in numerous units to include the storied 101st Airborne Division, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) “Night Stalkers” and the 25th Infantry Division. Kelly would continue his career in Army Aviation until 2019, commanding thousands of Soldiers and hundreds of aircraft during his career, while serving tours and commanding classified aviation missions in Egypt, Jordan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Peru, Colombia, Honduras, Paraguay and Ecuador.  The recipient of the Bronze Star and two Air Medals for the combat missions he led in Iraq between 2004 and 2007, Kelly is also the recipient of the Air Medal for Valor for landing under direct enemy fire to reinforce ground troops and evacuate wounded Special Operations personnel.  He was awarded an additional Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge for leading his battalion in Afghanistan from 2012 to 2013.  Kelly is rated in numerous helicopters and has 3000 flight hours, over 500 in combat.

Kelly graduated from the United States Army War College with a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies in 2014, before taking command of the 110th Aviation Brigade in 2015. Kelly commanded the 110th Aviation Brigade, at Fort Rucker, Alabama, until 2017. The 110th is the Army’s largest, most diverse aviation brigade and sole aviation training brigade. During his time as commander, Kelly led 1500 soldiers, army civilians, and contractors who were responsible for the training of 4,500 aviation students annually, as well as the safe and efficient operations of 5 airfields, 15 stage fields, 554 aircraft, over 100 remote training sites. The 110th Aviation brigade provides the US Army and Unified Action Partners with professionally trained aviators at the undergraduate and graduate level and is the only Brigade of its kind.

Kelly finished his Army career by serving as the 10th Commandant (Dean) of the US Army Warrant Officer Career College, Fort Rucker, Alabama from 2017 to 2019.  As Commandant, Kelly was responsible for overseeing the training of over 6000 entry level and graduate level Warrant Officers annually, teaching officers to solve problems using Mission Command while applying their technical expertise in support of leaders on tactical, operational, and strategic level staffs. 

Team Hines Retired from active duty on November 1, 2019, with over 34 years of service, relocating back to Oklahoma and joining Aviation Training Consulting (ATC) in Edmond as the Director of Business Development. Kelly was promoted to Vice President of Corporate Operations in 2020 and in 2021 was promoted to his current position as ATC’s Vice President of Domestic Operations.

Kelly and his wife, Shannon, share a love of golf and have been happily married for over 30 years and are the proud parents of Alex and Riley Hines. After decades leading American Sons and Daughters in service to the people of the United States, Kelly has decided to continue serving his fellow Oklahomans by running for State Senate District 47 in 2024.