Senator Kelly Hines grew up in the small town of Whitesboro, Oklahoma, in the Kiamichi River Valley. He received his commission in the U.S. Army through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at East Central University in Ada.

Senator Hines began his military service as an Infantryman with the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 1985, serving until he graduated from college in 1992. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Army Aviation. His active-duty aviation assignments included the Multinational Force and Observers in Egypt; the 101st Airborne Division; the 10th Mountain Division; the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers); United States Special Operations Command; the 25th Infantry Division; and the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence.

Senator Hines commanded numerous units, including the 110th Aviation Brigade, the Army’s only Aviation Training Brigade. His final assignment was as the 10th Commandant of the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Career College. Senator Hines retired from active duty on November 1, 2019, after more than 34 years of service. He served numerous combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan and has had operational deployments throughout Central and South America. He is a Master Army Aviator, qualified as a pilot in command of numerous helicopters, and has logged nearly 3,000 flight hours (1,000 with night vision goggles and over 500 in combat).

Upon retirement, Senator Hines joined Aviation Training Consulting (ATC) in Edmond as the Director of Business Development. He currently serves as a Senior Adviser at Delaware Resource Group

Senator Hines holds a bachelor's degree in history, a master's degree in ancient and classical history, and a master's degree in strategic studies. His military awards and decorations include two Legion of Merit Medals, two Bronze Star Medals, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Medals (one for Valor), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three stars, and the Iraq Campaign Medal with four stars.

Senator Hines and his wife, Shannon, have been married for 32 years and have two children. Their son, Alex, is a Second Lieutenant in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and a police officer with Oklahoma City Community College. Their daughter, Riley, works for the University of Oklahoma Press and is engaged to a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

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