“All the good things I had in my life. My wife, my friends, the great things I got to do, really came from my military service. So I had the opportunity to take a job where I could give back, and that made me feel good.” – Brian Kelly, Air Force Veteran

Brian Kelly is the President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), a nonprofit organization focused on advocating for military personnel, veterans, and their families. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a three-star general after more than 33 years of service, most recently serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services. A proud graduate of Notre Dame and the Air Command and Staff College (Class of ‘01), Brian now leads MOAA’s efforts to protect earned military benefits and support members through advocacy, education, and strategic initiatives like the Total Force Plus Conference.

With decades of leadership experience, Brian is especially committed to improving the transition from military to civilian life, protecting quality-of-life benefits, and ensuring that military voices are represented in national conversations. As MOAA prepares to launch its inaugural Total Force Plus Conference, he’s bringing together leaders from the Department of Defense, the VA, and the private sector to address the full lifecycle of military service and create better outcomes for those who serve.

In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Brian about:

• Total Force Plus Conference Launch: A first of its kind event designed to support the full military lifecycle from recruitment to retirement.

• MOAA’s Mission & Legacy: Advocacy work that protects earned benefits for millions of military families and veterans.

• Navigating Career Transition: Brian shares insights from his personal transition from a 3 star general to civilian leadership.

• Supporting the Next Generation: How MOAA is connecting with younger service members to stay relevant and impactful.

• Charitable Impact: MOAA’s scholarship and crisis support foundation are making a difference for thousands of military families.

Timestamps:

• 00:38 Brian’s Air Force journey and transition to MOAA

• 04:51 The origin and mission of MOAA

• 07:45 Launching the Total Force Plus Conference

• 12:16 Key personas the conference is designed to serve

• 15:38 Conference agenda and featured speakers

• 18:34 Storytelling for military service with AJ Bleyer

• 21:01 Brian’s personal career transition reflections

• 25:57 MOAA’s charitable efforts: scholarships & crisis support

• 29:45 Challenges connecting with the next generation

• 32:30 MOAA’s long-term vision and leadership goals

Connect with Brian:

• LinkedIn

• Total Force Plus: https://totalforceplus.moaa.org/

• MOAA.org: https://www.moaa.org/

• MOAA Charities: MOAA – MOAA Charities

• MOAA Foundation: MOAA – TMF Programs

• MOAA Scholarship Fund: MOAA – About MOAA Scholarship Fund

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A special thank you to Brian for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01