LTC Michael R. Kelvington
Professor of Military Science
Date Assigned: July 2021
Branch/MOS: Infantry
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Kelvington was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in May 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in American History and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. Upon completion of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger School, and Airborne School, he was assigned to the 501st Battalion (Airborne), 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson, Alaska, where he served as an Airborne Rifle Platoon Leader. In 2008, LTC Kelvington was assigned to 1st Ranger Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield, GA where he served as a Ranger Platoon Leader and Ranger Company Executive Officer. At the completion of the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2011, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he assumed command of Battle Company in August 2011. In January 2013, he relinquished command and was assigned to 2nd Ranger Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord where he served first as the Battalion Assistant Liaison Officer and then later as the Battalion Logistics Officer. In April 2014, he was hand-selected to become the aide-de-camp of the Deputy Commanding General of Joint Special Operations Command and returned to Fort Bragg. After a year, LTC Kelvington was selected for the General Wayne A. Downing Scholarship. In June of 2017, upon completion of ILE and grad school, LTC Kelvington was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment for a third time, serving as the Battalion Operations and Executive Officer of the Regimental Special Troops Battalion at Fort Benning, GA. During this time period, he also served overseas twice as a Joint Task Force Commander. In June of 2019, LTC Kelvington became the Deputy Operations Officer of the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he served as the Operations Officer for a Joint Task Force in support of overseas contingency operations. He has deployed 14 times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Following these assignments, LTC Kelvington and his family moved to Columbus, Ohio where he now serves as the Professor of Military Science and Leadership at The Ohio State University.
Military Education: LTC Kelvington is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger School, Airborne School, Air Assault School, Jumpmaster School, Maneuver Captains Career Course, Army Command and General Staff Officer’s Course, Common Faculty Development Instructor Course, and University Senior Leader Course.
Awards and Decorations: Bronze Star Medal (w/ “V” Device and 4 OLC), Purple Heart (w/ OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (w/ 2 OLC), Joint Commendation Service Medal (w/ “C” Device, and OLC), Army Commendation Medal (w/ “V” Device, “C” Device, and 3 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal (w/ “C” Device, and 2 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (w/ “C” Device, and 2 OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (w/ 2 Campaign Stars), Afghanistan Campaign Medal (w/ 4 Campaign Stars), NATO/ISAF Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon (w/ Numeral 4), Army Service Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation (w/ OLC), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award (w/ OLC), Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, British, Australian, and Honduran Jump Wings, and German Proficiency Badge (Gold). He is also a recipient of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, Order of Saint Maurice, and Knowlton Award.
Civilian Education: LTC Kelvington holds three Masters Degrees from Princeton (MPA), Liberty (MACM), and Regent (MAOL), as well as an executive certificate in Counter-Terrorism Studies from the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya, Israel.
Personal: LTC Kelvington is married to Mrs. Meg Kelvington, a 2006 West Point graduate, who completed eight years of service in the Army as a Blackhawk and RC-12 pilot in 2014. They have 4 children, daughters, McKinley (11), Madison (10), and Moriah (5), and son, Mac (7).