Next Step for Attleboro College Grad is the U.S. Army

Jaclyn Kelly, who recently graduated from the University of Rhode Island (URI), is not heading to work in an office or make sales calls, her next step is to be commissioned in the United States Army. Kelly, an Attleboro High School Class of 2006 graduate, has been assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, NC.

Kelly has devoted her time to polictical science and military science leadership classes at URI, which has better prepared her for her start in the military.

The recent college grad joined URI’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) when she was a sophomore. The program enabled her to get the training she needed to excel as a soldier.

The Attleboro native and resident earned her Jump Wings at Airborne School in Fort Benning, GA, and in 2009 completed the Army’s Cultural Understanding and Language Proficienc (CULP) internship at the Panamanian Embassy, and a Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) internship with the 112^th Signal Battalion at Fort Bragg, NC, in 2010.

Kelly graduated from URI with Distinguished Military Graduate Honors and Commissioning, as Active Duty into Military Intelligence Corps. 

As one of the few females in her ROTC graduating class, Kelly worked hard to stand out from the rest by spending the past summer at Warrior Forge in Fort Lewis. She achieved standings within the top 20 percent of the National Order of Merits List. 

“I began my career eager to experience, learn and grow," Kelly said. "It is with great honor that I pursue my career to lead the world’s finest soldiers and to do so as a part of one of our military’s most prestigious units.

"The unconditional love and support from my family and friends has brought me this far and will continue to help maintain my forward momentum," she added. "For this I am grateful."