Kelly (John F.) is born in Boston.

The son of a postal worker and homemaker, John Kelly grows up in Oak Square, graduates from St. Mary’s High School in Waltham, and enlists in the U.S. Marines in 1970, graduates from the University of Massachusetts Boston, then returns to the Marines. He obtains advanced degrees from Georgetown University, and the National War College, serves in Iraq, and is named a four-star general and head of the U.S. Southern Command in 2012. After retiring from the Marines in 2016, he is named Secretary of Homeland Security and then White House Chief of Staff in 2017.