Kelly Hughes

I am writing to express my interest in seeking a second consecutive term as USMCCCA Secretary.

Having served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps for 22 years and retiring as a Master Sergeant, my commitment to our community remains steadfast. Notably, I served as the E-9 Public Affairs Chief / Senior Enlisted Advisor (COMMSTRAT) for I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), U.S. Central Command during the Second Battle of Fallujah. Under the leadership of LtGen. John F. Sattler, SgtMaj. Carlton W. Kent, and Col. Jenny Holbert, I helped initiate and implement the embedding of COMMSTRAT Marines and civilian media, led combat correspondents across multiple battalion augmentations, and supervised over 30 personnel deployments.

Throughout my career, I achieved several milestones as a female combat correspondent, including being among the first female Marines to qualify with the M16 Service Rifle, the first female enlisted USMC combat correspondent to graduate from the U.S. Army Airborne Course, and the first female enlisted Marine to complete resident Amphibious Warfare School (Phase I). My growth throughout my service was deeply shaped by the exceptional leaders, mentors, Staff NCOs, and NCOs I had the honor of working alongside.

During my current term as USMCCCA Secretary, I have:
- Redesigned the official USMCCCA monthly minutes and maintained a 100% attendance record.
- Initiated renaming the webmaster role to Director of Technology and collaborated to ensure a smooth transition.
- Initiated hiring an Executive Director to support critical logistics and operations for the USMCCCA Awards Banquet.
- Updated member statuses and assisted in enhancing membership communication.

If re-elected, I will remain dedicated to advancing USMCCCA recruitment, retention, membership engagement, and overall communication. I would be honored to continue serving our organization.