Elected and Appointed Government Officials 2017

Two years ago, Trent Kelly scrambled atop an incredibly crowded primary field of 17 candidates in a special election to replace the late Rep. Alan Nunnelee. He now represents the First District of Mississippi in the 114th Congress.

Born in Union, he graduated from Union High School and graduated East Central Community College. He earned his bachelor’s degree and juris doctor from the University of Mississippi. He went on to earn his master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Trent has spent 31 years in the Mississippi Army National Guard as a Combat Engineer and is currently serving as a Colonel. In 1990, he mobilized for Desert Storm as an Engineer Second Lieutenant. In 2005, he deployed as a Major to Iraq with the 155th Brigade as the Operations Officer of the 150th Engineer Battalion. From 2009 to 2010, he deployed as a Lieutenant Colonel to Iraq as the Battalion Commander of Task Force Knight of the 155th Brigade Combat Team and commanded over 670 troops from Mississippi, Ohio, and Kentucky. He has received two Bronze Stars, Combat Action Badge, the DeFleury Medal, and numerous other federal and state awards for his service.

Trent has worked at McRae’s Department Store as a manager, maintained a private law practice in Saltillo, and served as Tupelo City Prosecutor and Forfeiture Attorney for North Mississippi Narcotics Unit. Prior to being elected to Congress, Trent served as a District Attorney for the 1st Circuit Judicial District (Lee, Pontotoc, Alcorn, Monroe, Itawamba, Prentiss, and Tishomingo) managing all felony cases.

In Congress, he serves on the House Committee on Agriculture, House Small Business Committee and the House Committee on Armed Services.