How John Kelly, America's longest-serving general, worked his way up from the Marines into the White House

Retired Marine general John Kelly sprung into action in his first week as White House chief of staff, attempting to impose a military-like rigor upon the staff of the notoriously chaotic West Wing.

Kelly, so far, has overseen the dismissal of bombastic communications director Anthony Scaramucci, ensured that President Donald Trump's visitors make appointments before entering the Oval Office, and insisted that even the most senior members of Trump's inner circle report to Kelly instead of directly to Trump.

It's an uncharacteristic modus operandi for the famously free-wheeling and impulsive president, but Kelly's presence in the West Wing has already had a discernible effect.

Here's everything you need to know about the retired four-star Marine general who served for 45 years before making his way to the West Wing:

John Kelly is a Boston native who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1970.

DoD

"In the America I grew up in, every male was a veteran; my dad, my uncles and all the people on the block," Kelly said in an interview posted on the Marines' website. "So, with that kind of background and the draft, you assumed you were going to go into the service when your time came."

He served as an infantryman with the 2nd Marine Division in Lejeune, North Carolina, but left in 1972 to attend the University of Massachusetts in Boston. He later returned to the 2nd Marine Division after attending the Officer Candidates School, serving as a platoon commander and working his way up to an infantry company commander.

He also received master's degrees from Georgetown and the National Defense University.

Kelly rose quickly within the ranks of the Marines, and served during the Persian Gulf War — including Operation Desert Storm — and the Iraq war.

Associated Press/Laurent Rebours

Kelly served in numerous positions throughout the Marine Corps, even once serving as the Commandant's Liaison Officer to the US House of Representatives — an introduction to lawmakers and the political process.

"He knows how Congress works," Carl Fulford, a retired four-star Marine Corps general told USA Today.

He once lamented that being promoted as an officer took him "further and further away from day-to-day contact with young Marines."

U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Zach Anderson

"My whole last tour in Iraq, I was always on the road," Kelly said. "To show up to a [forward operating base] in the middle of nowhere or at a convoy that's broken down and talk to [Marines] as they're changing the tire is the only way to do business."

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