On Monday, Nov. 11, Kelly Kirts ’86 spoke at Simpson College about his experience as a former Simpson student and as a veteran.
Kirts joined the Air Force in 1989 and served for 27 ½ years. Before entering the military, he earned bachelor’s degrees in environmental science and computer science from Simpson. Post graduation, Kirts received an MBA from the University of Nebraska and a master’s in international security studies from the Native Defense College in Rome, Italy.
Kirts’ first introduction to the military was on his birthday, in March of 1989, when he showed up for training in San Antonio, Texas. He started his service in space operations and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, then moved to cyber operations. In the middle of his career, he worked in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and finally ended his career at the Air Force Base Command in Colorado Springs. Kirts was deployed in Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2014. On Sept. 30, 2016, he retired as a colonel.
Although Kirts said the most important takeaway from his speech was about the life lessons he learned at Simpson, he also wanted to recognize and thank all who served.
“The very essence of military service upholds the very ideals of personal liberty and freedom that we hold dear to us as Americans,” Kirts said. “Whether someone was drafted or a volunteer, it takes a level of sacrifice, fortitude and dedication to follow through with those service commitments. All of these individuals deserve and are owed our appreciation and respect.”
Kirts said he learned several significant lessons at Simpson, which helped prepare him for military life. The first is that relationships, whether it’s building them in the first place or maintaining them, matter.
“In the military, relationships are force multipliers,” Kirts said. “It exposes you to a whole host of solutions and options you may have never considered. This is true for day-to-day lives in the military, but also for every day of your life.”
The second lesson Kirts reflected on was “no task is too great.” A person can accomplish any task if they break it down into manageable pieces. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by large tasks, but they can be completed with time management skills and the ability to prioritize smaller steps.
Another lesson Kirts emphasized was “never give up.” If a person wants it bad enough, they will find a way. The officer selection board rejected Kirts’ first candidate selection package to join the Air Force, and he could have given up there, but he persisted and applied again.
“I decided that I wasn’t done, so I retook the aptitude test, I improved my fitness scores, and I reworked completing my letters of recommendation,” Kirts said. “I was selected for the very next board.”
Kirts’ final lesson was “be a promise keeper.” It’s important to keep your word or face the consequences if you fail to deliver on a promise.
“It became clear to me that my professors, my fraternity mates and my classmates always expected me to keep my word, and deliver what was promised when it was required,” Kirts said.
Kirts retired in 2016 and moved back to Central Iowa with his wife, Dawn. Kirts and his wife purchased a small business called Dick’s Fire Extinguisher Service, which services and maintains portable fire extinguishers. They have sustained profitable relationships with approximately 600 customers, which were made possible by all these life lessons Kirts took to heart.
Andrea Warner, senior and vice president of the Veterans Club, said it’s essential for people who aren’t part of the club to get perspective on the military and veteran community.
Sabrina Brangers, senior and president of The Simpson Veterans Club, hopes to host a Veterans Day speaker like Kirts every year to raise awareness of the club.
“When people come to events like this, and they realize that there is a veterans club, maybe they talk about it to other people, the club spreads around, and that’s how we grow,” Brangers said.