Local Man Training Police for Afghan Transition

10/15/2012 (Updated 6:44:35 PM)

(Source: Jason Weinstein)

When you come to Kelley Marine in Endicott you'll find boats, accessories, and a service department - but you won't find the owner William Kelley. He's a little busy right now.

"Right now he's sight security supervisor for the Department of Defense," said Karyn Grant, William Kelley's fiance.

Kelley is in his fourth stint in Afghanistan training ex-military and private security to eventually train the Afghans themselves to take control of their country.

"Once he feels like there's someone - he just left Ft. Dwyer and he fells that they're in charge there and they can handle it then he's moving on to the next camp," said Grant.

He has sandwiched a career in law enforcement - including time as an undercover narcotics officer - around a stint in the Air Force. He won a Bronze Star in Desert Storm and has served as a police officer for the United Nations and Defense Department.

"They asked him. We all have to remember that he's not deployed, he volunteers to go. So he picked up and left and left a business behind," said Grant.

Kelley left in June for Afghanistan, just weeks after Karyn Grant's son Zack returned from there after a four-year stint in the army. now he's helping Karyn run the business until Kelley gets back, possibly next Summer.

"And as I saw you taking pictures of all his certificates, so I'm going to try not to get emotional, all that stuff I found in bins. They were just stuffed in bins. He didn't even care because that's not what he's doing it for," said Grant.

Grant is trying to get Kelley Marine into the Boating Industry Association of Upstate New York.

"This is huge for us because that way we get to be a part of the Syracuse Boat Show and that's what our business is, is about selling pontoons," said Grant.

For now, she hopes Kelley's work will get him and others home soon. "He wants us out of there. And him going there helps to get us out of there. And that's what he wants. He wants everybody go come home," said Grant.

Kelley gave a quote from Afghanistan for this story: "I love my country and hold in the highest esteem all those in the military and all the civilian police who have made the ultimate sacrifice."


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