ATF agent earns award for work at Ft. Irwin

WASHINGTON D.C. • The U.S. Army typically gives medals to soldiers, but they made an exemption for Timothy Kelly.

Kelly, a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, was presented with the Commanding General’s Commendation Award for Civilian Service during a ceremony at ATF headquarters in Washington D.C. on Thursday. He is the ATF agent to receive the award.

Fort Irwin commander Brig. Gen. Robert Abrams selected Kelly for the award due to his work with the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, JIEDDO, according to an ATF report. JIEDDO helps develop ways to stop IEDs, find those that make IEDs and prepare soldiers for IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, Kelly didn’t even know he was going to receive an award on Thursday.

“It’s obviously very nice to be recognized, but it was a surprise to me,” Kelly said. “I was already in (Washington) D.C. for JIEDDO. Then the next thing I know I was being pulled up to (ATF) headquarters and the director was giving me the award.”

Kelly is currently assigned to JIEDDO’s Joint Center of Excellence at Fort Irwin. The ATF assigns a special agent who is a certified explosive specialist to Fort Irwin every two years. Kelly helped develop an improvised explosive device training program at Fort Irwin during his time at the base. He also participated in the creation of an IED mobile training team concept and website that will be used at military bases across the country.

Kelly said he specializes in teaching soldiers how to process the scene of an IED attack for forensic information that could lead back to the people that are making the explosives.

“It’s a very fulfilling process,” Kelly said. “It’s also something that’s very needed. It allows the different agencies to cross pollinate each other with different skill sets that are useful. I get to provide useful training that will help keep those that fight for us alive.”

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