TW5 Leadership

Deputy Commodore

Colonel Andrew Kellner was born in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and as the son of a Marine grew up in North Carolina, Virginia, and Chile. He graduated from Jacksonville University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. He was commissioned and completed The Basic School in 2000 and was designated a Naval Aviator in 2002.

Colonel Kellner's operational assignments include Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369 from 2003 to 2006 where he deployed twice in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) and completed a third deployment with the 31st MEU. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines where he served as the Battalion Air Officer and deployed to Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2007. He returned to HMLA-369 and deployed again to OIF in 2008 as the Future Operations/Plans Officer and Weapons and Tactics Instructor. In 2013, he again reported to HMLA-369 and deployed to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in 2014 and served as the Squadron Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Operations Officer, and converted from the AH-1W to the AH-1Z.

His supporting establishment assignments include I MEF Special Operations Training Group, where he served as the Air Officer from 2009-2011; Marine Aircraft Group 39, as the Headquarters Squadron Executive Officer in 2012; Expeditionary Warfare School, as a Faculty Advisor and Chief Instructor from 2015 to 2018; and Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, where he served as Deputy Director of Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group in Twentynine Palms, CA from 2018 to 2019. From 2019 to 2022, Colonel Kellner served as the Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of Helicopter Training Squadron 28, which received the Vice Adm. Robert Goldwaite Training Excellence Award for the top overall Naval Air Training Command Squadron.

In 2023, he reported to Capabilities Development Directorate, Headquarters Marine Corps Combat Development and Integration, as the Director of Operations and Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Systems Branch Head and was subsequently slated for command of Training Air Wing FIVE. In 2024 Colonel Kellner returned to Whiting Field, Florida and earned his instructor qualifications in the TH-73 prior to assuming duties as the Wing Deputy Commodore in February 2025.

Colonel Kellner is a graduate of the Expeditionary Warfare School (non-resident), the Marine Corps Command and General Staff College, and the Marine Corps War College. Additional military education includes Tactical Air Control Party Course Honor Graduate, Air Officer Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, and AH-1 Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars and the Strike/Flight Air Medal with numeral 20.