Before Kelly became the first person in his family to obtain a college degree, he attended community college and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force.  He was initially rejected for service due to his flat feet and a previous knee surgery from a high school wrestling injury.  Kelly fought the rejection and obtained a medical waiver to enlist.  Barlean was selected to serve in the USAF Security Service/Electronic Security Command as a communications intelligence analyst.  Based upon his performance in the intelligence community, Kelly received a rare appointment from the enlisted ranks to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.  After graduating from the Academy, Kelly opted to enhance his skill set for a return to the intelligence community by cross-commissioning into the U.S. Army Infantry where he served in the 101st Airborne Division.  His military career ended when he was medically discharged for injuries he sustained in a combat training exercise jumping out of a Blackhawk helicopter. After his discharge, Barlean returned to Colorado and obtained a law degree in Boulder then moved to Langley, Washington and established a private law practice where he learned the responsibility of signing the front side of a paycheck.  While building his law practice, Kelly was twice elected to the city council of Langley and was then twice elected to the Washington State House of Representatives.   While in the Washington Legislature, Kelly worked closely with officials of the University of Washington and the state’s other colleges on higher education fiscal and policy issues as the Republican Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Committee and a member of the Capital Budget Committee.  Barlean demonstrated his conservative credentials as a Legislator. Barlean worked to reduce taxes, eliminate anti-business regulations and to protect private property rights.