The U.S. Military recently recognized Kelley Direct for the educational opportunities we provide for our service men and women by flying an American flag in our honor at a base in Afghanistan. Jeff Hendricks, a current Kelley Direct student and Director of Logistics at the base, stopped by our Bloomington office to present us with the flag.
He is on the left in the picture below with Kelley School Deans Idie Kesner and Ash Soni. 
While he was here, Jeff was kind enough to tell us more about the significance of the flag and about his experience in the Kelley Direct program.
Can you tell us more about the significance of this flag?
The flag was flown over Camp Sabalu-Harrison in Parwan, Afghanistan. This base is the logistical support area for the U.S. personnel who work alongside the Afghan National Army Soldiers at the Afghan National Detention Facility-Parwan. I was the Director of Logistics, known in the military as an S4, at this facility where we provided all required supplies and services for both U.S. personnel, U.S. detainees, and mentored the Afghan National Army to provide the same services to their Soldiers and detainees.
I provided the flag to the Kelley School of Business as a way of saying thank you for your continued support that you have shown me while I continue to pursue my educational goals.
What is the advantage of an online MBA program for military personnel?
The online format is key to someone who works all over the world and the Kelley Direct program has allowed me the flexibility to fit my educational goals into my busy schedule including two deployments to Afghanistan as well as moving myself and my family across Europe and back to the U.S.
What might a typical week of work and classes look like for you?
For me a typical work week ranges from 40-60 hours, so I have to make a deliberate effort to set aside adequate time to study and attend the classes. As I lived for so many years abroad the time difference was a significant hurdle to accomplishing my coursework. Fortunately, the classes are recorded on ANGEL and are available for later review. This way I could review the class later the following day and get started with the coursework.
I have also used these recorded courses to help review for final exams, to fill in any gaps in my notes or my memory at the end of the course. Additionally, I have used the recording to review a related topic in other courses, which have allowed me to get a deeper understanding of the material.
Can you share an example of something you learned and applied on the job?
While working in Camp Sabalu-Harrison, I was in charge of developing a strategy for retrograding and properly disposing our facility in anticipation of the curtailment of the mission and reduction of forces in Afghanistan. I had tons of data and could wrap my arms around all of our property, but the skills I learned in Kelley Direct allowed me to create a comprehensive yet flexible plan that has allowed us to responsibly turn over the facility to Afghan control and recapitalize on the U.S. taxpayer property.
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We want to thank Jeff for honoring Kelley Direct, for stopping by to present us with the flag, and especially for his service to this country. We are honored by this gesture and look forward to serving him and the many other Kelley Direct students who are in the military.
About Jeff Hendricks
Jeff Hendricks is a U.S. Army Logistician and has worked in various positions within the Supply Chain Management and Contingency Management fields for over 20 years. During that time, he also served in leadership positions overseas with the U.S. Army for over 15 years. He is now the Department Chief of Staff and an Assistant Professor in the Military Science Department at Brigham Young University. Jeff is also pursuing a dual degree MBA and MS in Global Supply Chain Management in the Kelley Direct program.
