Col Olen "Francis" Scott Key: Age 71

Col Olen “Francis” Scott Key served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force. His Air Force Service Code (AFSC) was Pilot, and he retired as a Command Pilot with over 4,000 hours in the T-37, T-38, C-141, KC-135 and T-1. His service medals and citations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal and numerous campaign medals.

Col Key was born May 29, 1954 to Bill and Billie Key, in Memphis, TN, and he was reared there. His father served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. His wife’s father served in the Pacific Theater under General McArthur. His wife’s mother served as a Navy nurse at San Diego where wounded military were brought during WWII. He graduated from Wooddale High School in May 1972, and while a student at Wooddale High School, he served as the Student Council President, Brigade Commander of the Army JROTC and was selected as “Mr. Wooddale Most Likely to Succeed” in 1972.

He earned a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship attending Memphis State University. He married his high school sweetheart, Jean Ellen McCarley, in 1973 after their freshman year in college. In May 1976, he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration. While at college, he served as the Wing Commander of Detachment 785 AFROTC Flying Tigers.

Due to the number of pilots returning from duty in the Vietnam War drawdown, he was involved in a Delayed Accession Program for eight months. His active-duty military service in the U.S. Air Force began in March 1977 with Undergraduate Pilot Training flying the T-37 and the T-38 at Vance Air Force Base at Enid, OK. Following UPT graduation in March 1978, he remained at Vance AFB for four years to serve as an instructor teaching the fundamentals of jet aircraft operation, instruments procedures, formation and night procedures in the T-37. In 1982, he was assigned to Charleston AFB, SC, and he trained at Altus AFB, OK, to fly the C-141 cargo aircraft. After training, he served for two years at Charleston AFB, S.C., where he flew the C-141 on international flights to Africa, South America and Europe. While at Charleston, he flew to Granada during Operation Urgent Fury in 1983 taking equipment and members of the U.S. Army 82d Airborne.

Col Key then served at the Pentagon for one year with the Air Staff Training Program in the Air Force budget office. Next, he served at the Headquarters Military Airlift Command at Scott AFB, IL, as the Legislative Affairs Officer for HQ MAC and the U.S.Transportation Command making frequent trips to the U.S. Capitol in support of congressional visits and testimony by the Commander, General Duane Cassidy. While at Scott AFB, he received a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University, and he was promoted to Major. In 1989, he attended the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, AL.

Col Key returned to flying the C-141 at Charleston AFB, S.C., in 1990 where he was an instructor pilot, served as 17th Airlift Squadron Chief Pilot, and the 20th Airlift Squadron Operations Officer. During this tour in the C-141, Colonel Key participated in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Next, he served two years as the Commander, 310th Air Refueling Squadron, Plattsburg AFB, NY, flying the KC-135 whose primary duty was refueling and airlift. He ended his tour there as the Wing Transition Officer responsible for overseeing the closure of Plattsburg AFB due to a Base Closure decision. He then attended the U.S. Naval War College, Newport RI, and received a Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He remained there for 2.5 years as an instructor in the Rational Decision Making Department.

Col Key then served at Columbus AFB, MS, for two years as the 14th Operations Group Commander overseeing all flight operations for five squadrons responsible for undergraduate flight training. Next, he served 1.5 years at Randolph AFB, TX, at the Headquarters, Air Education and Training Command as the Deputy Inspector General. His last assignment was a return to Maxwell AFB, AL, where he taught at the Air War College in the War Fighting Department running the war games. During this tour, he deployed to Ali Al Saleem Air Base in Kuwait for 90 days as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Vice Commander. Col Key retired at Maxwell AFB March, 2007.

Since his military retirement, Col Key has worked as a financial advisor with New York Life Insurance Company dealing with life insurance, long-term care and retirement planning. He worked as an agent until 2016, and then he became a Development Manager training other agents. In 2021, he returned to the field as an agent in the New York Life Office in Montgomery, AL.

Col Key and his wife, Jean Ellen, have been married 51 years, and they have two children and two grandchildren. In Montgomery, AL, they are members of Wesley Church, a Global Methodist Church. He is currently serving as the President of the Air & Space Forces Association and is a member of the City of Montgomery Veterans and Military Coalition. He enjoys playing with his grandchildren and doing yard work.

Col Key’s conclusions about what serving in the U.S. Air Force has meant to him are: “It was a chance to make a difference in people’s lives.” He would like people to remember him as a giver and a good friend.