Elilze McKelvey

Elize McKelvey

Elize Mckelvey served as an active duty enlisted Marine from May 2012 until October 2020. During her time in uniform, McKelvey deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary unit. Unfortunately, within one week of their deployment, they experienced an Osprey Crash that killed two Marines. McKelvey used her art to connect with the families and Marines from those events. This fueled her passion for the program, and in 2016, she officially became a part of the Marine Corps Combat Art Program as the enlisted representative.

McKelvey covered multiple missions to the middle east and training exercises in Quantico, VA, and 29 Palms, CA. Recently, As a civilian, she was able to sketch on location Marines working with Afghanistan refugees. Though she is no longer in uniform, her passion for sharing stories through art and continuing the Combat Art Program mission is unfazed.

In this video, then-SSgt McKelvey shares highlights of her time spent sketching Marines in the field.

Elize McKelvey is a combat artist with the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Art Program managed by the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The Combat Art Program's mission is to keep Americans informed about what "their Marines" are doing at home and overseas.