Major Kay was born March 21, 1986 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended The Citadel on an NROTC Scholarship and accepted his commission in May, 2008. He reported to The Basic School in 2008 where he was assigned as an Infantry Officer. He attended Infantry Officer Course and graduated in 2009.

From 2009 to 2012 he served a Rifle Platoon Commander, Company Executive Officer, and briefly as a Company Commander, in Lima Company, Third Battalion Seventh Marines. As a Platoon Commander, he deployed to RC-Southwest in Afghanistan where his platoon conducted combat operations in Delaram, Marjah, and Sangin. On his second deployment, as Company Executive Officer, he returned to Sangin where the company conducted combat and transition operations.

From 2012 to 2015, he served in Recruiting Station Sacramento, covering roughly a fifth of California and the northwestern third of Nevada. During this tour he served as the Operations Officer, Executive Officer, and Commanding Officer.

From 2016 to 2017, he served as the Weapons Company Commander and Fire Support Coordinator for Third Battalion, Eight Marines. His company took part in the Unit Deployment Program and conducted exercises on Okinawa, mainland Japan, and South Korea, among other locations.

From 2017 to 2020, he was assigned as an Operational Test Project Officer in the Infantry Branch, Ground Combat Division of Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity. In this assignment, he took part in the testing and or evaluation of the Squad Common Optic, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, Next Generation Handheld Targeting System, and TEMSOS, amongst other programs.

Major Kay holds a BA in International Politics from The Citadel and an MBA with a concentration in Analytics from Drexel University. He is also a resident graduate of the Expeditionary Warfare School.

Major Kay’s personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars and “V”, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon.