From in Front of the Camera to Behind the Scenes: How Life as the Daughter of a Navy Commander Led to a Career in Entertainment

By USO Staff

The first part of Kelli Wheeler’s story will sound familiar to many military children: frequent relocations, long stretches of time without her father at home and that sense that something about her family was different.

Her father, Quentin Wheeler, was a U.S. Naval commander who served in both Gulf Wars and the War in Iraq. His service as a Naval aviator and leader required frequent deployments, typically once per year, for up to six months at a time.

Yet Kelli, as a military child, took it all in stride. Her adaptability and independence have served her well, carrying her from childhood beauty pageants to acting, to traveling the world solo and now as a lead creative producer at Amazon MGM Studios – which led her full-circle, back to the military and the USO.

On the Ground with Service Members and Celebrities on a USO Entertainment Tour

In August, Kelli participated in a USO Entertainment tour with both service members and cast members of “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf,” a television show that follows character Ben Edwards through his journey from Navy SEAL to CIA covert operations.

On this USO Entertainment Tour, “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf” cast members traveled to spend time with service members in the 106th Rescue Wing at Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, New York. Here, the cast got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the incredible work service members do on the daily, learning about the realities of duties in a search and rescue unit. Conversely, these service members had the chance to not only showcase their work, but share in the excitement of having entertainers take the time to recognize their sacrifices and spend the day with them.

Kelli served as a field producer throughout this USO Entertainment Tour, joining her sound and video crew to document the cast’s visit to the 106th Rescue Wing.

“I don’t usually do a lot of field producing in my current role, but I knew I needed to be there for this one,” she said. “It was personal.”

Initially, Kelli hesitated joining the team that would be promoting the show. Her father had passed two years before the show began production, and she worried it would bring up emotional memories.

But she steeled herself and moved beyond that.

“It was important to me that we showed military life accurately and respectfully,” Kelli explained. “Having lived in it, I knew how much it would matter to those watching.”

As Amazon MGM’s creative producer on site for the tour, Kelli was not only documenting the day, but also using her experience as a member of a military family to help shape how the story of this USO Entertainment Tour would be told. As she brought this moment of USO mission delivery to life, she had the opportunity to show the realities of military life to those watching at home. Crucially, Kelli also got to witness the positive effect of USO Entertainment Tours firsthand. As someone who grew up in a military household, this was particularly poignant for Kelli.

A Military Kid’s Journey from Guam to Hollywood

At an age when most children are learning colors and letters, Kelli’s career in entertainment was already underway. Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Kelli and the rest of her family accompanied her father on his assignment to Guam, where her mom enrolled her in local pageants as a way to stay active and build community during deployments.

“I was a child of the ‘80s, and that was a very big thing back then, so it was our special time together,” she recalled. “On Guam, pageants were a way to meet people and stay active while my dad was away.” 

Kelli won numerous titles, including a major competition in New York City, where she caught the attention of a Hollywood entertainment manager. This experience eventually opened doors for acting opportunities in Los Angeles, where Kelli appeared in commercials, advertisements and a few television roles.

But it was behind the camera where Kelli truly found her fit. After studying television production in college, she worked her way up from receptionist to producer, a role that combined her creativity with the adaptability she’d honed as a military child – and her can-do attitude she had built as the only girl in her family.

“With two younger brothers, I’m bossy,” Kelli joked. “I just like to get stuff done.”

Lessons From a Military Dad

Today, Kelli’s father’s influence continues to play a role in her demanding career.

“He believed in compartmentalizing, in staying steady under pressure. That mindset helps me today as a producer — balancing creative vision, deadlines and teams, while staying calm and focused.”

Kelli also credits her military upbringing for instilling a sense of independence and adaptability.

“As a military child, you learn to adjust — new schools, new friends, new places. I became comfortable picking up and moving on,” she explained.

Those skills carried into her adult life. For several years, Kelli freelanced in production work. The freelance life isn’t for everyone, with its unpredictability in workflow and income. Kelli took advantage of that flexibility to make time for traveling on her own, exploring Greece, Morocco, Spain, Portugal and South Africa, to name just a few.

“I think a lot of people would’ve felt unsettled by that lifestyle,” Kelli said. “For me, it felt normal.”

Another important lesson stands out to Kelli: her father taught her many things, and one of those was how to follow your dreams, even when it means taking risks.

“My father pursued his goals and interests, both inside the military and out. He even at one point was a video game producer for Disney, and later he started his own drone company. So taking risks and following dreams is in my blood.”

Inspiration for Other Military Children – and a Full Circle Journey to a USO Tour

For military children, Kelli’s story shows how the challenges she faced helped to shape the fulfilled person she is now. The resilience you build prepares you for life’s ups and downs, facing uncertainty builds courage, and your sense of independence can lead you anywhere.

Through her journey as a military child, Kelli succeeded in a challenging career, which eventually brought her full circle to a show that portrayed military life, and connected her to the USO, a nonprofit military support organization.

USO Entertainment tours like the events Kelli worked on and attended are more than incredible opportunities to meet entertainers – they allow service members to take a break from the daily stressors of their duties and be reminded that their sacrifices are not forgotten.

The USO is committed to strengthening the well-being of the people who serve and their families – through military family programming that supports military kids like Kelli, to USO Entertainment tours that shows service members our appreciation, to care packages to the front lines, providing support just when they need it most. No matter where their service takes them, the USO is always there for our nation’s service members and military family members.