Where are they now?

Ireland Olson, daughter of Rick and Shelly Olson, of Kimball, and Melissa Olson of Ephraim, Utah, recently completed her Basic Combat Training and was in the graduating class number 69-18 held at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on Nov. 16, 2018.

The 2016 graduate of Kimball High School, where she graduated with honors, enrolled at Southeast Community College in Beatrice following her high school graduation and began her pursuit of becoming a nurse in the medical field. At the completion of 13 months, she received an LPN degree in nursing in graduation ceremonies held there, graduating with high honors.

Ireland's next step was to move to Lincoln, where she planned to enroll in a nursing facility, but after sitting out for a short while, she weighed her future and elected to continue her medical dreams by enlisting in the U.S. Army, which she felt was the best military fit for her future plans.

Ireland enlisted in the Army on July 15, 2018 and was sent to Fort Sill, Okla., where she underwent her Basic Combat Training as a member of the Echo Battery, 1st Battalion, 79th Field Artillery, and graduated with high honors at the Nov. 16, 2018 Basic Combat Training Graduation Ceremony attended by her father. Ireland was recognized at the ceremony as an Honor Graduate and was one of 19 to receive this honor, and was named to the top 10 percent of the graduating class.

The day after graduating from Basic Training, she was on her way to her next assignment at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, to go into AIT, a 19 week training for becoming a Combat Medic, her next step in continuing in her chosen medical field. At the completion of the 19 weeks she will then be assigned to her next duty station. PFC Olson will be back home in Kimball to spend a few days with family and friends over Christmas.