Paul Nicholson (spouse), Kathy Nicholson, Nancy Holmes (mother), Allan Holmes (father), Duane Broadbent (uncle).
A 1978 Sweet Home High School graduate has been promoted to Lt. Colonel in the Army National Guard.
Kathy Holmes Nicholson is the daughter of Allan and Kathyn Holmes of Sweet Home.
She enrolled at Linn-Benton Community College to study accounting that fall. In June 1979 she enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard in Salem.
“I needed money for college and I really wanted a break from school,” Lt. Col. Nicholson said. “I enlisted as a supply clerk in the 1042nd Military Intelligence Company, where I met my husband, Paul Nicholson, and we married a year later.”
In 1982 she started working full-time for the National Guard as a pay clerk and worked her way up to Staff Sergeant as a pay supervisor.
In 1988 Nicholson attended the Oregon Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. She continued working for the National Guard until 1992 when she was asked to go on active duty with the National Guard Bureau to field a new pay system for the National Guard and Reserves at the Army Finance Center at Fort Benjamin, Indiana.
Lt. Col. Nicholson transferred to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. as a budget officer for the National Guard Bureau.
“On September 11, 2001 I was fortunate to have the day off but heard the attack on the Pentagon from our apartment,” Lt. Col. Nicholson said.
In November 2003, she was promoted to Lientenant Colonel and selected to be the Chief of Resource Management under the Chief of Staff Army National Guard Directorate.
“In this position I have oversight and responsibility for approximately $800 million of Army National Guard funding,” Lt. Col. Nicholson said.
Life in the Army has been an exciting adventure, Lt. Col. Nicholson said.
“The Army and the National Guard have been a wonderful opportunity for me to learn and grow,” Lt. Col. Nicholson said. “I am extremely proud to serve my country and feel my job helps our soldiers mobilized in support of the war on terrorism. My goal is to become the first female comptroller for the National Guard Bureau. I will retire in 2010 with 31 years service.”
In addition to credits earned at LBCC and Chemeketa Community College, Lt. Col. Nicholson has completed a Bachelor of Arts in management and communication from Concordia University in Wisconsin and is working toward a Masters of Business Administration from Troy State University.
She has received numerous awards including: Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with five oak leaf clusters for 24 years service-one award for every four years), National Defense Service Award, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with bronze hour glass for 20 years service-one award for each 10 years), NCO Professional Development Ribbon (with numeral one), Army Service Ribbon, Army Superior Unit Award (awarded to the National Guard for duty during the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks), Oregon Meritorious Service Medal and Oregon Faithful Service Medal.
Her promotion schedule has included: Second Lieutenant, 1988; First Lieutenant, 1992; Captain, 1995; Major, 1999; Lieutenant Colonel, 2003.