Serving on the Department of the Air Force Women’s Initiative Team, Nichols has made significant contributions to efforts that improve quality of life, include advocating for more inclusive female hair regulations.

Nichols also assisted in updating the U.S. Air Force’s breastfeeding policy. Under this new policy, every unit is responsible for creating a safe and clean space for mothers to pump while at work. The policy also mandates breaks to allow time to pump and protects the mother’s right to continue to do so while deployed or on temporary duty. Ěý

Nichols’ efforts also contributed to the Air Force revising its parental leave policy. The policy now incorporates more inclusive language and doesn’t exclude fathers as primary caregivers. It allows 126 days off for the birthing parent, and 42 days for the non-birthing parent. Ěý

Originally from Minden, Louisiana, Nichols has served in the Air Force since 2015 as a diagnostic imaging instructor. She now serves at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, where she instructs all Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard x-ray technicians. She has also served at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, and Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.Ěý

During her service, she has graduated from Airman Leadership School, enlisted joint professional military education 1, instructor evaluator seminar, and the Air Force Foundations Facilitator Seminar.

At UofL, Nichols credits professor Lori Paris for boosting her confidence in becoming a social worker by incorporating interactive peer-work and assignments.

“UofL has done a great job at incorporating group work into classes and other opportunities to connect with my peers,” Nichols said. “The professors also have been extremely accommodating and helpful in providing timely feedback.”

Nichols and her husband have a 5-year-old son and are expecting a second child. After earning her master’s of social work and post graduate licenses, she plans to pursue a commission in the Air Force as a social worker.

In 1994, Melissa Johnson enrolled at UofL as a first-time, full-time undergraduate student. After realizing she was not ready for college and “needing to make something of herself,” she enlisted in the Air Force in 1995.

Johnson has since had a diverse career. She served her first four years in the Air Force as a surgical technician, then retrained as an orthopedic technician and served in that capacity for 13 years, before serving as a first sergeant for over three years.

As a first sergeant, she served with the Civil Engineering Squadron, the Force Support Squadron, and the Communications Squadrons at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, as well as with an Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. She currently serves as the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Medical Group at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, with Memphis, her 5-year old “fur baby.”

Hailing from Shepherdsville, Kentucky, Johnson’s 27-year career has included assignments at bases in Ohio, New Mexico, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, California and Utah. She has also served in Turkey and the United Kingdom and supported two humanitarian missions in Honduras. In 2020, she was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant, which by law is a rank limited to the approximately top 1% of the Air Force’s enlisted force.

Johnson’s deployments include Operations Uphold Democracy, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and Freedoms Sentinel. She’s also earned many awards and recognitions in her Air Force career, including Squadron Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, squadron Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year of the Year, twice a Group First Sergeant of the Year, and a Wing Nursing Service Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.

Johnson holds an associate’s degree in Applied Science in Surgical Service Technology from the Community College of the Air Force, a bachelor of science in Finance and Management from Park University, and a master of Art in Procurement and Acquisitions from Webster University.Ěý

When she retires,Ěýshe wants to work with veterans, ideally with the Department of Veterans Affairs. This goal led her to begin exploring online graduate Health Administration programs.

“I was aware UofL is a Military Friendly Gold Designated school, which is important to me,” she said.Ěý

Although having just begun the M.S. HA program in fall 2022, Johnson said the program was the right fit for her, adding that she “felt welcomed” here.Ěý

September 18 marks the 75^th birthday of the U.S. Air Force.

The ceremonies cannot take place in a crowded auditorium this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on large gatherings. But a little creative thinking is producing two unique events.

The Army ROTC, the Cardinal Battalion, will hold a virtual commissioning ceremony beginning 10 a.m. Friday, with cadets participating from home. It will be held on Microsoft Teams and broadcast live on Facebook. (Go to the UofL Army ROTC Facebook Page: )

“Basically, we are doing a full commissioning, just not in person,” said Major Michael J. Dargavell, military science department chair and commander of UofL’s ROTC.Ěý

The four Air Force cadets will each have individual ceremonies, said Lt. Col. O. Peter Day, aerospace studies professor and commander of the Air Force ROTC Detachment 295.

The following Army cadets will be promoted: John Gabriel Collins (political science), Zackary Thomas Golding (criminal justice), Zachary Michael Hynes (criminal justice), Paul Thomas Wallenhorst (criminal justice), Jared Zorade Harper (communication), Jordan Elaine TemmeĚý (communication), Seth Coomes (middle and secondary education), Lisbeth Melchor (organizational leadership and learning), Richard William GoodmanĚý (human resource and organization development), and Akissi A. R. Kouassi (human resource and organization development). Also promoted was Nolan Wesley of Bellarmine University (communication).

UofL’s Army ROTC has commissioned more than 400 officers during its 38-year history.

The four members of the U.S. Air Force’s 295th Air Force ROTC Cadet Wing to be commissioned were: Melanie Finch (criminal justice), Cameron Payne (aerospace engineering), Lacey Parham (law) and Joshua Moore (applied geography).

During the Cardinal Battalion Army ROTC ceremony in Middleton Auditorium, the cadets were each commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to their branches, including infantry and the nurse corps. All will be active duty soldiers.

The new Army officers bring to 427 the total number of officers UofL’s Army ROTC has commissioned during its 35-year history.

Guest speaker Brig. Gen. Brian Mennes, who served in Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan and is the Army’s director of force management, introduced the group as the next generation of U.S. Army leaders.

“We serve to defend what is the most powerful document in the history of mankind: the Constitution,” Mennes told the new officers and their families and friends.

Mennes encouraged the new second lieutenants to be caring, selfless, gifted leaders, adding they need to be fit not just physically, but mentally and spiritually, too.

Lt. Col. Jessica Murnock, UofL professor of military science, said in opening remarks that the commissionees had a combined average GPA of 3.64, and included two who were receiving master’s degrees.

In both ceremonies, each new officer received a commission certificate, then family members or friends pinned bars to the service members’ uniforms.

The tradition of the first salute followed, in which the new second lieutenant presented a silver dollar to the first enlisted person who rendered a salute.

The following were commissioned: Steven Bidwell, Nathaniel Cook, Louis Faust, Samantha Frank, Victoria Henry, Nicholas Kenrick, Joshua Nobile, Clayton Stanley, Eric Thompson, Monica Willard and Connor Williams.

See more Army ROTC photos .

During their ceremony in Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium, the following Air Force cadets were promoted to second lieutenant: David Lewis, Aaron Patterson and Isabella Proctor.

The Air Force cadets are part of the 295^th Air Force ROTC Cadet Wing, led by Lt. Col. Jerry Crigger.

The A.J. Kramer Wingman Award was given to Patterson. Named in honor of Anthony Joseph “A.J” Kramer, an Air Force ROTC cadet who was within months of graduating from UofL in 2013 when he was killed in a motorcycle accident, the award is voted upon by the cadets to honor a graduating cadet who provides exemplary support, leads by example and demonstrates strong integrity, initiative and diplomacy.

See more Air Force ROTC photos .

Video of the Army ROTC is below:Ěý

During the Cardinal Battalion Army ROTC ceremony in Chao Auditorium, the cadets each commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to their branches. Three were assigned to the Army Nurse Corps and one each was assigned to the Armor, Chemical and Field artillery branches. Four will be active duty soldiers, while one was assigned to the Army Reserves and one to the Army National Guard.

The new Army officers bring to 416 the total number of officers UofL’s Army ROTC has commissioned during its 34-year history.

Guest speaker Col. Lance Oskey, commander for U.S. Army Cadet Command’s 7^th Brigade, told the cadets that their careers in the Army will make them lifelong learners.

“The Army will prepare you for each step in your journey,” he said. He advised them to spend as much time as possible with the troops in their commands, saying, “The days are long but the years are short.”

In both ceremonies, each cadet received a commission certificate, then family members or friends attached gold bars to the cadets’ uniforms. The tradition of the first salute followed, in which the new second lieutenant presented a silver dollar to the first enlisted person who rendered a salute.

UofL music school student Nala Kathleen sang the national anthem at the Army commissioning.

The following Army cadets were commissioned: 2^nd Lt. Michael Connolly, 2^nd Lt. Emily Farrar, 2^nd Lt. Zacharie Frank, 2^nd Lt. Christopher Jenkins, 2^nd Lt. Christopher Meany, 2^nd Lt. Paul Morlock.

During their ceremony in Bigelow Hall in the Miller IT Center, the following Air Force cadets were commissioned: 2^nd Lt. Patrick Assef and 2^nd Lt. Benjamin Soto.

The Air Force cadets are part of the 295^th Air Force ROTC Cadet Wing, led by Lt. Col. Jerry Crigger.

Crigger gave the A.J. Kramer Wingman Award to Assef. The A.J. Kramer Wingman Award is named in honor of Anthony Joseph “A.J” Kramer, an Air Force ROTC cadet who was within months of graduating from UofL in 2013 when he was killed in a motorcycle accident. It is voted upon by the cadets to honor a graduating cadet who provides exemplary support, leads by example, and demonstrates strong integrity, initiative and diplomacy.