Cd'A Charter grad earns Air Force accolades
DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 5 months AGO
Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy graduate and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicole McLain, seen here with her best buddy Chloe, has earned high praise from the military for her dedication while serving at Pope Army Airfield in Fayetteville, N.C.
Courtesy photo
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicole McLain is seen here with her dad, Russ McLain of Hayden, and best buddy Chloe on a sunny beach day in Florida around Christmas 2022. Tech. Sgt. McLain, a 2015 Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy graduate, received high praise from the Air Force for her service while stationed at Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina.
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | July 22, 2023 1:06 AM
COEUR d'ALENE - A 2015 Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy graduate and Air Force technical sergeant has been recognized for unwavering dedication and service.
Nicole McLain, now stationed in Germany, earned honors for her work at Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina during a recent ceremony. She was stationed at Pope from January 2021 until July 10.
"Thank you for your outstanding hard work and dedication to the 43rd Communications Squadron and Pope Army Airfield," her award states. "Your enthusiasm in tackling large projects and motivation to lead have exemplified Airmanship. Best wishes in your future endeavors."
Her dad, Russ McLain of Hayden, said his daughter is doing a fine job of representing Idaho out in the world.
“She’s not only representing herself and her family name, but the place that she came from," he said. "I’m really proud of that."
Tech Sgt. McLain, 26, left Coeur d'Alene at 18. She has been in the Air Force for eight years.
“She wants to be somebody,” Russ McLain said. “She doesn't try for the recognition. She does her job."
He attributes some of her success to the third grade teacher she had at Fernan STEM Academy, who introduced her to technical reading materials that helped her in her literacy journey.
"Mrs. Ison set her on her career path the first week of the third grade," Russ said. "That’s a huge influence.”
He also gives credit to Paul and Robin Wiles, who own the Breakfast Nook, where his daughter worked as a teenager.
“She learned how to work,” he said. “She learned what the world expects of her."
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