Khrista Nelson knew early in life that she wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. She can remember being inspired by police as early as the age of 12. Growing up in Rapid City, she felt drawn to the men and women serving in the Black Hills area, wanting to be just like them someday.
Her desire to serve remained throughout her teenage years and after graduating from Rapid City Central in 2008, she took her first step towards public service by enrolling in the Law Enforcement Program at Western Dakota Tech in Rapid City.
Having babysat for the family of a National Guard officer throughout high school, Nelson had heard about the incentives and college benefits the military, specifically the National Guard, could provide, but she remained focused on working in law enforcement.
While college was the path she chose to reach her goals, it would be a financial obstacle she would need to overcome.
“When I started college, I was on my own and knew I needed assistance with tuition,” Nelson said. “So after a few more conversations regarding college benefits, bonuses and the ability to enlist in military police, I decided to join the National Guard. It was a decision that would allow me to serve my country while still pursuing my dreams and career.”
Nelson would attend her initial military training during the summer months, and college courses the rest of the year. In the summer of 2009 she completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. She returned to Fort Leonard Wood the following summer for Advanced Individual Training as a 31B, or military police.
Detainee operations, weapons qualification, battlefield forensics, defensive tactics and techniques and MP law enforcement operations were some of the training highlights from that summer. After completing her second summer of training, Nelson was assigned to the 235th Military Police Company in Rapid City.
It wasn’t long after completing the law enforcement program, Nelson would be notified the 235th would deploy to Afghanistan in 2013 where they would provide security for U.S. military personnel, installation and facilities and to guard prisoners of war and civilian prisoners.
The vast array of fulltime law enforcement experience within the 235th, gave Nelson the opportunity to take her time in deciding which agency she would apply with.
“I always admired the professionalism of the highway patrol and saw the state troopers as the “elite” of law enforcement,” said Nelson, who decided overseas that the highway patrol was the right fit for her. “I liked the para-military environment they withheld in their academy along with the high standards of the organization.”
Nelson took her written and physical tests overseas and even conducted her first interview with the department from Afghanistan using Skype.
“I was hired right away,” Nelson said. “Shortly after returning from Afghanistan, I was training at the Law Enforcement Academy in Pierre.”
Nelson achieved her goal to work in civilian law enforcement when she became a state trooper with the S.D. Highway Patrol in 2014.
“The training, discipline, attention to detail, and professionalism that was engraved in me from the military has stuck with me into my law enforcement career,” said Nelson, who was recently promoted to sergeant in the 235th. “The tactics I learned, help me on the road when dealing with high stress situations. All the times away from my family and being forced out of my comfort zone, helped me mature at a young age and prepared me to be ready for a career in law enforcement.”
A career that has Nelson back in Rapid City, working in the same community she grew up in admiring the men and women of law enforcement.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2016 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 209035 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 263 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Serving community, state and nation as state trooper, citizen-Soldier, by CPT Chad Carlson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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