1st Lt. Ebakoliane “Eba” Obiomon and 1st Lt. Ejakhian “Jackie” Obiomon both graduates of the U.S. Military Academy, began their careers at Fort Hood, Texas.
The Cypress, Texas siblings were raised by their father, a Nigerian immigrant, and their mother, an electrical engineer and current dean of the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering at Prairie View A&M University.
Though the sisters are in different branches – Eba a field artillery officer, and Jackie an engineering officer – they are bonded through their passion to serve the nation and were inspired by their brother’s similar call to service.
Eba, a platoon leader in King Battery, Field Artillery Squadron, 3d Cavalry Regiment, remembers watching her brother’s transformation while attending the academy. Capt. Egbezien Obiomon graduated from the academy in 2018 and is an infantry officer in the 75th Ranger Battalion.
Just after his freshmen year at the academy, Eba fondly remembers “he stood up straight! Held his head a little higher!”
Originally planning to attend medical school, after consulting her JROTC instructor and alleviating her initial trepidation toward not seeing many women officers in the Army, Eba decided to follow in her brother’s footsteps, graduating the academy in 2020.
Hoping to be branched infantry like her brother, Eba ultimately branched field artillery and found opportunity in her career path.
“I wanted to grow wherever I was planted,” Eba said.
Jackie, an assistant operations officer in the 36th Engineer Brigade also followed her brother’s example and enrolled in the academy as well.
“I saw the discipline it [the academy] instilled in my brother and the opportunities the military could provide for my family,” Jackie said.
Serving her country is one of Jackie’s highest honors and protecting her family fuels her commitment as an Army officer.
“This is the only country where you see children of an immigrant father and a first-generation college graduate mother truly excel, and that is worth protecting,” she said.
Both Jackie and Eba are committed to being examples in their communities and embody what it means to selflessly serve.
“The Army will surround you with good people and it’s easy to lead them when you are doing the right thing,” Jackie said.
To learn more about how to become an officer and be a future leader in the United States Army, visit https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/find-your-path/army-officers.html
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Date Taken: | 01.31.2023 |
Date Posted: | 02.03.2023 11:07 |
Story ID: | 437471 |
Location: | KILLEEN, TEXAS, US |
Web Views: | 167 |
Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From the Long Gray line to the Great Place: siblings who serve, by CPT Shkeila Milford-Glover, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.