News : VS alum Hotz preparing for first Middle East deployment with Army Reserves

VS alum Nikki Hotz will soon be in Kuwait and Iraq with the 960th Quartermaster Co.

Vinton-Shellsburg graduate Nikki Hotz is preparing for deployment to Kuwait and Iraq with the U.S. Army Reserve 960th Quartermaster Company.

A 2008 graduate and State Track qualifier in the 100M hurdles, Hotz is currently training for her first overseas deployment, at Fort Hood in Texas.

“I knew it was a possibility when I enlisted that I could potentially be deployed at some point in my military career,” says Hotz.

Hotz the 960th’s Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosives Sergeant. In that position she says, she is primarily responsible for defending against the threat of CBRNE weapons as well as offering training, advice and supervision regarding CBRNE equipment and operations.

“Serving in the military had always been something that interested me,” says Hotz. “My father served in the Marines and Navy, both my grandfathers and my cousin served in the Army and I would hear the stories that they would share about their experiences. I felt it was my time to give back and advance as an individual. I knew that it would help build leadership skills and accelerate my career as a police officer. I have the ability to provide guidance to other soldiers and serve the community I grew up in.”

The 960th is expected to be deployed for about nine months, with its main mission to supply ammunition, fuel and portable water purification.

After graduating from VS, Hotz attended Mount Mercy, where earned Bachelor’s Degrees in criminal justice and political science. She recently earned a Master’s Degree in criminal justice, and has been a member of the Marion Police Department since 2013.

Hotz is one of approximately 180 Reservists currently stationed in Fort Hood, Texas for Pre-mobilization training, then heading into Kuwait and Iraq later this month or in early July.

“I am anxious about leaving the familiar comforts of home, but looking forward to a new experience and the ability to do my job on a greater scale. I do something completely different than my civilian job as a police officer with Marion, so it will be a change of pace and a bit of an adjustment. I look forward to the cultural change and learning about the geographical area of where we are stationed, she says.

See the U.S. Army page with Nikki's job description HERE.