Lacey experience many life transitions while serving in the Army. She was planning to enlist in the Reserves in high school and her mom talked her out of it. And then after one semester of college she left and started working at Lowes. Her friend said she was going to enlist in the Army and she decided to join with her through the buddy program. She served as an Air Traffic Controller, deployed to Iraq twice and after she left the Army decided to join again a few years later. Today she is the co-founder of Elevated Oats. They are dedicated to helping people live their most fulfilling lives, she wants Elevated Oats to become a household name.
Life transitions in the Army
Lacey went into the Army with a friend through the buddy program. This meant they got to go to Basic Training and AIT together. They were supposed to also go to their first assignment together but she ended up in Hawaii while her friend went to Korea. When she landed in Hawaii and started to in process she found out she would be deploying soon. She left for Iraq a month after arriving. It was a good thing because she couldn’t actually get in the control tower to do her job as an Air Traffic Controller. The military had been deploying so regularly they had filled their jobs with civilians.
Deploying to Iraq
She deployed to Iraq twice and both times overall enjoyed her job. She did receive an article 15 and while it was added to her record and she had extra duty for 30 days when they found out they were extended for 3 months near the end of the original date to go home she wasn’t allowed to go to Kuwait for the four day pass other members on her team. This was challenging. She had taken her Rest and Relaxation (15 days of leave during a deployment) at the beginning of her deployment and didn’t get a break for a year.
Leaving the military
When her enlistment was almost over she found out she was pregnant. She was trying to decide if she should reenlist and before she decided yes the spots filled up and she had to leave the military. She moved to Alabama to be with her husband who was still serving in the Army. Becoming a step-mom, military wife, and soon to be mom was hard. It was also hard when her husband left for a deployment. After a few years she decided to go back in the Army. And luckily her husband and her were able to get stationed together in Colorado.
Second enlistment
Her second enlistment was more difficult. She faced harassment and a general feeling against her as woman in the military. It was around the time that the combat exclusion ban was lifted. And there was a lot of resentment and lack of understanding on why the law was changing. She was eventually able to move out of the unit and move to a command level job. But it made her not want to stay in the military.
Becoming an entrepreneur
She and a friend started working together when she started helping make her a logo for her company, which then led to badges and then a more active role. Elevated Oats is focused on the whole body. Selling healthy snacks but also providing resources for the mind, body and soul. You can learn more about Elevated Oats at their website: www.elevatedoats.com
