MADISON – Deciding to enter the military, 23-year-old 2nd Lieutenant, Air Force OB Nurse Katie Kosan “wanted to give back to the organization that had helped shape me and given so much to me and my family.”

“I didn’t want to fly like my father, but I wanted to grow, serve and lead as he did in his Air Force career,” Kosan said.

After three years in AFROTC at Samford University, Kosan was commissioned in 2016 and passed NCLEX nursing boards. “The ceremony was so special, especially taking the oath of office from my dad,” she said.

During college, Kosan attended 24-day Field Training at Maxwell AFB and Camp Shelby in Mississippi. She attended Nurse Transition Program in Tampa, Fla. for 10 weeks at MacDill AFB and Tampa General Hospital.

Langley AFB, Va. is her first assignment.

Growing up, her family moved constantly with her father’s Air Force career. “In hindsight, I loved moving around and am thankful for great experiences,” she said. The Kosans first moved to Madison in 2006, left in 2008 and returned in 2010.

Kosan graduated from Bob Jones High School. At Samford, she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, minoring in aerospace studies. Kosan hasn’t decided on an Air Force career but is “keeping an open mind about the future and hopes to use each opportunity and see where this leads me.”

Her parents are Keith and Cindy Kosan. He works for Missile Defense Agency, and Cindy works as a substitute teacher. Katie’s brothers are Adam, an Auburn University sophomore, and Ben, a seventh-grader at Discovery Middle School.

An outdoors lover, Katie is a runner, explores North Alabama, travels when possible and coaches a youth soccer team. “Most importantly, I love spending time with friends and family.”

Katie grandfathers and step-grandfather were career officers in the Air Force. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Kosan was a navigator who flew B-36, B-52 and B-57G aircraft. Serving in Vietnam War, he flew the B-57G. He passed away in 2001.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel John Schattel, an Air Force pilot, flew A-1, B-47 and training aircraft. Schattel served in Vietnam War while flying A-1 Skyraider.

Retired Major General Larry Tibbetts, Katie’s step-grandfather, was an Air Force navigator and flew F-101 and F-4 aircraft. He flew F-4 Phantom in the Vietnam War. He passed away in 2013.