Diane E. Nichols
Ensign, U.S. NAVY

Ensign Diane Nichols, a native of Buffalo, New York, earned a bachelor of music education degree from the University of Buffalo in 1989. After teaching at the middle school level for one year, she chose to pursue her love of performing and set her sights on a career in military music.

In 1990, she enlisted in the Navy and in June 1991, graduated from the Basic Musician course at the Navy School of Music in Little Creek, Virginia. Upon graduation she was assigned to Navy Band San Diego, California where she served as a trumpet instrumentalist and unit leader for the brass quintet.

Following her first term of enlistment she returned to the School of Music for advanced training in the Section Leader Course. Her next assignment was to serve with the PACIFIC Fleet Band in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii as trumpet instrumentalist and ceremonial band conductor. In January 1999, she was transferred back to the School of Music to attend the Ceremonial Conductor/Drum Major (CC/DM) course and was promoted to the rank of Musician First Class.

Following completion of the CC/DM course she was transferred to the ATLANTIC Fleet Band in Norfolk, Virginia where she served as drum major, ceremonial conductor and Leading Petty Officer. In September 2001, she was selected and promoted to Chief Petty Officer. Following her promotion, Ensign Nichols was reassigned to the School of Music to serve on the staff as the Navy Military Training Instructor for the Basic Musician Course students. She was then selected to be commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer (Bandmaster) and received orders to the Senior Musician Course for Bandmasters and Assistant Directors. She was commissioned in April 2005 and reported to the Naval Academy Band in May.

Her awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (two awards), Good Conduct Medal (four awards), National Defense Service Medal (two awards), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Navy Pistol Shot Ribbon.

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