"Grace carried me": TUK celebrates graduation from US Army Combat Basic Training

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Mellon Laibich, a Technical University of Kenya (TUK) graduate in Biomedical & Health Sciences, completed US Army Basic Combat Training

- Laibich credits faith and the support of family in Kenya and the US for keeping her going through months of gruelling training

- Her post detailing the physical, mental and emotional toll of the journey has drawn attention online

A Kenyan woman who studied Biomedical and Health Sciences at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) has graduated from United States Army Basic Combat Training, marking a milestone she described as one of the hardest and most transformative experiences of her life.

Mellon Laibich shared the news on Facebook on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in a heartfelt post that offered a candid account of the months leading up to the graduation ceremony.

Laibich did not shy away from describing how difficult the training was. She wrote of exhausting days, persistent homesickness, physical strain and moments when she genuinely questioned whether she could continue. What pulled her through, she said, were two anchors: her faith and her family.

"God can never lay on you a load too heavy to carry," she quoted, adding that she leaned on that belief whenever her strength ran low.

Laibich appreciates US-based sister for Sunday phone calls

Her sister Rabecca Laibich, who lives in the United States, featured prominently in her tribute.

Laibich thanked Rabecca for weekly Sunday phone calls filled with encouragement, for praying alongside her, and for writing letters even after being told not to bother.

Siblings and parents back in Kenya also received special mention, with Laibich noting that their letters, prayers and words of support made the distance feel smaller.

She also acknowledged two friends who are serving in the US armed forces: Marich K Kip of the US Navy and Boreh Tony of the US Army, describing them as companions on the same demanding path.

Laibich shares what she learned from combat training

Looking back at the journey, Laibich said the experience revealed capabilities she had not previously known she possessed.

She reflected that completing the training was not simply about finishing a programme, but about discovering resilience under pressure.

"I learned that sometimes strength is simply choosing to keep going when everything in you says you can't," she wrote.

She closed her post by formally announcing her entry into the next chapter of her life as a US Army soldier, signing off: "Grace carried me! I am ready for this chapter."

Kenyan woman recalls mum's reaction after she joined US Army

In another story, TUKO.co.ke shared details about Shiko Hope Wa Njeri, a Kenyan mother who bravely left her family behind to pursue her dream of joining the US Air Force.

Her story echoes the painful moment of farewell as her mother and children wept, capturing the profound emotional struggle of leaving loved ones for a journey of transformation and service.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.