Hanscom Airman has come a long way

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Airmen come from all corners of the country to serve in the U.S. Air Force.

In some cases, they come from even further, such as Airman 1st Class Rilwanu Olowu, a medical records technician in the 66th Medical Squadron here, whose journey to the Air Force began in Nigeria.

Olowu credits his mother for instilling strong values.

“As a single parent in Nigeria, amidst the corruption and poverty, my mother stayed true to her children,” he said. “She worked hard to protect us from negative outside influences, so much so that I was home-schooled to not have to walk to and from school.”

Olowu is one of six children and grew up in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos.

After being home-schooled through elementary school, Olowu went to and lived in a private school near Lagos until he graduated from high school.

After graduating, Olowu briefly attended Federal University of Technology in Minna, Nigeria, a government-owned university. There he studied mechanical engineering. He transferred to Future University in Sudan on scholarship one year later.

“I was looking for a new challenge away from Nigeria,” he said. But while in Sudan, Olowu’s mother became ill and passed away.

“It was sad, obviously,” he said. “She literally gave up her last breath after seeing the last of her children, which was me, firmly stationed in life.”

He returned to Sudan after and graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in information technology.

Soon after he worked IT for a construction company in Sudan, then moved to the United Kingdom doing similar work.

“I moved to the UK for the opportunity to work and build a career in my chosen field,” he said.

But he was looking to do more; in 2015 he moved to Chicago with his own family now.

“I always wanted to serve in the military,” Olowu said.

Olowu enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2017 after first attempting to enlist in the U.S. Army.

An Army recruiter told him he would have to have a tattoo on his hand removed first.

Olowu tried to remove it himself with steel wool and salt. When the Army recruiter wasn’t satisfied with his self-removal, Olowu walked next door to the Air Force recruiter to enlist. He left for basic training shortly after.

“I’m happy with the way it turned out because I love what I do,” he said.

Olowu, who today has two daughters, became a U.S. citizen at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

“It was an honor to become a citizen of this country while in basic training,” he said. “I’m proud of my service and I’m proud of being a U.S. citizen.”

He also spoke about his pride in his daughters.

“My two daughters are the sole purpose of my existence right now,” Olowu said. “For everything I am and I aspire to be, today they are my inspiration and motivation.”

As a medical records technician, the young Airman is responsible for maintaining records on active-duty members, dependents, and retirees to ensure clinic patients receive the best care.

“I love being able to play a role in the trusted care of our patients at the clinic,” he said. “I want to help people in need. My mother ingrained that in all her kids. The Air Force and the medical career field is actually where I want to be because it allows me the freedom to do what I love to do: help others in need.”

He is currently working to complete his five-level career development course. He also hopes to complete his Community College of the Air Force degree soon.

Olowu, who has been at Hanscom since December, intends to make the Air Force a career. With his bachelor’s degree already completed, he also would like to commission one day and continue helping people.