Deployed to Iraq at 21 years of age, Lacey McCombs couldn’t help but grow up fast. Now, she co-owns a business that’s growing fast, using what she experienced during her service — and her time at COTC — to better serve her home community.

The Coshocton native knew she wasn’t going to college right away. As a senior at Ridgewood High School, McCombs combed through her options before deciding to join the Army National Guard. “I liked the idea of providing support for natural disasters here in the United States,” she said, “but I really just wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself.”

In November 2001 — six months after she graduated high school and two months after 9/11 — she embarked on basic training. She was deployed in December 2004 and spent a year in Balad, Iraq that transformed her life. “It taught me a lot of core values that I still live by and shaped me into the person I am today,” she said. “Honestly, that experience has really helped me navigate through life.”

Upon returning to civilian life — at that point a trained combat lifesaver — McCombs chose to pursue a nursing career. She enrolled at COTC’s Coshocton campus because she “loved the idea of staying local. Plus, the classes were smaller and more personable.” She earned her practical nursing certificate in 2008 and an associate degree in nursing technology two years later. After a full decade in the National Guard, she concluded her tenure in 2011.

McCombs’ career as a registered nurse started in home health. Then she transitioned to outpatient care at Coshocton Regional Medical Center, where she still does cardiac diagnostics work today. The savvy veteran has seen the needs of her community up close — both of her patients and her peers in the profession. “We all need scrubs, but I realized there’s nowhere in town to shop for them,” McCombs said. “That’s why we brought SoLace Brigade to Coshocton.”

She co-owns the scrubs and apparel store alongside lifelong friend Somer Stanton. SoLace Brigade — its moniker a portmanteau of their first names, plus an ode to their combined military experience — opened in 2023. “And since then,” McCombs said, “the outpouring of support has been absolutely amazing.”  

The women behind SoLace Brigade have maintained that buzz by evolving its merchandise and involving it in relevant causes. They order uniforms for first responders and carry basic medical equipment for local practitioners. They stock compression socks, mostly in response to the pickleball boom. In terms of giving back, they have donated old scrubs to veterinary clinics and nursing classes. They contribute items for local charitable auctions, many of which support their fellow veterans. They also offer veterans a discount. All these efforts keep customers coming back. “A lot of people say they will only shop for scrubs and stuff here,” McCombs said. “This town is huge on supporting local, so it’s a place where our women- and veteran-owned small business can thrive. I don’t think we could open a store like this anywhere else but Coshocton.”

McCombs has carved out her role in a community that champions military service and backs small business. She recognizes the role COTC plays in Coshocton as well — allowing people like her to follow their heart without leaving their hometown. “I’m so thankful that I was able to earn a degree locally,” she said. “It led me to a nursing job that I love, which led to this business idea. Combined with what I learned in the service, what I learned at COTC pushed me forward and prepared me for my whole professional world.”