The Jew Project: Olivia S. Raykhman, Commissioned Officer in The U.S. Air Force

The Jew Project, created by photographer Yisroel Teitelbaum aims to unify the Jewish people through documenting the lives of individuals. To read more on The Jew Project Click Here.

Born in Brooklyn, the firstborn daughter of Soviet Jewish Immigrants, Olivia was raised with a deep appreciation for the country that saved her family.

During a semester in Israel, her peers were all service-driven, committed to IDF service, and Olivia was pulled to join. Her mother told her: “The U.S. took in our family. If service is your calling, consider serving the U.S.”

Olivia switched schools to Connecticut, and began applying to The U.S. Military Academy, (West Point).

Appointed to USMA in 2021, Olivia built one of the most distinguished cadet careers in her class.

She founded the Cadet Ambassador Program, representing West Point to over 2,000 cadet candidates each year, and served as Company Commander of the West Point Summer Leaders Experience.

As Vice Chair of the Israel Leadership Network at Hillel International, she founded Inaugural Hillel Chapters at 3 Military Service Academies.

As President of West Point’s Cyber Policy Team, she led 30 students to become International Champions at the Paris Competition in 2025.

Olivia interned at the J5 War Plans Division of The Pentagon, where she assisted the Joint Strategic Campaign Plan for Recommendation to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

At the Cyber National Mission Force of U.S. Army Cyber Command, she assessed Russian cyber threats against DoW Assets and Operations.

Olivia was a Panelist at the Southern Political Science Association, and won the International Relations Outstanding Paper Award for political analysis of the Russia-Ukraine War. She was then inducted into Phi Sigma Iota, the International Language Honor Society.

Upon graduating West Point, she received the Gen. John J. Pershing Essay Award and Cyber Statecraft Award from The Institute of World Politics.

Olivia was then selected as a Knight Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, to pursue a Master’s in Journalism.

Upon graduating Stanford, Olivia will return to Florida as a Commissioned Officer in The U.S. Air Force.