I discovered Suzie Schwartz's career history in the tourism industry through he new book, co-authored with her husband, Gen. Norty Schwartz. On this podcast we connect travelers to travel professionals and Suzie is a former rock star at Hyatt and Hilton hoteliers. I often get emails from listeners and frequently asked by military spouses about working in the tourism industry. I fully believe the travel and tourism industry is a fantastic portable career path and Suzie and I talk specifically why this is a great choice for military spouses.

The podcast moves on the talk about Suzie's new book, Journey: Memoirs of an Air Force Chief of Staff. This book is a true insight into the making of an Air Force Chief of Staff. Yes, it is military history, but it is not a dry, snoozville type read. It is humorous, and a little bit of an emotional roller coaster as you become invested in the Schwartz family's life trials and triumphs. Anecdotal and pithy, Suzie adds great behind the scenes context to each story. To her credit, Suzie picks the fights of the modern working woman's battles on behalf of all military spouses. The freedom's to live, somewhat normal, family and work lives as modern military spouses is largely a credit to the lumps Suzie endured during her service to our country as spouse to Gen Norty Schwartz.

Excellent read, worthy of my summer reading list to be published shortly. Enjoy!

Special Guest: Suzie Schwartz.

Links:

• Suzie Schwartz — Blog website for the lady herself!
• Amazon.com: Journey: Memoirs of an Air Force Chief of Staff eBook: General Norty Schwartz, Ron Levinson, Suzie Schwartz, Leon Panetta: Kindle Store — Below is the official excerpt from Amazon. Megan’s addition is that it is equally worth reading for Suzie’s inputs. Her words are in italics. Anyone with appreciation for military family life, a healthy appreciation for honesty and a little bit of “sticking it to the man” will get a kick out of her commentary.
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  Official Amazon Excerpt:

  An uncensored account of General Schwartz’s term as the wartime US Air Force Chief of Staff under presidents Bush and Obama.

  The General’s dysfunctional home life drove him to apply to the Air Force Academy over forty years ago, where he was provided with a new family and sense of worth he had never earned from his own father. This purpose has driven the General throughout his remarkable career, taking him to Alaska, the Pentagon, and Germany; to Florida during Hurricane Opal, and has also allowed him to work alongside Presidents Bush and Obama and Secretaries of Defense Don Rumsfeld, Bob Gates and Leon Panetta.

  Journey is a book about leadership. It is packed with the General’s lessons from life in the military: breaking the mold, flying uncharted airspace, battles―from Iraq to the Pentagon, Afghanistan to Congress. It’s about pushing limits in an era of diminishing budgets and fewer resources to fuel the furnace of innovation. He chronicles the phenomenal story of the evolution of the US special operations, such as what was achieved when taking down Bin Laden. The General discusses the controversial new technologies that have been allowing America to build new capabilities in remote aircraft and cyber warfare. Many believe General Schwartz’s greatest legacy will be the dramatic acceleration of the “drone” program. He is a staunch advocate for it and this book will explain why.

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