Lisa Hillhouse served in the Air Force. Today she works as Independent Educational Consultant and has the opportunity to help the next generation of service members as they consider the military. She joined the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. And she served as a Logistic Officer and then Personalist. She left active duty and continued her career in the Reserves and during that time got to work with the Academy and the selective service. She shared about her experience in the Air Force and some of the things she learned.
Helping the next generation of service members
She didn’t grow up wanting to join the military but when she went to college she learned about ROTC and looked into it. ROTC gave her a new opportunity, and it also gave her another family. She worked to gain a scholarship and was able to get the second half of her college paid for.
She joined as a Logistic Readiness Officer. It wasn’t the career field she wanted but it ended up being a good experience and gave her a broader perspective of the military when she left into a new career field, Personnelist. In this interview we covered how the military shaped her future. It helped her set big goals and gave her tools for the future.
We also touched on the challenges women have faced in the military. She shared a story of volunteering to deploy during Desert Storm but when they sent the manifest with her name they Saudis insisted it had to be a man and only a woman could go if there was no other alternative. This meant she didn’t go overseas. But women who did go overseas faced challenges of not being able to drive and other restrictions that inhibited their ability to do their job. We mentioned a number of great books by women who have been on the podcast
Books about women veterans
Erin Miller: Final Flight, Final Fight
The Women with Silver Wings by Dr. Katherine Sharp
Fly Girls Revolt by Eileen Bjorkman (episode coming July 2023)
Final stage of brain development
We also talked about how the things we learn in the military can be challenges when we leave military service. In episode 125 with Crystal McFadden we talked about how brain development continues through early adulthood and military life can play a significant role on how we act as adults.
She encourages women to join the military. She believes the military has gotten better and that it is a great place to push yourself to try new things and meet big goals.
Did you listen to this week’s episode? What was your favorite part?
