Episode 20: Life as a woman in the military with Lucy Schoals

This is the first of 3 episodes dedicated to Veterans, as Veterans Day Nov 11th 2024 approaches.

Marilyn and co-host Dana talk with veteran Lucy Schoals about how she came to be in the military, what it was like for a woman and what she learned while serving.

 

Chief Master Sergeant Lucy “Marshall” Shoals served as the Recruiting & Retention Superintendent for Head Quarters (HQ), Oklahoma Air National Guard and she holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.  She served in the Army National Guard from 1979 – 1981 where she served as a Photojournalist.  Chief Shoals joined the Air National Guard in 1982 as a Financial Services Specialist.  Later she moved to personnel as the Personnel Superintendent and conducted programs to recruit personnel to satisfy the requirements of the Air National Guard.  She later held the position of Minority Officer Recruiter, where she recruited minority pilots and navigators nationwide for the Air National Guard.  As a Recruiter Chief Shoals conducted seminars and spoke to thousands of students.  The emphasis of the seminars:  Education, Life Choices, Character and Belief in one’s self.  In September 2000, Chief Shoals retired from the full time work force.  In addition to the Bachelors degree, Chief Shoals also holds an Associate degree in Liberal Arts and an Associate degree in Human Resource Management.  

Shortly after retirement from the Air National Guard, Chief Shoals was appointed to the Department of Veteran Affairs Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, where she served for three years.  This committee is charged with providing advice to the Secretary of Veteran Affairs and the Congress of the United States on the needs and concerns of women veterans with respect to the administration of veteran’s benefits and services.  Chief Shoals is now enjoying retirement, again.