Howard transfers Air Force skills to MAS in the Seeley-Swan

SWAN VALLEY - Condon resident Linda Howard joined the Missoula Aging Services (MAS) in 2016 and currently works as the organization's Resource Specialist in the Seeley Swan area. Many of the skills she relies on in her work with MAS she attributes to her four-year stint in the United States Air Force.

After graduating from Louisiana's Tulane University with a master's degree in Health Systems Management and Hospital Administration, in 1981 Howard joined the United States Air Force. She looked upon it as an opportunity to gain further training and experience, as well as an opportunity to travel.

Howard was first stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she served for two years as Director of Patient Affairs. Aside from everyday duties handling inpatient and outpatient records, she also was assigned the task of writing an aeromedical evacuation and disaster preparedness plan and of implementing the training for it. Another major project she participated in was consolidating medical record appointments. Previously each clinic had been making its own appointment. Howard helped create a centralized appointment system.

From Kirtland, Howard was sent to Squadron Officer School (SOC) in Montgomery, Alabama. One part of the training Howard found particularly useful was the obstacle course designed to foster teamwork. Working in groups of four or five, each team had to cooperate to figure out the best way to overcome each obstacle. The exercise was a good way to reinforce the need to listen to others and objectively evaluate other opinions besides her own.

Howard graduated from SOC with the rank of captain. In the spring of 1983, she was sent to Royal Air Force Station Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, as Director of Personnel and Squadron Commander.

"Marching down the theater and being introduced as the new hospital commander, you know of a whole hospital squadron, was pretty exciting," Howard said. "At the time there were very few women medical service corps officers," she added, "so that was somewhat challenging – being accepted. But I was."

Howard said she really enjoyed her time in England. She rented a house in the English countryside and on her days off loved traveling all over England in her burgundy right-hand-drive Saab.

During the time she was in England, Howard's father came for a visit. A World War II veteran, he had been stationed at Banbury Military Base in Normandy, France, and participated in the D-Day invasion at Utah Beach.

"Dad came over and we went to Banbury together," Howard said. "That was really special."

Even though Howard appreciated her time in the military and the training she received – even the M-16 and the gas mask training – at the end of the four years, with a fiancé waiting in New Mexico, Howard decided to resume a civilian life.

Asked what eventually brought her to the Seeley Swan area, Howard explained that though she grew up in Washington her family owned property in Condon.

"My entire life I've been coming to Condon for family vacations," she said, adding that living in the area was her dream. Her dream has come true since she now lives in a log home on the family property at Circle 7N Ranch. "I really enjoy living in my cabin in Condon a lot," she said.

Because of her Air Force training, Howard found it easy to step into her Missoula Aging Services role as Resource Specialist. Specific skills she points to are knowing how to give briefings, how to deal with government agencies such as the Office of Public Assistance, Social Security Administration and the Veterans Administration. She also credits her military career as giving her more general skills such as how to follow rules and regulations, how to work with all sorts of people, how to have patience, how to listen attentively and, of course, how to work with others toward a common goal. She said many of the people who seek her help are military veterans. Being the recipient of military benefits herself, she feels especially qualified to assist others through the VA health care system.

Howard ended the interview by saying, "I highly encourage people to join the military. It's a wonderful experience, a wonderful training opportunity. It totally gives you a different perspective and it changes you forever." And, she added, "Another huge plus is the VA hospital health benefits."