Diamond Jubilee Award Recipients 2004

Connecticut Nursing News, Jul/Aug 2004

Her nominator wrote, "just as Florence Wald's dream of dignity in hospice care brought hospice to the United States, Linda's work with veterans is rebuilding systems and programs that benefit so many. She is taking her dedication to veterans' work to reforming the systems of care in this State, and doing it with her native clarity and direction."

Schwartz received her diploma in nursing from St. Thomas Hospital School of Nursing in Akron, Ohio and earned a MSN from Yale School of Nursing and a Doctor of Public Health from Yale School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. She served 16 years in the U.S. Air Force on active duty and as a reservist. In 1986, she retired from the service for injuries sustained in an aircraft accident. Schwartz has been involved in health care issues and veterans advocacy most of her life. In many respects, she has devoted her nursing practice to healing the wounds of war and improving the lives of America's 26 million veterans.

During her confirmation by the General Assembly, Schwartz outlined her qualifications and goals for her term. "I consider this appointment to be one of great challenge and great opportunity. In many respects, the last 20 years of my life have been an apprenticeship in learning the vernacular and nuances of a national system, which served 24 million veterans. I am very excited and most honored to have this opportunity to serve CT and the men and women who have and will be the defenders of America's freedom."