Vets Commissioner inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame and high school's Meritorious Alumni Hall of Fame

Connecticut Nursing News, Dec 2004-Feb 2005

Commissioner Linda Spoonster Schwartz, RN, DrPh, FAAN, of the Connecticut Department of Veterans' Affairs, has received numerous awards and citations in the past two decades for her work on behalf of veterans. In November she traveled to Ohio to be honored again on two occasions.

On November 3, Schwartz was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, which recognizes outstanding contributions by Ohio veterans who served their country through military service and continued to serve their fellow citizens throughout their lifetime. The commissioner was honored for her many years of bringing veterans' issues to the attention of the public as well as to members of the United States Congress. She has testified numerous times before congressional committees about challenges facing veterans including proper healthcare for those who served their country.

The commissioner was born in Ohio and lived there during the first 40 years of her life. Past inductees include astronauts Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, Air Force General Curtis LeMay and actor Paul Newman. The ceremonies were held in Columbus, Ohio.

On November 24, Schwartz returned to Wadsworth, Ohio for another honor from her native state. Wadsworth High School, where she graduated in 1962, inducted her into the school's Meritorious Alumni Hall of Fame. She will be recognized as a past graduate of Wadsworth High School who serves as a role model for current members of the student body.

Schwartz was selected for her long and distinguished career as an advocate for homeless and disabled veterans. She was also instrumental in the creation of the Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, DC.

Schwartz, who was the only graduate to be inducted in the Alumni Hall of Fame this year, was a member of the Future Nurses of America Club when she attended Wadsworth. Apparently it was a case of "things to come" as she served with distinction in the U.S. Air Force Nursing Corps during the Vietnam War and became the first female and first nurse to head the state's Department of Veterans'Affairs.