MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Air University Press’s newest book release is Sharing the Journey: A Military Spouse Perspective by Dawn A. Goldfein, with Paul J. Springer, director of research, Air Command and Staff College, and Capt. Katelynne R. Baier, aide-de-camp to the chief of staff of the Air Force.
Dawn Goldfein, spouse of the 21st Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein captures “timeless values, principles, and ideas” to help the entire command team navigate its unique challenges. She draws on their 37-year career as well as perspectives from many Air and Space Forces spouses regarding the critical leadership, support, and mentorship that spouses in key roles provide to the people in their units. These lead spouses speak truth to power, serving as the primary advisor, ambassador, and advocate for the spouses and families of members in the unit.
This book is a valuable resource for command teams that seek to understand and leverage the military “spouse network” of command, lead, and key spouses and key spouse mentors within their unit or installation. Sharing the Journey is a companion piece to General Goldfein’s book Sharing Success—Owning Failure. General Goldfein remarks that it is “written for the entire command team to help leaders understand the critical role of a volunteer lead spouse, an essential member of every unit.”
Dawn Goldfein observes that being an integral part of the command team is a balancing act and that lead spouses need to consider their own expectations, how they can build up the unit, and what kind of example they want to set for other unit members. She adds that it can be challenging and incredibly rewarding to navigate working with military leadership, state or local government, base programs and organizations, and other military spouses to take care of families.
Download it now at https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/AUPress/.