In Formation: One Woman?s Rise Through the Ranks of the U.S. Air Force

by Cheryl Dietrich

“In 1979 I was a Presbyterian minister, a hospital chaplain, and a pacifist. In 1980, I left the church and joined the Air Force. The day I showed up at the recruiter's office, I was twenty-eight, under-exercised, a wimp, and extraordinarily ignorant of the military. I intended it to be a stopgap measure while I figured out what to do next, but I never got bored.”

When Cheryl Dietrich joined the US Air Force, she began a transformation from overweight introvert and military neophyte into one of the key personnel redesigning the structure of the Air Force within the Pentagon. In this stirring and revelatory memoir, Cheryl—one of only a hundred female officers of colonel rank or higher—explains what it takes to stay the course, overcome male domination issues, break the glass ceiling more than once, and deal with the political issues facing the Pentagon.

In Formation also covers subjects specific to military life: what it is like to be a squadron commander; to lead a NATO division, mobility exercises, and wartime exercises in gas mask and chem gear; and to deploy with NATO to war-torn Croatia; the book also describes a fatal air show disaster. It covers the basic experiences of relationships in the military. From the mundane to the heroic, this is a story about finding within oneself the kernels of courage that define the warrior—female or male.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2016

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lieutenant Colonel Cheryl Dietrich, USAF (Ret) writes a first hand, in-depth, and honest account of her experiences serving as a female officer in the United States Air Force from 1980-2000. She details the struggles of serving during the Cold War period, Desert Storm, and the Bosnian War stationed both stateside and overseas.

I have had the opportunity to serve with women just like Lt. Col., Dietrich and this account matches the heroism and dedication to duty I have witnessed by these incredible female airmen. It was an honor for me to serve alongside them.

[San · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not read much.....

You need to know that I only read 20 percent of the book. Author said it was a love story. What I was reading was one binge drinking party after another. Guess the love came later. I very seldom don't finish a book I start reading but the insipid, self -centered and adolescent blather was more than I could

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto della sua storia era parellelo a quella della mia sorella

[Kass Demeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Woman’s Career in the Air Force

Honest detailed account of Air Force Life for general audience who want to know. Achievements failures pride embarrassment and love.

[Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable

This isn't my usual kind of book, and I don't know what drew me to it, but I really enjoyed reading it. Cheryl Dietrich comes across as a woman of integrity and self-honesty. There are no great revelations, no big reveals, but it kept me reading and it resonated (especially the sections dealing with the self-doubt women in managerial roles often feel).
I would love to know how her friends and colleagues viewed her.

[Hector Chavez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. Easy read. Being a retired Air Force officer I can relate to the LtC Dietrich's account very readily. Her military career was a military career well done! Thanks for writing this book.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Being an Air Force kid and a Coast Guard wife, the military came to life in Cheryl's writing. What a gift for writing she had!

[Beverly Hollandbeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, well-written of an officer's career in the AF. I doubt though that it is sufficiently different from any other administrative officer to be considered unique.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and a nice look at the USAF from a woman's perspective.