U.S. Army Colonel, Leadership Expert Jill Morgenthaler featured in "Veterans Voices"

CHICAGO - July 7, 2016 - PRLog -- Trailblazing retired U.S. Army Colonel Jill Morgenthaler's story has been featured in the new National Geographic book, Veterans Voices: Remarkable Stories of Heroism, Sacrifice, and Honor.  Now a professional speaker, author and leadership expert, Colonel Jill shared some of the defining moments she experienced as one of the first women to jointly train with men as equals in the Army, along with subsequent triumphs and challenges.

"I am honored to be one of the inspiring profiles included in Veterans Voices," said Colonel Jill. "When asked to recount one of the biggest challenges I have ever met, there was no doubt it was my face-to-face encounter with Saddam Hussein at a hearing held in Iraq shortly after he was captured. He had ruthlessly and systematically had over one hundred thousand Iraqis murdered. When I met him, he still believed he would return to power and take revenge."

Colonel Jill's recollection of this event in Iraq was excerpted by Parade and can be viewed here (http://parade.com/489766/samanthacoley/veterans-voices-u-...).

Accompanying the Colonel's story is a photograph of her taken by Veterans Voices co-author and international award winning photographer Robert H. Miller in the all-glass box that extends 4 feet outside the 103^rd floor of Chicago's Willis Tower.  Being suspended 1,353 feet in the air is a fitting metaphor for the precarious position faced by women in the military and the fearlessness Colonel Jill needed to succeed.

Colonel Jill's perseverance and commitment throughout her career would ultimately earn her the distinction of being a woman of many firsts.  She was one of the first women to jointly train with men in the Army.  The first woman military intelligence commander along the DMZ in South Korea.  The first woman Battalion commander in the 88th Division, the first woman Brigade commander in the 84th Division, and a peacekeeper in Bosnia in 1996 with NATO.  In 2004, the Colonel led all public affairs for the multinational forces in Iraq.  In Illinois, Colonel Jill was the first woman to run homeland security.

Today, Colonel Jill is a professional speaker and leadership expert who captivates audiences across the world with inspiring presentations on topics like leadership, navigating crisis, and resilience. Her Tedx Talk, "Fake It 'Til You Make It (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuoQE3-BTMw)," has been viewed nearly 25,000 times. Colonel Jill is also the author of the highly acclaimed book, The Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer.  She resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and has two adult children.



To schedule an interview with Colonel Jill, please contact Michelle at (312) 371-7061 or coloneljillpr@gmail.com.  To book Colonel Jill as a speaker, please visit coloneljill.com.