Anna Maria is running an organization to help fight for change for women veterans. She wants to build a community for women when they leave the service and created Women Veterans United. She shared her experience of serving in the Australian Army on this week’s interview of the Women of the Military podcast and talked […]
Category Archives: Deployment Stories
What is happening in Afghanistan? A reflection

I wanted to highlight my thoughts of watching what is happening in Afghanistan with the Taliban take over Afghanistan. I debated back and forth on creating this episode. And then had second thoughts after it. Should share these personal feelings? In the end, I decided it is important for others to hear veteran voices. So […]
A Female Army Helicopter Pilot

Shannon served as an Army Helicopter pilot. She was one of the first women to fill the role as an Apache Helicopter pilot as women were not allowed to serve in combat aircraft until 1993. Today, she takes the lessons she learned from the cockpit and corporate life as an author and speaker. Her newest […]
Who is a Combat Veteran?
Combat Veteran. When I see those words, I think of heroic acts. I think of people daily facing firefights. But in truth, a combat veteran is someone who has deployed to a combat zone or received hazard duty pay. So even without direct combat, you are a combat veteran. A quick search of the internet […]
Lessons from a Silver Star Recipient: Monica Lin Brown
By Cynthia Cline Back in the ages, when people actually read paper newspapers, I came across a story of a female Army medic, Monica Lin Brown, who saved the lives of two critically injured soldiers. At the time, I had considered joining the military but didn’t think too much about it. My father served before […]
Understanding Female Veterans Statistics with Kate Hendricks
How can information about female veterans statistics help women veterans? Dr. Kate Hendricks believes that with information and stories researchers can take the information provided by women veterans in this study to help not only women veterans but future generations of women veterans. This episode was sponsored by Gracefully Global Group: Do you LOVE audiobooks? […]
The Deployment Goodbye – A Military Kid’s Perspective
by Janell Hanf Military homecomings have become a moment to publicize. Sports games are interrupted for a standing ovation and applause while a servicemember and loved ones embrace. The fans are proud as they “Support Our Troops” and feel their heartstrings pulled watching a joyful reunion. But less attention is paid to what comes before. […]
Women in Combat Roles before 2016
When I deployed in 2010 to Afghanistan, I had vaguely heard that women couldn’t be in combat. But since I being sent on a deployment with an infantry unit and would be one of the women in combat roles before combat exclusion was lifted. I thought that the military was just ignoring the combat exclusion […]
From Secret Squirrel to Wordsmith

Before you leave for deployment you have to mentally prepare. One of the hardest parts of leaving for a deployment is being brave for your family and friends. We talk about how hard it is to say goodbye to family knowing it might be the last time and how important dealing with your emotions is. […]
Women in Afghanistan
On one mission in Afganistan, I met with some of the women in Afghanistan. In 2010, I deployed to Afghanistan with the Army as part of a Provincial Recontruction Team. Today I’m sharing part of my experience of when we went to the capital to meet women in Afghanistan. This was originally an email sent […]