To wrap up A Girl’s Guide to the Military series I asked my friend Trish Alegre-Smith to interview me about my new book A Girl’s Guide to Military Service. In this interview, we talk about why I wrote the book. How did I decide to work with a publisher? And who the book is for […]
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Making the Military Transition Will Be hard: Let’s Do Hard Better
When I left the military, I expected it to be easy. I had only served for six years, and I was leaving to stay at home with my son. And while I easily underestimated how much work it is to raise a child, I also was unprepared for all the emotions I would feel when […]
USA Girl Scouts Overseas
Thank you to USA Girl Scouts Overseas for sponsoring the Women of the Military podcast! Did you know that you can still be a Girl Scout even when you’re living overseas? USA Girl Scouts Overseas serves Girl Scouts wherever they are. Moving overseas can be difficult for girls as their families move to a new […]
Miscarriage in the Military
Theresa wanted to get away from her hometown and when her parents would not support her in attending Howard University in Virginia she decided to join the Marine Corps. She began her career in the Marines and the day before she turned twenty she was married and she began planning for her future by saving […]
How an injury led to advocacy for women veterans
Women veterans with spinal cord injuries or disorders make up a small, but important population among women veterans. In America, women account for about 20 percent of spinal cord injuries. Among women veterans, that number shrinks to three percent. Because this cohort is so small, the Department of Veterans Affairs had not developed much in […]
Military Transition Experience – Looking back
Have you ever seen one of those cartoons where a character thinks they’re all set to head out toward a shimmering oasis of palm trees and gorgeous water and then it flashes forward to them discovering they were actually heading toward a mirage and now they’re stuck in a barren wasteland with no water or […]
From Women’s Army Corps to Operation Desert Storm
Pennylee Deere began her military service in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) and served in Desert Storm/Desert Shield. Her career spans 20 years, from 1975 -1995. It was interesting to hear her experience having begun her service as part of the WAC and then transferring over to the US Army in 1978. She also shared […]
Top 5 Military Books for Kids
What are the top military books for kids? This round-up includes my five favorite military kid books to help kids not only understand what it means when mom or dad leaves for work, training, or a deployment. But also helps them learn a little bit more about some of the careers within the military. In […]
Unintentional Trailblazers – The WASP of WWII
“I’m going to be the first! The youngest! The oldest! The [insert superlative here]!” When people aspire to be a trailblazer, they often make it known. The public follows their journey. Cheering them along. And at times even supporting them financially or otherwise. But what about the unintentional trailblazers? The ones who happened to be […]
How to become a Warrant Officer in the Army
Phyllis enlisted in the Army and then transitioned to become a Warrant Officer in the Army. She eventually reached the rank of Chief Warrant Officer five. She is the current president at the Women’s in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington DC. The Women’s Memorial is the only memorial honoring the 3 million women […]
