Books and resources for parents of military personnel
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Free welcome home banners and cards
Books for military parents
Birthday hugs
Operation Birthday Hugs
Operation Birthday Hug was started when an Air Force Mom (Cheryl) from PA wished for her son to receive a hug for his birthday on the Air Force Mom site. Rick is stationed in GA. Being an Air Force mom myself, (Tammy) I decided to grant her wish since I was minutes away from Rick's base! It was a complete success! Everyone involved was overjoyed, therefore, Operation Birthday Hug was born!
Operation Birthday Hug is for all military branch families! If you wish to have your special someone receive a birthday hug or hug for any reason, you can request on this site! We have moms and dads waiting to give a genuine hug to your loved one!
Military OneSource
1-800-342-9647
Information and support resources for parents of service members - As the parent of a service member, you are likely to have questions about your son's or daughter's military life. For example, you may want to understand what role you can play as your son or daughter transitions into the service. You may also have questions about what to expect when your service member returns home.
Build A Sign - Free welcome home banners and jumbo cards
Since 2008, BuildASign.com® has given away more than 337,000 Welcome Home banners and signs, worth more than $10 million, to military friends and families for their loved ones returning home from a deployment. It’s our way to say thank you for their service and sacrifice, and to make all homecomings a little more special.
Books for parents of military personnel
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A Civilian's Guide to the U.S. Military
A comprehensive reference to the customs, language and structure of the Armed Forces
Author: Barbara Schading, Copyright @ 2011
Ten-Hut! Get Your Details Straight! If you are thinking of writing a nonfiction article or an espionage or mystery novel involving the military, this is the ideal reference to have on hand. (And even if you're not, you'll find this book is very hard to put down especially in light of today's world events.)
'As a reader and writer, odd details of military life have always intrigued me,' says author Barbara Schading. 'The idea for this book came about as I sought useful information about the American Military, but found it wasn't available in a simplified, cohesive source.' Schading covers the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and special forces in great detail. Information for each branch includes its mission, background, ranks, uniforms, joining and training information, weapons, and more explained in terms that are easy to understand and make for fascinating reading. For example, did you know Marine recruits are always brought into Boot Camp in the middle of the night to add to their nervousness, fear, and intimidation? Or that upon graduation, every Special Forces soldier is issued a 'Yarborough' knife, named in honor of General William Yarborough, the 'father of the Green Berets.' Only current and former Special Forces are allowed to purchase the knife whose blade is engraved with the name 'Yarborough' and its serial number. This all-inclusive guide also includes information about Military law, decorations and ribbons, laws of war and the Geneva Convention, special honor guards and their duties, and several glossaries and appendices that contain slang expressions, acronyms, pay grades, ranks, and a thorough listing of each branch's military equipment.
A Prayer Journey Through Deployment
Author: Donna Mull, Copyright @ 2010
When a soldier serves, so does the family. Donna Mull saw that statement on the shirts some military wives were wearing at a Fourth of July parade as they marched with their husbands. Suddenly, that statement had become personal. She had heard stories about mothers whose faithful prayers had changed lives. When her son received his orders for deployment to Iraq, she wanted to be one of those mothers. Equally motivated by love and pain, Ms. Mull embarked on a year-long journey of prayer, writing weekly devotionals that focused on the specific needs of soldiers and their families. She then forwarded them to friends and family, who used them as springboards for their own prayer times. If you have a loved one in the military, chances are you are engaged in a battle of your own. Will your loved one survive? Will you? How will you cope while your soldier is away? When your soldier returns, will he or she be changed?
Army Wife
A story of love and family in the heart of the Army
Author: Vicki Cody, Copyright @ 2016
From the last days of the Vietnam War to the present-day war on terrorism, this story is a moving and poignant tribute to love, marriage, family, and the men and women who serve this nation. In describing her thirty-three-year journey as an Army wife, Cody gives an in-depth look at what it takes to keep a marriage strong, raise a family—oftentimes as a single parent—create a home, and face separations and loneliness amid the uncertainty and stresses that are so much a part of Army life.
Over the years, Cody learns to embrace the uniqueness of her circumstances, and she finds joy, self-fulfillment, and pride in her role. But when both her sons follow in their dad’s footsteps, becoming Army Aviators and flying Apache helicopters in combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, Cody faces her greatest challenges as a mother and again, must balance the needs of her family with her husband’s position. Full of humor and honesty, Army Wife brings the reader into Cody’s private life in a very personal way, and in doing so opens the lens for a broader view of world events.
Basic Combat Training
Army mom, Army strong
Author: Mollie Allen, Copyright @ 2012
Is your child getting ready to go to basic training in the US Army? You are worried about what's going to happen, and you don't know where to turn for more information. You are not alone. I wrote this book based on my experiences during my son's basic training, and I want you to know what's going to happen so you can be the best mom you can be during those nine weeks. Full of tips, knowledge and tricks to make things easier during one of the roughest separations you might ever experience from your child. Written by a mom for other moms, because I wished I had something like this when my son was in basic training.
Battles of the Heart
Boot camp for military moms
Author: Tracie Ciambotti, Copyright @ 2012
What happens to our natural instinct, as a mother, to protect our child when he or she is ordered to one of the most dangerous places in the world? What gets us through the day? How do we survive?
Tracie Ciambotti's son, Josh, enlisted in the Army two days after he graduated from high school in 2005. Five months later he was on his way to Baghdad and the reality of war began to sink into the depths of Tracie's heart. She had no idea when or if she would ever see her son again. As the weeks passed, fear became the master of her days. Josh had received the best training in the world for his new job as a combat soldier with the United States Armed Forces, but Tracie had none for her role as the mother of a service member. While her son was fighting a war in Iraq, she was marching-unaware and unprepared-into her own battle at home.
Battles of the Heart reminds us that freedom is not free. Every American needs to understand the sacrifices that military families endure for our freedom. Journey through two deployments and discover along with Tracie how to survive the challenges that military families face daily.
Be Safe, Love Mom
A Military Mom's Stories of Courage, Comfort, and Surviving Life on the Home Front
Author: Elaine Brye, Copyright @ 2015
When you enlist in the United States military, you don't just sign up for duty; you also commit your loved ones to lives of service all their own.
No one knows this better than Elaine Brye, an "Army brat" turned military wife and the mother of four officers—one each in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. For more than a decade she's endured countless teary goodbyes, empty chairs at Thanksgiving dinners, and sleepless hours waiting for phone calls in the night. She's navigated the complicated tangle of emotions—pride, worry, fear, hope, and deep, enduring love—that are part and parcel of life as a military mother.
In Be Safe, Love Mom Elaine braids together her own personal experiences with those of fellow parents she's met along the way. She offers gentle guidance and hard-earned wisdom on topics ranging from that first anxious goodbye to surrendering all control of your child, from finding comfort in the support of the military community and the healing power of faith to coping with the enormous sacrifices life as a military mother requires. Readers looking for encouragement and hard-to-come-by information as they travel the challenging road of having a child in uniform will find Elaine a wise and trusted friend, and Be Safe, Love Mom an essential handbook to membership in a strong and special sisterhood.
Closing the Gap
Understanding your service(wo)man
Author: Yvonne Jones, Copyright @ 2012
If anyone could understand us, it should be you. Yet we continue to drift further and further apart…
Written from the military family members’ different perspectives, Closing The Gap: Understanding Your Service(wo)man is designed to reconnect military families with their non-military friends and family members at a time when they need each other more than ever. For the first time, facts and common misconceptions about the military lifestyle have been accessibly presented and composed in a manner that specifically appeals to friends and families of military families. This book is meant to apply to all families and friends of our service(wo)men of every branch within the military. It was written in order to make a positive difference by giving people within the civilian world the information they need to understand the experiences of and reconnect with those that protect their freedoms and rights.
Courage After Fire for Parents of Service Members
Strategies for coping when your son or daughter returns from deployment
Authors: Paula Domenici PhD, Suzanne Best PhD, Keith Armstrong LCSW
Copyright @ 2013
Parents of returning service members may sometimes feel that their voices are not heard. The media is saturated with stories about troops returning from deployment with mental health problems like post-traumatic stress, depression, and substance abuse. Some also return home with physical problems including traumatic brain injury, physical pain or more severe injuries like amputations. Almost all returning service members experience reintegration challenges such as readjusting to family and community, finding employment or attending school.
But rarely do we hear how parents are taking on the role of supporting their sons and daughters who have served our country. In countless ways these parents provide help—and when their military child suffers significant physical or psychological injuries, they may once again become their primary caretaker. For mothers and fathers and others in a parenting role, it can be overwhelming at times, and resources are limited.
Courage after Fire for Parents of Service Members provides a compassionate and accessible guide for the parents or guardians of returning troops. This groundbreaking book acknowledges the significant contribution and sacrifice parents have made for their military children, provides strategies and resources that will assist them in understanding and supporting their son or daughter, and will validate their own personal experiences.
Recommendations for helping them care for their returning service member are woven throughout the book, as well as education about the importance of taking care of themselves to help prevent caregiver burnout. Vignettes and reflections from parents who have had a child deploy offer a sense of hope and community.
Even in the best of circumstances, parents play an instrumental role in helping their sons and daughters successfully reintegrate after deployment. This book is a valuable resource for any parent who is seeking to better understand and support a returning military child while caring for themselves.
Deployed Grandparents Being Parents
Author: Debbie Nichols, Copyright @ 2010
Deployed Grandparents Being Parents is a true story of a working empty nester grandmother raising her granddaughters during her US Air Force daughter deployment to Afghanistan. Debbie and her husband moved the children to their home in California. Enrolled the children in school, changed their empty nester lifestyle, changed roles from grandmother to mother, dealt with the fear of her daughter in harm's way, learned what it meant to have a family member deployed. Dealt with her mixed emotions of being in this situation. She learned how to keep communications going between her daughter and granddaughters, dealt with raising kids today vs. 30 years ago, tried to make her granddaughters stay a positive experience. Debbie learned how to change back to her original role of a grandmother. And faced the biggest challenge of all reuniting the family back to their original roles prior to deployment, and having a empty nest again. Debbie looked for information on guardians caring for military deployed children and there was none. Not having a military base close by and no support of what to do during deployment. Debbie granddaughter's had a positive experience living with her and her husband. And in her book provides helpful hints for those guardians caring for children.
Everyone Serves
A handbook for family & friends of service members
during pre-deployment, deployment and reintegration
Author: Blue Star Families, Copyright @ 2013
This handbook has been designed to address a subject that’s not discussed enough: the full spectrum of emotions that accompany a military deployment life cycle. That means not just looking at post-deployment reintegration but also examining other parts of the equation: pre-deployment, deployment, and reunion periods.
This FREE guide helps you:
- Build resilience
- Strengthen relationships
- Learn coping strategies
- Prepare for and manage reunion and reintegration
Includes video, checklists and resources
Everything About ME (Military Personnel and Families Edition)
A guide for my future caregivers
Author: Dee Marrella, Copyright @ 2011
With the huge numbers of American soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with injuries requiring long-term care -- possibly life-long care, this book (print and electronic versions) provides individuals and their families with a way to create a true tool that can be used by any caregiver who ever works with this person. Since family members might not always be available to be the caregiver in a veterans life, this guide will provide even a total caring stranger with a lifetime of knowledge, information and guidance on what the individual desires in the way of caregiving. This book, when completed, will tell all who use it every important fact about them: how "I" feel about life support, my favorite foods, the TV programs I dislike, how I'd like to have my obituary read, and my funeral conducted. When the time comes that a once vibrant individual required round-the-clock caregiving, and may not have a "voice" left o speak with -- this book can be that "voice" tell all who use it everything you want known.
I Want You to Know Me
Love, your American hero
Author: Vickie L. Mullins, Copyright @ 2007
Are you messy or neat? Are you a deep sleeper or a light sleeper? Can you roll your Rs? Do you ask for directions?
While our country’s sons and daughters are away, they desperately need to know they are still connected back home. Through this book, I Want You to Know Me … Love, Your American Hero, every day mom and dad can see their hero’s hand-written words describing how he thinks, feels and looks. Yes, he has a cleft in his chin; it’s just like his grandfather’s. Mom and dad can touch their hero’s heart from a distance.
The American hero’s husband or wife can hold the dog-eared copy of their spouse’s book and picture the answers without opening the cover. Yes, he did a flip off the diving board, and we spent the night in the hospital repairing the damage. Their relationship grows stronger.
We feel I Want You to Know Me … Love, Your American Hero, is our most important book so far, because, in times of uncertainty, it is so important to bring a sense of peace to everyone touched by the lives of our American heroes: mom and dads, grandparents, spouses, children.
Keeping Faith
A father-son story about love and the U.S. Marine Corps
Authors: Frank Schaeffer, John Schaeffer, Copyright @ 2003
In 1998, Frank Schaeffer was a bohemian novelist living in "Volvo driving, higher-education worshiping" Massachusetts with two children graduated from top universities. Then his youngest child, straight out of high school, joined the United States Marine Corps. Written in alternating voices by eighteen-year-old John and his father, Frank, Keeping Faith takes readers in riveting fashion through a family's experience of the Marine Corps: from being broken down and built back up on Parris Island (and being the parent of a child undergoing that experience), to the growth of both father and son and their separate reevaluations of what it means to serve. From Frank's realization that among his fellow soccer dads "the very words ‘boot camp' were pejorative, conjuring up ‘troubled youths at risk'" ("'But aren't they all terribly southern?' asked one parent") to John's learning that "the Marine next to you is more important than you are," Keeping Faith — a New York Times bestseller — is a fascinating and personal examination of issues of class, duty, and patriotism. The fact that John is currently serving in the Middle East only adds to the impact of this wonderfully written, timely, and moving human interest story.
Love You More Than You Know
Mothers' stories about sending their sons and daughters to war -- 45 powerful, personal tales of love, faith, and courage
Authors, Editors: Janie Reinart, Mary Anne Mayer, Copyright @ 2009
In these stories, 45 mothers of U.S. service men and women open their hearts and share what it feels like when your son or daughter leaves home to fight a war.
Some were stunned to learn one sunny afternoon that their baby had enlisted. Others had long been familiar with military life. But all of these mothers knew their world had just changed the day their child called home and said, Mom, I m being deployed . . .
They discovered the strange mix of pride and fear. The anxiety of not knowing exactly where in Iraq or Afghanistan your son is, whether your daughter is facing mortar fire or enduring heat and boredom. Elation at the arrival of the briefest postcard or email message. The daily dread, when returning home from work or a trip to the grocery store, of seeing a government car in the driveway and two soldiers at the door . . .
Any parent who reads these stories will feel their power--and will gain a greater understanding of the sacrifice made by parents as well as their children in our military.
Minefields of the Heart
A mother's stories of a son at war
Author: Sue Diaz, Copyright @ 2010
How do combat veterans and their loved ones bridge the divide that war, by its very nature, creates between them? How does someone who has fought in a war come home, especially after a tour of duty marked by near-daily mortar attacks, enemy fire, and roadside bombs? With a journalist's eye and a mother's warmth, Sue Diaz asks these questions as she chronicles the two deployments to Iraq of her son, Sgt. Roman Diaz, from the perspective of the home front.
Sergeant Diaz's second deployment put him south of Baghdad in the region aptly termed the Triangle of Death. There his platoon experienced extraordinarily heavy casualties during the height of the Iraqi insurgency. That unit has since become the focus of considerable media attention following events that made headlines in the summer of 2006: an insurgent attack at a remote outpost on three of their own--one killed at the scene, the other two kidnapped, their bodies found days later; and a terrible war crime committed against an Iraqi family by four soldiers from First Platoon.
Minefields of the Heart adds a very personal dimension to the larger story of this Bravo Company platoon from the 101st Airborne's 502nd Infantry Regiment, a unit known since World War II as the "Black Heart Brigade." Diaz recounts the emotional rollercoaster her family and other soldiers' families experience during and after deployment. She explores this terrain not only through stories of her son's and family's experiences connected to the Iraq War, but also by insights she's gained from other veterans' accounts--from what she calls "the box" that soldiers returning from any war carry within. This added layer gives her narrative broader meaning, bringing home the impact of war in general on those who fight and on those who love them.
Minefields of the Heart is a story of innocence lost, understanding gained, and hope reaffirmed. In addition to veterans and their families, this book will appeal to anyone who wants to understand war's impact on individuals as well as on the fabric of our society.
Mom's Field Guide
What you need to know to make it through your loved one's military deployment
Author: Sandy Doell, Copyright @ 2006When Sandy's son was deployed to Iraq in 2004, she felt overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. She couldn't help but worry. To keep herself busy, she turned her energies toward finding ways to support her son from the home front. After thousands of hours of research and her own first-hand experience along with many lessons she learned from other military families, she wrote Mom's Field Guide: What You Need to Know to Make It Through Your Loved One's Military Deployment. She shares what she learned with other families in the same situation.
My Son Is A Marine
Author: Jo Anne Allen, Copyright @ 2005After enduring grueling weeks of boot camp, 18-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Aaron J. Allen threw his Class A cap into the air at graduation. He was ready to be deployed to the fiercest battle zone in Iraq, where terrorism has replaced conventional warfare and there is no clearly defined enemy.
Confronted by these conditions and the horrifying nightly news reports of fatalities, what can a mother do to protect her son from thousands of miles away? Jo Anne Allen chose to sustain herself and keep A.J. strong and safe using communication. In this timely book, she reminisces about A.J.'s childhood and the precious memories that are forever embedded in her heart. She uses her words to recreate the wonder of those times and replace the hugs and kisses of the past with stories full of love and faith.
Young Marines fighting for their lives alongside her son also find solace in Jo Anne's spiritual beliefs, nurturing hearts, and incredible peanut butter cookies.
9 Miracles
One mother's amazing journey home after seeing her son off to war
Author: Leigh Watson, Copyright @ 2011When Leigh's husband is unable to accompany her to see their Air Force son, Luke, off to Iraq, Leigh mentally prepares herself to make the trip alone, knowing she will have to be strong for Luke's sake. Along the way, she encounters extraordinary people and incredible circumstances that could only be defined as heaven-sent. Rejoice, how as one exits - another appears, carrying her on the wings of mercy all the way home.
Join us now on this amazing journey as you witness the grace of God's loving hand upon a mother's aching heart. Discover to what lengths God will reach, proving the depth of His love and concern. Rest in the knowledge that HE will provide the strength you need to get through even the most difficult day.
God is willing to work a miracle in your life today, if you will only trust Him.
1001 Things to Love About Military Life
Authors: Tara Crooks, Starlett Henderson, Kathie Hightower and
Holly Scherer
Copyright @ 2011
A first-of-its-kind celebration of military life, 1001 Things to Love About Military Life chronicles some obvious and not-so-obvious traditions, advantages and experiences military members, veterans and their families share.
Full of heart-warming vignettes, laugh-out-loud lists, stories and quotes from military members and family members, and photos that speak a thousand positive affirmations, this inspirational look at those who dedicate their lives to serving perfectly illustrates why it is a profession and lifestyle to love.
You'll find practical truths most service members wouldn't want to live without and learn the unique outlooks, services and advantages military life provides. Military or civilian, you'll experience the community and personal growth that the military offers.
Whether you have a friend or loved one in the military, you're a service member ready to head out on duty, a spouse gearing up to take charge of the household, a veteran in need of a few good laughs, or a new recruit looking for encouragement, this book provides inspiration and insight into the lives of today's dedicated and courageous military families.
Reflections on God's Word
Military Mom Prayer Journal
Author: Army Mom Strong, Copyright @ 2023
Reflections on God’s Word is a prayer journal aimed at helping you navigate your military mom journey.
From the start of my son’s military career, I sought out peace, truth, and strength in God’s word. Reflections on God’s Word, Military Mom Prayer Journal features Bible verses focused on Acceptance, Buddy Check-in, Doubt, Prayer, Protection, Resilience, Trust, Wisdom, and You. Each verse includes an accompanying lined journal writing page to express your feelings, gratitude, and prayers. Plus extra notes pages at the back of the prayer journal.
Embrace your role as a military mom. Replace your fears with God’s peace. As you travel this military mom's journey into unknown territory, God is on the journey with you, holding your hand if you let Him.
I hope the Bible verses herein help you get through your most challenging moments as you journal your way to strengthening your faith in God.
Rise Up Military Moms
A journal for living life with strength and purpose
Author: Elaine Brye, Copyright @ 2018
Rise Up Military Moms is an interactive journal aimed at helping you find strength and resilience whether you are sending your child off to a deployment, basic training or boot camp.
NOTE: Rise Up is NOT a book for just reading. It's a guided journal to help you work on you as you travel this military mom journey. We give you weekly things to work on, think about and research to help enrich and strengthen your experience as a military mom.
As a military mom, it can be an emotional roller coaster full of unknowns and fear.
I often wished I had a guide to get me through those tough times. That's what Rise Up Military Moms is all about.
With Rise Up Military Moms, you will have 6 months of weekly guided journaling. Each week features ways in which you can take action to awaken your strength, energize your spirit, and push through your fears.
You’ll also find positive insights to inspire and uplift you through your military mom journey. There is also room for writing reflections, thoughts, and introspections.
This journal is perfect for mothers of service members from all branches of the military: Army moms, Air Force moms, Marine moms, Coast Guard moms and Navy moms.
As you go through this journal for military moms, know that you are amazing! You raised an incredible person that is a member of the best trained military in the world.
Semper Parents
Supporting your Marine and sharing the journey
Author: Mary Regner, Copyright @ 2022
Your child has decided to become a Marine. What’s next?
Maybe your family has a long history of military service. Maybe the military lifestyle is brand new to you. Perhaps your child has been talking about joining the Marines for a while now. Or maybe their decision is totally unexpected. However you feel right now, another Marine parent has been there. Welcome to the Marine Corps family!
Many parents have mixed feelings when their child decides to become a United States Marine. The unknowns can be nerve wracking, and each answer may lead to more questions. All the while, the relationship between parent and child is changing, and parents must learn to navigate this new relationship as their young adult transforms into a Marine.
In this comprehensive and comforting guide, Marine mom and spouse Mary Regner shares practical tips and perspective from several Marines, spouses, and parents with a variety of USMC experiences to help new Marine parents find purpose in the Marine Corps, understand more about military life, cope with concern and worry, celebrate traditions, and nurture changing relationships.
The Heart of a Military Mom
Authors: Army Mom Strong and Elaine Brye, Copyright @ 2017
Do you need someone encouraging you, especially when you are learning to let go of your child to military service? How about when they are difficult places or in harm’s way? Do you feel stressed or worried?
You are not alone.
Elaine Brye and Army Mom Strong have combined their efforts to create a powerful, emotional and inspirational pictorial book of encouragement and support for military moms of all branches. The authors are veteran military moms who have supported many moms through the challenges that come with sending a child into harm’s way.
The Heart of a Military Mom gives you valuable insights to help you to stand strong in the face of fear and on the home front. It is the first in a series of supportive books to inspire you to create a more fulfilling journey as a military mom.
The Mom's Guide to Surviving West Point
Authors: Lisa Browne Joiner and Deborah L. W. Roszel
Copyright @ 2012
Sending your son or daughter off to college is never easy, but sending your pride and joy to the United States Military Academy is downright scary. There are so many unknowns-from Beast to boodle to all those confusing Army acronyms! That's where The Mom's Guide to Surviving West Point comes in. This book is designed to guide you as you figure out how best to support and encourage your cadet through the next four years.
Your Soldier, Your Army
A family guide
Author: Vicki Cody, Copyright @ 2017
Obtain your FREE copy here - LINK
If you are reading this book, you probably have a loved one serving in the Army. This is the new and revised edition of my original book, Your Soldier, Your Army—A Parents’ Guide, published in 2005. A lot has changed since then and I, along with the Association of the United States Army’s Institute of Land Warfare, decided it was time to update the original book.
In the 12 years since the original release, I have continued to get feedback from so many people from all over the United States—moms and dads, spouses, Soldiers and civilians—about how my book has helped them to cope with and understand the Army. Their words, letters, cards and feedback have been a source of great pride for me and, at times, have given me strength. The fact that I continue to meet people who have recently read the book, and that AUSA continues to get requests for it, tells me that there is still a great need for it. And, as the original struck such a chord with readers, I have tried to keep as much of it as possible, merely reworking, editing and adding new material as needed. One significant change is reflected in the deletion of the original subtitle, A Parents’ Guide; this revised edition is not just for parents—it is for any family member of a Soldier.
My perspective has also changed since 2005. My husband retired from the Army in 2008, after 36 years of service. Our two sons are still on active duty, both helicopter pilots and now both married with children. Since 2002, we have had one or both of our sons deployed at any given time and for varying lengths of time to Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea. Sometimes, I have trouble remembering how many times we have said good-bye, but the homecomings remain as blessings never to be taken for granted. My husband and I are on the sidelines now, cheering on this next generation of Soldiers and families. Now we see the life we once lived through the eyes of our sons, their wives and our four young grandsons.
The need for this book came out of my own fears and stresses when our sons began deploying to combat zones early in their careers. I realized then that there was not a lot of information out there for parents of Soldiers. The Army had made great strides in educating and providing for Soldiers’ spouses, but there just wasn’t much for other family members. The war in Iraq had begun and, with both of our sons deployed in the same unit, I knew that if I were concerned and worried, I could only imagine how stressful it was for the moms and dads who had never been in the Army and who knew little or nothing about what their son or daughter had chosen to do. In a peacetime Army that may not be as critical, but during a time of war and with almost every unit deploying at one time or another, I knew that there was a real need for information for Soldiers’ families.
My goal back in 2005 was—and continues to be today—to share, teach, comfort and ultimately help others experience the joys that come with serving this nation. Whether it is you, someone in your family or someone you know who is in uniform, I hope this book opens your eyes, ears and heart and helps to give you the resources, the strength and the courage you may need. It is not easy having a loved one in the Army, especially in today’s climate of unrest in so many places around the world.
—Vicki Cody
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