Showing titles in Military Families

While there are many stereotypes about military spouses, there are a lot of things most people simply don’t know or don’t understand until they’ve become part of the military community. Maybe you’re new to being a military spouse, maybe you just met someone and you aren’t married yet, but things are heading in that direction, maybe you’re a veteran who is now a military spouse, or maybe you’re what we call a "seasoned" military spouse just looking for new reading material.

What did it mean to be a hero in 1944? What does it mean today? On the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, these are the questions we ask ourselves as the world faces resurgent nativism, deep social divisions, and rising xenophobia. It’s no exaggeration to say that the gravity of our crises today echoes back to the crossroads of 1944. Finding St. Lo presents us with two distinct voices from the past.

World War Two shaped Matt Matthews even though he was born 20 years after it ended. As a kid, he was afraid he’d have to do what his father did in the 106th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge. As a young adult, he was afraid he wouldn’t. If his father’s silence about war and being a POW said it all, what did it say? That silence and Matthews’ efforts to fill in the blanks molded his evolving definition of manhood and efforts to influence and love his own three sons.

The experience of the Vietnam War is almost impossible to grasp - the fear, smell, pain, and camaraderie. Boys were turned into men, men were transformed into soldiers, and then from soldiers to warriors. These warriors had wives who shared in their transformations. Some marriages were strengthened, while for others men and their families were left emotionally and spiritually battered. Focusing in on a singular company’s experience of war and its eventual homecoming, Andrew Wiest discusses the shared experience of combat and both the darkness and resiliency of war’s aftermath.

Admiral McRaven has met some truly extraordinary people throughout his career, from the men and women he had the privilege to serve with, to other heroes such as doctors, scientists, politicians and philanthropists. This book is a celebration of their character as well as an inspiring and practical guide to how we can all follow their lead, rise to the occasion and be our best selves.

Written with vivid detail, this encouraging, life-giving audiobook is a tale of a World War II Veteran father and his daughter, who found the relationship with him she'd always longed for. Do you have a family member who served in the military, who perhaps saw war, and wondered what their experience was really like? Do you suspect there are past traumas that might be affecting their ability to open up? Do you wish you could feel closer and more connected to your mom, dad, or other family members? If yes, Flying with Dad will pull you into a real-life story that shows you how.

Navy veteran Mike Schindler, Founder and CEO of Operation Military Family, tells the stories of our returning heroes so that we might gain a true understanding of life for returning vets and their families. While addressing some of the hardships of returning vets, Schindler also reveals another side of America's heroes - the side that celebrates the triumphs and hirable qualities offered by our veterans.

Surviving Son is a compelling true story that provides the listener with insight into the life of a combat infantryman who fought in Afghanistan at the same time as his younger brother, Steven, who was killed in action just miles away. Scott takes the listener on a journey through his childhood to his call to service after 9/11.

While their husbands, brothers and sweethearts fought in Europe and their mothers, sisters and friends kept the home fires burning, for the first time, a group of remarkable women took to the skies. They weren't allowed into combat but risked their lives in bad weather and without radios to bring our boys the aircraft they so vitally needed. Employed by the Air Transport Auxiliary, these women were known as 'attagirls'. They proved that women, too, could master Spitfires, Mosquitoes and Hawker Hurricanes, forging a new path in aviation.

The events of World War 2 are often associated with male endeavor, particularly in war books. However, extraordinarily brave and courageous women not only assisted their male counterparts, but played key roles that had ultimately contributed to the success of winning the war. This book provides a platform on which to remember those fearless, forgotten WW2 women, whose stories deserve to be told. Who were these courageous women who laid their lives on the line in WW2 history?

The unforgettable story of a military family that lost two sons - one to suicide and one in combat - and channeled their grief into fighting the armed forces’ suicide epidemic. Major General Mark Graham was a decorated two-star officer. His wife, Carol, was a teacher who held the family together. When their sons Kevin and Jeff die within nine months of each other - Kevin commits suicide and Jeff is killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq - Mark and Carol are astonished by the drastically different responses their sons’ deaths receive from the Army.

My Vietnam places the listener into the boots of a grunt roaming through the blood-ridden jungle. Experience the turmoil, inside and out, that was the life of a young soldier as he counted the days to return to "the world", hopefully alive.

7 Checklist Items for Success was made to challenge the conventional status quo of today’s self-help titles. It encourages listeners to alter their perspective to reflect a thankfulness about being alive and a willingness to become a beacon of hope to themselves and others around them.

He spent over three decades proudly serving his country. But his greatest lessons came from one unique bond. For Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., leadership began at home as a young boy. Though his father was a man of few words, he was molded by his parents' actions for a future filled with achievement. And when the decorated military officer faced his own retirement, he recalled the profound message his dad imparted many years before: "A man ought to always stay busy."

An Army lieutenant returns from World War II, riven by PTSD. He wants to be an attorney, so he’s forced to keep his illness a secret. As far as he knows, there’s only one cure for the devastating nightmares that began during his command of an artillery company: Scotch whiskey, and lots of it.

Author Joanne Steen tackles the subject that terrifies parents of military personnel - the death of their son or daughter on active duty. In short, accessible chapters Gold Star parents find thoughtful explanations and trustworthy advice for coping with military grief. Steen weaves together realistic examples with voices of other Gold Star parents, connecting the listeners to the wisdom of those parents who have walked in their shoes.

This book argues that the elements that contribute to healing war trauma - including safety, connection, community, dialogue, mutual respect, diversity, and compassion - can help build a stronger nation. But this message comes with a warning and a challenge not just for caregivers, veterans service organizations, governmental departments, Congress, and the White House, but for all Americans. War creates incalculable suffering - not only among those on the front lines, but also among those left behind.

Unbreakable Bonds tells 10 touching stories of mothers who spent years aiding the recoveries of their children, U.S. soldiers and marines who suffered severe injuries during the War on Terror. The survival of these wounded warriors is a testament not only to the extraordinary efforts of military medical personnel and their own inner fortitude but also to their mothers.

When RIP first deployed for Desert Storm, his baby daughter, Vicky, was three months old. RIP wrote heartfelt letters to her for posterity, not knowing if he’d get to see her grow up but wanting to tell her of his hopes and dreams. She grew into a teenager before he retired, and he wrote to her about dealing with life’s curves.

When Ron Zaleski returned home from his service to the Marine Corps in 1972, he was plagued by feelings of anger and guilt. As an act of penance, in 2006 he walked barefoot across the Appalachian Trail, where he learned self-forgiveness, empathy, and found a purpose greater than himself. In 2010, he upped the stakes and walked barefoot from Concord, MA to Santa Monica, CA. He traversed over 3,400 miles without shoes, all the while carrying a sign that read "18 Vets a Day Commit Suicide!" and a petition for military personnel to receive mandatory counseling.