Customer Reviews

A Family's Guide to the Military For Dummies

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is a must have for military spouses. I am a career counselor for military spouses and I recommended the book to all my clients. It is just packed with resources on dealing with deployment, navigating your career, and understanding all the resources that are out there for military wives and families. The book is a great value and I highly recommend it!
Krista Wells
www.militaryspousecoach.com

As military wife of many many years, and the very proud mother of a former soldier, this book really hit the important points. For a "newbie", I'd highly recommend it as a great starting point, as a reference to finding the information you need and places to get more information. Sue doesn't try to be all things to everyone, she gives a choice of links/hints and educates on some of the finer points that are often forgotten or never told to the newest members of this little world. Believe it or not, there are still "teas" and "balls" and dining ins/dining outs - all of which have their rules, and if you flub that one, your servicemember WILL hear about it later.

Knowing that information in the military is often changeable, and fluid, she give you links to find out those important things, pay, BAH, etc. Sue "translates" the jargon, she reminds you of the "little things" that are sometimes overwhelmed by the day to day life of a deployment, or training. This book doesn't sugarcoat our lives, doesn't wave the flag or denigrate the service, which is all too common in books about the military life. There is no judgment, no placing the military on a pedestal or dragging it through the mud - but her pride in this lifestyle shines through.

Sue Hoppin hits the ultimate mark with her book "A Military Family Guide for Dummies". As a military spouse and Gateway Talent Management and Corporate Development Manager for the "Military Spouse Corporate
Career Network" (MSCCN), I know first hand that job readiness can only be accomplished when a military member and their families have control over their military life.

Sue Hoppin takes the military member completely through the military life cycle in her book, something most "military-minded" books never do.
This book is absolutely complete! For instance in Chapter 11 of the Military Family Guide for Dummies, Sue Hoppin provides resources and guidance which assists job seeking military applicants maneuver the many pitfalls of a job search, and maps out meaningful real life employment solutions for military families stretched to the max due to multiple deployments. Once the military life is managed - a job search can be organized in short order. The MSCCN recommends this book to ALL military members and corporations alike when trying to understand the nuances of military life, job readiness and force protection at it's best.

Kate Midden, MSCCN

I grew up with both of my parents being career Army and have now joined myself. This book offers indispensible information- even things my parents didn't know after 30+ years of service! There are great overviews that explain military customs, benefits, how and why to get a power of attorney, etc. It is definately worth the $13 list price.

Good read for a first time military family. Check it out at the library first, then if you want it buy it. Same old stuff I have heard over and over.

I find myself going to this book as a reference guide at least once a week, and we have been in service for ten + years now!!!
Great book! I highly recommend to anyone, whether a single soldier to a vet and their family!

I'm sorry to disagree with the above reviews, but I just could not stay quiet. My son entered boot camp in January of 2008, and he recently deployed to Afghanistan as a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division. As soon as he began considering the enlistment process, I went on a mission, researching everything I could find, everywhere I could find it, so we, as a family would be better educated and more capable of offering him the best support we could.

There is NOTHING in this book that I had not already found myself with a few very simple clicks on many a search engine, not to mention several phone calls, conversations with his recruiter, and acquaintances of ours who were happy to help.

The book is WAY too general, never offering specifics on things such as specific dollar amounts when it comes to pay grade, etc. Almost without exception, the most pertinent information a reader would be looking for was followed by a link, which they could have easily found themselves for free without paying the $15 or so for the book.

I also found many comments insulting and condescending, as when suggesting couples to be flexible with each other 'during this tough time' and remembering to email and call to remind each other how important they were to the other. For real???????

Some of the information was just a plain JOKE. The section that states that military families can use military aircraft for their air travel is just about as possible as winning the lottery. Believe me, I've had friends who've tried. There were other examples of this as well. Military families on limites budgets need the TRUTH.

To me, as a mom of a son defending our great country (I have 2 cousins in the Army also) this was insulting. It made it sound like the proper way to dress and speak at a garden party was of the utmost importance, rather than how to dig in, circle the wagons, and prepare yourselves for one of the most difficult, joyous, and sometimes heartwrenching time of your life. Not to mention that the main author of this book was a Financial Advisor????? Oh my goodness.

In conclusion, save your money. the internet is free and there are many helpful people out there, active and past military included who will give you honest and up-to-date information you can count on. This book just was not worth the paper it was printed on.