Customer Reviews

The Girls Come Marching Home: Stories of Women Warriors Returning from the War in Iraq

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I happened to receive a copy of this book "fresh off the press" almost 48 hours ago. This is an outstanding book! It tells the stories of a dozen or more women serving in the U.S. military and what their experience was of coming home from war.

A few of the stories recount transitions that, relative to most of the stories, were triumphantly smooth. Most of the stories, though, tell of pain, sadness, frustration and obstacles of many kinds that complicate the process of adjusting to life outside the combat zone. I was educated about and astounded by how difficult it is for a vet to get medical attention. I had no idea how gruelling was the process of shifting one's identity from first sergeant to full-time mother.

Even those stories, however, end on notes that are to various degrees uplifting. The never-say-die spirit that the women in this book display triumphs in the end in almost all cases.

I read and enjoyed author Kirsten Holmstedt's "Band of Sisters." This is a perfect hand-in-glove partner to that book. I can imagine the two books sold as a set, in a nice slipcase! I encountered a few passages in "Marching Home" that need a bit more precision in description or narration. But apart from those moments, the writing is clean, cogent and coherent.

In "Marching Home," Ms. Holmstedt does a superb job of differentiating these soldiers, Marines, sailors, "Coasties" and USAF specialists from one another--both in terms of military duties and wartime experiences, the different cultures of their branches of service, and most of all, their personalities. One can keep the people and the stories straight from one another--they do not seem like one story repeated a dozen times.

The photos and the writing introduce us to a group of women who are smart, witty, bold, indomitable...beautiful Americans inside and out, filled with heart. I think Ms. Holmstedt must be the same kind of person--in the final chapter she recounts her own fight against secondary trauma...which is the tendency to absorb and gradually exhibit in one's own mind and actions the feelings, perceptions, fears and isolation that trauma survivors report. Counselors, relatives and close friends of combat veterans, who love and support those veterans, often experience secondary trauma ... as Ms. Holmstedt did after months of compassionately and empathically listening to the stories of the women in the book.

All of this is epic stuff. Earlier today, after having just finished the book, I noticed myself looking at young women I saw at the gas station and supermarket, and wondering, "Is she a combat vet? She COULD be." How many of us did that before the publication of "Band of Sisters" and, now, "The Girls Come Marching Home"? Ms. Holmstedt's books are incrementally transitioning us as Americans into people who routinely and without surprise see women as fighters for our country...thereby adding another nuance to what Shakespeare called woman's "infinite variety."

Having served in Iraq as a female military member, I cringed when I read this book. After I cringed, I was annoyed. After I was annoyed, I wondered, "Hmmm, did the author get on Oprah like she so very much intended?"

Far from giving an account of how women were "warriors" in Iraq, the author presents the women as weak, victimized, traumatized, and unable to function as well as their male counterparts. I suppose the intent is for us to feel sorry for these "girls", note their vulnerability and pity them for their drama.

Though I don't mean to downplay the negative effects that hanging out in a combat zone can have on anyone, regardless of gender, the author did an incredible disservice to women. The word "girls" in the title should be the first hint at how the author views these soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors: As little girls for whom we should feel sad.

The women I know from Iraq -- warriors -- groan that this book perpetuates an image of weak overly sensitive nurturing women scarred by combat.

Next book -- though I hope there isn't one -- it might be nice if the author at least gives the subjects the title of "women" instead of girls, and relates what makes them "warriors" instead of victims to be pitied.

This is an unfortuante book that is not an accurate cross-section or sample of women who served in Iraq.

Not recommended.

I was already a huge fan of author Kirsten Holmstedt after I previewed her first book "Band of Sisters" for "The Military Writer's Society of America" (MWSA) and eventually gave it "The Founder's Award" for 2007. So, I was expecting something very special from her when I picked up a copy to her new book "The Girls Come Marching Home: Stories of Women Warriors Returning from the War in Iraq". I was not disappointed at all and in fact, I was actually blown away at the level she has taken her insightful writing to. Truly this book is not just a follow-up book to her award winning book - but is a major step up in emotion, intelligence, creative writing and in human insights. This is a great book and it will serve as an emotional touchstone for historians, women warriors, and for military families. This has all the energy of a major military classic and will influence future generations to come.

The writing is very sensitive and strong. It is easy to see how Kristen got emotionally entangled in the web of story telling while writing this book. She took the full power of all emotional hits from all of those she listened to so attentively and compassionately. She became the secondary victim by telling this tale of war and adjustment. Her writing speaks loudly of both the outer, as well as, the inner wounds of these women and what obstacles they faced. She honors their spirit by capturing the essence of their full experiences and presents them with both honesty and empathy.

The book is on my list of "The Best 25 Military Books" ever written about the current war on terrorism! This should be a must read for career military personnel and for those who wish to gain some understanding and insight into today's military culture for women. This book receives my personal endorsement and fullest recommendation. It is a 5 Star Star Book!

The Girls Come Marching Home: Stories of Women Warriors Returning from the War in Iraq

"For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste and price the protected will never know."
From the first page of Kirsten Holmstedt's book, I am reminded again why I've never been a fan of fiction. When the Girls Come Marching Home, Ms. Homstedt's latest release, shares compelling stories of real women as they battle for their country, their comrades, and then for their own restoration. Gut wrenching, thrilling, and true.
As a peacetime Marine veteran married to a Marine veteran, I am quick to connect sacrifice to freedom, but these accounts recharged my appreciation for and resolve to protect the interests of our nation's returning veterans. Kirsten's vivid accounts draw us out from our lives of ease into a world only poorly depicted in the news accounts of our day. This book is required reading for the rest of us. Semper Fi and God Speed to our veterans and to the author.

We still overlook the experiences of women who have served--and are returning from millitary service.

Society has visually intergrated the presence of women into many other capacities. We know that women are serving as police officers and firefighters. But we're subconciously reluctant to acknowllege that women are serving and admirably in combat. So their experiences and post-war needs can get accidentally overlooked when the nation attempts to have a discussion about 'veterans concerns' or 'veterans issues'.

I'm not in the military and wish I had joined when I had the chance especially after reading these stories of women who went through so much not just overseas but back home in the States. The author of this book is fantastic! I read the 1st book she came out with our service women fighting for freedom and now she tells the stories of these remarkable women from what we may have all thought of as an easy adjustment. But this is so far from being easy for our lady heroes! I felt like I could feel all their pain and I wanted so much to reach out to them. These women along with our men are the real heroes and the ones whom our younger generation should be looking up to to admire not some sports star (mind you I'm a die heart football & baseball fan) who abuse the system with drugs and alcohol or other means. When was the last time any of you stood up with your hand of your heart with our national anthem was being played or even stopped to thank a soldier for their service? This book describes so much about what these women did for all of us!! We are free because of ALL of them!! This is a must read book as well as Band of Sisters by the same author. Be prepared to be shocked, amazed and cry while reading their stories. I am so PROUD to be an American for what these ladies and all the other ones who stories are left untold but are suffering the same. I wish I could take away the pain these women have gone through but I'll pray they get the help and support they deserve! Our country needs to step up and put more programs to help ALL of our soldiers. Frankly, I think any of our service should never be charged and/or pay any taxes because they put their lives on the line every day just for our freedom!! Where ever you may be and you see a soldier, give them a hug or a simple "Thank You". That will go along with them. God bless you all and God Bless the United States of America!!
Robin Church
Ohio

I loved it beyond what you could ever imagine !!!
I will tell you why........The chapter "Who Ya Gonna Call? The Bomb Squad." starting on page 59 is my daughter, M/Sgt Michelle Barefield. So needless to say you know I am so very PROUD of her.
The book is very very good, and everyone should read it. All the stories in the book are about someone's daughter and the readers of this book should realize that there are alot of proud parents out there.
I can't say enough about this book. I highly recommend this book !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
nechia Wright

After reading Band of sisters, I knew that I had to read The Girls Come Marching Home. Ms. Holmstedt's style of writing in Band of Sisters was insightful, straight forward, and unbiased as she allowed the women to tell their stories in their own words. The Girls Come Marching Home did NOT disappoint as each story is compelling and completely unbiased and unfolds is a smooth narration as if each woman were sitting in front of you telling her story. Each story took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I cannot begin to say how much I learned about PTSD and the Servicemember's emotions when they return from deployment
The section at the end of the book which tells us what is happening with the women from the first book is also a good read.
Women in the military need to have a strong voice that speaks for them. This book is a MUST read for anyone who has a member in the military. It is enlightening, informative, and an exceptionally great read.

D.J. Elliott
USN (Retired)

I have been researching women in the US military for over two years in preparation for my dissertation, and Holmstedt's narratives back up everything I am reading in both research articles and general media. As I read each woman warrior's story I felt enormous pride for their ability "under fire" and then enormous sadness because of the way so many were treated by a male oriented military.

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and general harassment is a continuing problem in the military. Many women are embedded into units where they may be the only woman or where there are only a few women. Women service members have a high probability of experiencing other traumas, including MST which increases the probability that they will experience PTSD. The rate of MST among women in the military varies from a low of 22% reported by Kimmerling, Gima, Street & Frayne (2007) to 71% in women seeking disability for PTSD (Murdoc, Polusny, Hodges & O'Brien, 2004). The stories of these women reflect the statistics: the VA reported that between 2002 and 2006 more than one third of 23,635 women veterans serving in OEF/OIF had a preliminary diagnosis of a mental disorder. If these women had similar experiences to the women portrayed in this book, no wonder the statistic is so high!

Rosen, Knudsen & Fancher's article "Cohesion and the Culture of Hypermasculinity" suggests that while the military can grant women the same opportunities as men, it is still primarily a male dominated and hypermasculine culture. Non-gendered professionalism is practiced by the finest of our military leaders and must become the standard for our military as women become an ever larger percentage of enlistees. There must, also, be real consequences for those who either condone or practice MST or gender harassment. Many non-research based articles suggest that the the level of MST is much higher than what has been documented. Our military can no longer function without women, it is time that this is recognized so they receive the support they need both in the military and at home.

The author did an excellent job in relating how war affects the new participant on the field of battle, the woman soldier. It is not only the IED's that cause casualties and these warriors tell of the stress, wounds, treatment and adjustment in a military governed by the politically correct who do not have a clue what is occurring "outside the wire". I would guess that 99 percent of our citizens will never understand what the combat veterans see 24/7 in a battle zone. Whether you are in a convoy attacked by the enemy, IED's or a victim of friendly fire you never ever forget that the blob of human flesh and blood splattered all over you was only seconds earlier your closest friend in the hell hole known as the "Sandbox". Carnage is everywhere because in war you have two objectives, to kill people and break things.