Invisible Women: Junior Enlisted Army Wives (Paperback)

by Margaret C. Harrell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...Highly recommended reading for anyone considering family life within the context of military service, women's studies groups. -- The Midwest Book Review, June 2001

...highly recommended reading for anyone considering family life within the context of military service... -- Midwest Book Review/Internet Book Watch, June 2001

An insightful look into the lives of enlisted Army wives...A compilation of extensive research and an excellent sociological study. -- Holly Fisher, militarylifestyle.com, April 2, 2001

Confronts an issue crucial to military morale and readiness....this slim paperback illuminates not only policy, but humanity as well. -- Sydney J. Freedberg, Jr., National Journal, June 16, 2001

Invisible Women is an objective, balanced and thoughtful book portraying the real lives of young enlisted families. -- Anita K. Blair, Washington Times, May 1, 2001

The stories provide insight into the experiences and attitudes of other junior enlisted families. -- National Military Family Association, April 2001

The stories provide insight into the experiences and attitudes of other junior enlisted families. -- National Military Family Association, April 2001

There are many women who support the military community whose lives and work go virtually unnoticed--Invisible Women addresses this issue. -- Mev Miller, Feminist Academic Press Column, July 2001

There are many women who support the military community whose lives and work go virtually unnoticed--Invisible Women addresses this issue. -- Feminist Academic Press Column, July 2001

confronts an issue crucial to military morale and readiness....this slim paperback illuminates not only policy, but humanity as well. -- National Journal, June 2001

Product Description
Military manpower policy is often crafted by policymakers without an in-depth understanding of the life experiences and views of junior enlisted personnel. It is plausible to expect that some policymakers attribute the attitudes and experiences of these young soldiers to such features as youth or lack of an advanced education and may thus believethemselves able to empathize with this population group by recalling their own parallel life experiences. However, this approach oversimplifies the life experiences of these families and neglects the reality that most policymakers and professional managers have never experienced the compendium of problems these couples face, such as youth, lack ofeducation, financial difficulties, emotional and physical distance from extended family, and invisibility in a large bureaucracy. At the center of this book are the personal stories of three junior enlisted spouses, told in their own voices and selected to emphasize the dilemmas numerous enlisted families face. The stories provide insight into the experiencesand attitudes of other junior enlisted families. Those interested or involved in the military, or those who live a military lifestyle--at any pay grade--will find these stories both useful and engaging.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 142 pages
• Publisher: RAND Corporation (February 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0833028804
• ISBN-13: 978-0833028808
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,151,123 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Inaccurate portrayal of enlisted families, July 13, 2001

By	Daniel K Elder "[e-mail]" (Temple, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Though the author claims to have interviewed hundreds of spouses, she obviously choose the three that are the most appealing to someone of her stature (a former officer's wife) and has not displayed the insight for a true portrayal of the Invisible Women. Though the topic is great and many enlisted familes can see parts of themselves in some of the topics or issues, it is not a "typical" story of junior enlisted wives. It smacks of sensationalism and stories that keep the tabloids in business. Take this book with a grain of salt, and do not lump an entire group of junior enlisted spouses in the same category of these three women. This is NOT reality as we know it.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars How Offensive can you get?, April 21, 2003

By A Customer

It is apparent that Ms. Harrell didn't do her homework very well. I could have given her a completely different view of military life. I did not marry my husband young, I have a college degree, I hold a job actually making more than my husband (an E-5) and never have I been more offended. The book does nothing to distroy the stereotypes of military wives and is just offensive.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars tells the story of a very small population, February 5, 2002

By	mikayla (USA) - See all my reviews

She has no clue how to do research
First off, I am a military wife. I will say that these women have valid concerns, and that what they experienced is not always uncommon- however- they chose not use the hundreds of military resources that are available to us each and every day. The military knows about these concerns- this book has unmasked nothing. What it has done, is to further foster the society imposed sterotype that military wives are unintelliegent, unemployed baby factories with little to no problem solving skills. Three women HARDLY represent the whole- out of all she interviewed she specifically chose three gals who had it rough, and did not thrive. What about the privates wife who held a job, went to school, had a child, and eventually became a teacher for the Army? Why is SHE not in this book? People believe what they read- and for this author to come in and say she did extensive research, and the best she could find were these three women, then go to lable the book an all encompassing 'junior enlisted wives'--well, she may have claimed that the book's goal was to make the government aware of our strife- but madame, let me tell you, all you have truly done, is to set back all the hard work we have done, and put us back to facing the public as so called 'poor military wives.' By the way- I am that Private's wife mentioned above. On little money, I managed to pay the rent, and have food on the table while my husband was gone to Saudi. I worked part time, and went to school, and gave birth to my first child mid semester. I completed school with child in tow, and now teach in military schools. There are many more like me out there- perhaps you would like to write another book?