Showing titles in Military Families

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.

In the wake of her mother's death, Jessica Pearce Rotondi uncovers boxes of letters, declassified CIA reports, and newspaper clippings that bring to light a family ghost: her uncle Jack, who disappeared during the CIA-led "Secret War" in Laos in 1972. The letters lead her across Southeast Asia in search of the truth that has eluded her family for decades. On the night of March 29, 1972, Jack's plane vanishes over the mountains bordering Vietnam. The crash eerily echoes the one Jack's father, Ed Pearce, survived in World War II, when Ed parachuted out of the plane before being captured.

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?

Less than three months after retiring from a 30-year law enforcement career, Kim Colegrove's husband chose suicide. Since that day, Colegrove has been helping first responders across the country practice techniques to cope with the stress and trauma that their work brings. And this book continues that mission by offering first responders and their families hope by introducing meditation and mindfulness as viable and practical tools to help reduce stress, regulate emotion, and improve overall health and well-being.

Children of a Faraway War tells the story of Wendy and Robbie, two Australian-born sisters, now in their 70s, and their life-changing quest to learn the truth about their father who died in England in World War II while serving in Bomber Command. Because of their mother's reticence and their reluctance to probe her grief, they grow up knowing very little about the man who could have been a father to them. Separated by half a world, Robbie in Australia, Wendy in Canada, they plan a trip to England as a kind of homage to this missing dad.

The Emmy award-winning news anchor of Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner and co-host of the talk show Outnumbered shares the lessons she learned growing up in a military family paying homage to the military ideals that shaped her and showing how everyone can benefit from bringing the wisdom of military service into their lives. Born into a military family, Harris Faulkner revered her father, a decorated career officer who served three tours of duty in Vietnam and raised his children with the values and ideals of the US military.

The hallmarks of America’s War on Terror have been repeated long deployments and a high percentage of troops returning with psychological problems. Family members of combat veterans are at a higher risk of potentially lethal domestic violence than almost any other demographic; it’s estimated that one in four children of active-duty service members has symptoms of depression; and nearly one million veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan require increased care due to physical or psychological trauma.

Tall in the Face of Adversity tells the story of S J Briggs. A man who grew up from humble beginnings within a military family, he endured years of child abuse from his schoolteacher and Peter Righton, founder of the Paedophile Information Exchange, in the 1970s. Briggs enlisted in the army, was wounded in action, lived homeless in London, built a business, and finally faced his abuser in courts 40 years after the incident. Brutally honest, Briggs' unbiased account will bring tears to the eyes of listeners.

Fight for Us takes couples on an inspiring journey into the challenges of battling for their marriage - through gut-wrenching times of despair, and then finally to the victory of a renewed relationship grounded in Jesus.

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.

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.

When you marry a military member, your life is suddenly no longer your own. You not only marry the one you love, but also a whole new way of life—one filled with separations, moves, deployments, and other challenges. How to cope with this ever-changing life? Jen McDonald is right there with you. For three decades as a military spouse, she was in the trenches of this unique military world and carved out her own rewarding life, all while moving around the globe and raising four children.

Lawrence Bass escaped his burning ship at Guadalcanal, participated in the invasion of Rendova and in retaking the Philippines, dropped off Marines at Iwo Jima, and watched as they raised the flag on Suribachi. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1940 and helped to make history over the next six years of his enlistment. Then, he told his story.

In Mission-Ready Marriage, Ashley allows you to peer into her service-induced marriage challenges and shares the secrets that brought her healing and joy. Applying God’s truths to all areas of military marriage, Ashley helps spouses, from brand new to seasoned, unearth hope in this arduous journey.

In this celebration of faith and freedom, Fox News Co-Host Emily Compagno shares first person accounts that show the profound role belief in God has played in the lives of U.S. military servicemembers as they served in combat from World War I to today—commemorating the courage, camaraderie, spirit, and sacrifice of America’s heroes.

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.

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.

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."

One of the most common myths in parenting books - you see it everywhere - is that parents are responsible for who their children turn out to be. Proper input yields proper output, or so the thinking goes. But that mindset works with machinery, not people. The truth is, your child has a unique set of traits - their giftedness - that only they possess. The parent’s job isn’t to crank out a product, but to point an individual human being toward a healthy, flourishing life.

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.