Band of Sisters

A Reader says "Thank YOU"

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Please check out the following e-mail that a sixteen-year-old high school student wrote to me on Thurs., Sept. 25

Subject: Thank you!

My god-dad (whom I call dad) is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and is currently serving in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. After I graduate from high school, I want to follow in his footsteps and join the Army through ROTC at William and Mary. Someday I even hope to be Airborne myself! I am sitting here typing this e-mail in a pair of ACU pants, combat boots, a Nat'l Guard t-shirt that says "Real Action Heroes" and dad's beret.

It is homecoming week at our school, and today is "Hero day."

The choice was clear.

I had to be dad!

Anyway, I am currently taking an Advanced Placement English class. Our teacher is having us do research projects on current and controversial subjects. I chose to do my project on whether women should be allowed to participate in front line combat. I found your book by chance and knew immediately that it would be perfect for the project.

Let me say this. No book has ever affected me so much! And I’m only on page 96! Since I started reading Band of Sisters, I have cried and laughed. I have also felt very proud; proud that these brave women are out there protecting America; proud that they are not in the military just to make a point about being a "woman."

I cannot thank you enough for composing such a wonderful book! If you would, please tell all the women that you have worked with "Thank you" for me.

Thanks, and God Bless!

Sammie

Please send encouragement to this sister in arms

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:37:00 +0000

So, I was in Beaufort, SC, this past weekend interviewing a young female Marine for my next book, When the Girls Come Marching Home. I want to tell you a little bit about her in the hopes that you will shoot off an e-mail to her with a word or two of encouragement. She's a good person who has had it rough. She has a beautiful smile and can light up a room with it. Amidst great sorrow, I saw that smile this past weekend. Incredible!

Stacy is a young black woman from Detroit. She joined the Army reserves. Served two one-year, back-to-back tours in Iraq. In other words, she was in Iraq for two years straight. She lost a couple of buddies over there. By the middle of her second tour, she didn't have much left to give. She came back to the States, got out of the Army, and spiraled into drugs and alcohol. When she hit bottom, she joined the Marine Corps to save her life. So far so good.

This past weekend, the night before I met her, her Marine boyfriend was at a party. Another male Marine, thinking his gun was empty, put it to Stacy's boyfriend's head and shot him. When I met Stacy, she had just come from the hospital. They had taken her boyfriend off life support. He died soon after.

You can reach Stacy at ---
litediamond21@yahoo.com

Please reach out to her. She needs your thoughts, prayers, and kind words.
She has a light within her. Help her keep it lit in these tough times!!

thank you!
kirsten

Female Service members -- Is the Price to High??

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:25:00 +0000

I just received an e-mail and wanted to get your input.

The writer acknowledges that women are capable of serving in combat, but wonders if the price is too high? "I think about their priceless children and the sacrifices they are forced to make while their parent(s), sometimes both of them, are in Iraq. We have not yet seen how children are affected and if they will ever heal from it all. What will surface in later life for the children? I have seen the effect of an abusive childhood. Will the stress these children are in be even more devastating?"

The writer goes on to say that while the legacy of the Iraqi war will be that women are very able to do whatever they are called to do, it will also show that sending women off to war is just too devastating on the children.

Finally, she notes that women are 40 percent more likely to experience the devestating ramifications of combat than men. I don't know where she got this figure and whether it's true. But it raises the question of whether women are more vulnerable and less resilient to the horrors of war.

Hope you will weigh in on this discussion. I don't have the answers but I think it's interesting and important to explore.

Are you a mom who served in combat? How did your deployment positively or negatively impact your children?

And do you feel that you suffer from your experiences on the battlefield more than your brothers in arms who have had similar experiences.

Take good care!
kirsten

Her body came home but her mind didn't

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:56:00 +0000

I got an e-mail recently from a young female soldier who served in Iraq from 2005-06. She writes that since returning from Iraq she has had a major breakdown which has cost her her career in the service. She takes at least six pills a day to control her anxiety and mood shifts and the pain in her leg and back. She takes pills to sleep through the nightmares. Her son was five months old when she deployed. He was a year and a half old when she returned. She still can’t relate to him, her husband, and her extended family after being back for two years. Mentally, she says she’s a mess from the war. She feels alone and doesn’t know who to turn to. She says a lot happened over there in Iraq while she was patrolling and transporting military supplies up and down the roads in Iraq. Sometimes being the only female on missions was a challenge in itself. She goes on to list other challenges ... rape, assaults, suicide, and the death of her battle buddy. Her body came home but her mind didn’t.

“I go to the VA for help but they just give me medications and really don't talk to me or listen to how I am feeling. I wish I could just be normal again or have that part of me whole and complete again.”

“Everyday is a struggle for me. I have to put on a fake smile and act like everything is okay when really it's not. I'm fighting a daily war within myself.”

Anyone listening????????????????????
Please post your suggestions.

Onslow County Public Library

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:32:00 +0000

Thank you to the Onslow County Public Library (Karen Moore) for hosting a Band of Sisters reception in June and to Camp Johnson (LtCol Mike Cordero) for their support of women Marines.

kah

San Diego--MCRD, the USS Midway, and more

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:40:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

Just back from a wonderful visit to southern California. As usual, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego put on a fantastic reception for me and Band of Sisters. Sorry I don't have any photos from that event. I was too busy talking to take photos.

I spent July 4 on the USS Midway. July 4 was also the one-year anniversary of Band of Sisters, so I had a couple of things to celebrate that day.

One of the main reasons for my visit to San Diego was to interview women for my next book. That went very well. I interviewed two female Marines (Sgt. Shannon Evans from Miramar) and SgtMajor Irene O'Neal from Camp Pendleton) and two Sailors (Commander Lenora Langlais and Corpsman Elaine Snavely) who will be featured in When The Girls Come Marching Home.

Our female servicemembers continue to inspire me on a daily basis.

Talk soon!
best,
kirsten

Gunny (Rosie) Noel Goes to Washington

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 11:35:00 +0000

This past week (June 4-8) I traveled to Washington and Annapolis to sign books at the Pentagon and do research for my next book. Initially, I was going alone. While talking to Gunny (Rosie) Noel the week before I left, I told her it would be nice to have her at the Pentagon signing. Next thing I knew she was spending the week with me. I couldn’t have been happier.
June 4—We signed for a few hours at the Pentagon. As usual, the staff in the clothing store were great hostesses, and Rosie and I met a lot of awesome service members. Then we got on the metro and rode it for one stop to Arlington National Cemetery. We were on our way to the Women’s Memorial. Before we got to the Memorial we stopped inside the building that houses the visitor’s area at Arlington Cemetery. While we were there, the sky opened up. The rain and wind were intense, and we were trapped, along with hundreds of teenagers. It was a fieldtrip gone bad, and we were right smack in the middle. By the time we left, Noel had a migraine from the teenagers talking loudly and fooling around. Exacerbating her headache was the lack of respect that the teenagers seemed to be showing for the deceased service members. The Gunny did her best to shut them down but was outnumbered. However, she and the guards were on the same page and the guards did their best to control the crowd. Fortunately, the storm let up and we high tailed it to the Women’s Memorial. At the Memorial, I especially liked looking at the photos of the American female service members throughout the years and the memorabilia from previous wars.
June 5—Noel and I went to Walter Reed. I had scheduled interviews with members of the medical staff who treated Major Tammy Duckworth’s war wounds. The staff spoke so highly of her. She sounds too good to be true. Most people know that Duckworth is a highly motivated individual. How else could she have gone through what she went through and serve as Director of Veteran’s Affairs for the State of Illinois? But what many may not know is how generous she is when it comes to motivating others, i.e., not only the wounded but also the staff of Walter Reed. So what motivates Duckworth? How did she get from the ICU at Walter Reed to her current role? What’s her passion? Stay tuned. Thank you to Pat C, Bunny, Kristi, Harvey, and Mike for all you do and for spending time with me. One other tidbit—I had the pleasure of meeting two peer volunteers who visit the wounded at WR. In order to visit an amputee, you have to be an amputee yourself. The gentleman who visited Tammy a day after she arrived in the ICU is 79 years old and lost both legs in Korea. God bless him and peer volunteers everywhere. You know when this man walks into the room of an amputee, he is a source of great inspiration.
While I was doing my interviews, Noel met Commander Necia Williams for the first time. Williams is the anesthesiologist who gave the order to anesthetize Noel after she was wounded at Al Asad by an indirect fire. They hadn’t seen each other in several years, since that day in triage in Iraq.
That evening, Noel and I went to dinner with Nancy and Virginia in Shirlington. Nancy and Virginia were both Marines who now work for the protocol office for the Commandant of the Marine Corps and in supply admin, respectively. Noel shared her story .., There I was riding my Bike. And Nancy and Virginia talked about their days in the Marine Corps.
June 6—Bethesda—I had another interview for my next book. This time I interviewed Ciara Cook, an E5 in the Navy. Any guesses as to her occupation? Culinary Services. Cook worked as a guard in a detention facility in Iraq.
Noel met up with Commander Williams again and was introduced for the first time to Lieutenant Commander J. Hernandez, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and Captain William Liston (doc). Williams gave the order to anesthetize Noel. Hernandez actually gave her the juice. Liston is the doctor who removed the shrapnel from Noel’s face in Al Asad. Liston took a moment at Bethesda to examine Noel’s scar and was impressed with how it had healed. Williams, Hernandez, and Liston all recall the Gunny arguing with them because she just wanted them to stitch her up and send her back to her troops. They wanted to (and did) send her onto Balad. However, within 24 hours Noel was back with her troops. Liston recalled that even while she was on lying down on a bed in triage, Noel was worried about everyone else except for herself. It was moving to see all of these folks meeting for the first time back in the States. It’s not every day that a surgeon gets to see a patient he worked on in Iraq—nearly three years later.
June 7—Play day in downtown Annapolis. Gunny goes crazy buying gifts for everyone. She did get a very cool gift from me, though. It’s a T-shirt that reads—Scars are tattoos with better stories. She should know. 

Memorial Day--Remember the Fallen!!!

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:28:00 +0000

Today I've been working on my next book, When the Girls Come Marching Home. It's a good day to be writing about women in combat. About 100 American women have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need to remember them as we honor all of the fallen today. We need to remember they are in the fight and they too are making the ultimate sacrfice on the battlefield.

I'm writing a story about a female JAG officer whose Humvee was hit by an IED. Three of the five soldiers in the Humvee were killed. It's a good day to remember CPL Coty J. Phelps, CPL Victor Fontanilla, and SFC Jesse Albrecht. And to remember those who survived and struggle with how to move on after they've been through such a traumatic experience. Another woman I'm writing about was in the Lioness convoy back in the summer of 2005 that got hit by a suicide bomber, killing and wounding male and female Marines. And yet another watched as an EOD tech was blown up by an improvised explosive.

Our service members are dying every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the ones who love them are dying a little, too. Remember those who have died, their families, and friends. Honor them. They deserve it!

Daily Lit launches Band of Sisters

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:53:00 +0000

Exciting News

Band of Sisters is now available as a digital download from Daily Lit.
Daily Lit offers books digitally in installments, sending you a chapter a day, so in a sense it’s a serialized way to read a book.

Please see: http://www.dailylit.com/books/band-of-sisters.

Woman Gains Silver Star -- And Removal from Combat

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:41:00 +0000

What do you think of this story--

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/30/AR2008043003415.html

This isn't about Brown receiving the Silver Star. That is awesome!!! It's about her being pulled from her combat unit.

Pfc Monica Brown received the Silver Star in March for repeatedly risking her life on April 25, 2007, to treat wounded comrades. She is the second woman since WW II to receive the nation's third-highest combat medal.

Within a few days of her heroic acts, the Army pulled Brown out of the remote camp in Paktika province where she was serving with a cavalry unit apparently because Army restrictions on women in combat barred her from such missions.

I guess what concerns me about this is that it makes what Brown was doing--supporting a calvary regiment--seem unique. I understand the soldiers were fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan, the fighting intensified, and she became a line medic. As a line medic, she spent days on combat operations--constant combat operations.

Was she pulled from the unit because of the intensity of the fighting? Is it okay for women to be in a firefight every other day or once a week, but not continuous, back-to-back missions ... at least not until they are found out? Thousands of our female service members support combat operations and are in harm's way on a daily basis. Apparently someone (a politician?) read about Brown and her Silver Star achievement and complained about her being attached to a combat unit? I think that whomever that was is very naive.

Women serving in noncombat roles throughout Iraq and Afghanistan face danger all the time. If the military pulled every woman who was serving in these countries and in danger, the size of the military and the success of its operations would be greatly reduced.

Once again we are denying our brave and courageous female service members the credit they deserve. I wish people would wake up and give credit where credit is due!!!

When The Girls Come Marching Home

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:35:00 +0000

As many of you know, I'm working on my second book, tentatively titled When The Girls Come Marching Home. The book will feature stories about women in combat and how they handle or don't handle their transition back home. The stories will take on PTSD, TBI, and wounds. They will show women who have been strengthened by their experieinces on the battlelfied and those who continueu to struggle. This is a book, for the most part, of survival.

If you know of someone who you think might be interesting for the book, please contact me at kaholmstedt@yahoo.com

Thank you!
kirsten

Catching Up

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Sgt. Chrissy DeCaprio (featured in Band of Sisters), Band of Sisters Author Kirsten Holmstedt,and SSgt. Tamara Velding, a drill instructor at Parris Island

Hi Everyone!

It's now approaching the end of May and I haven't blogged in a while. But I've had some great experiences that I wanted to share with you. The Marine Corps (Garden City Recruiting District) invited me to travel with educators from the northeast down to Parris Island in Beaufort, SC, to get a better understanding of our recruits and their training. The trip allowed me to spend a few days with Sgt. Chrissy DeCaprio, who is the MP featured in Band of Sisters. I also got to meet some female drill instructors from 4th Battalion who I hope to feature in my next book, When the Girls Come Marching Home.

Earlier in May, I traveled to Germany for book signings at Ramstein Air Force Base and Vogelwegh. While there, I had the good fortune of meeting some of the medical staff from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. I didn't make it to Landstuhl on this trip. That is a source of great disappointment for me because many of the women featured in my next book were treated at Landstuhl. I will do better on my next trip.

I did have the pleasure of meeting many female service members on this trip, including --

Captain Cindy Bond, who works in critical care air transport

Tech Sergeant Kim Blaum, a civil engineer who helps planes land after they've been shot up

LtCol Anita Greenlee, an MP

LtCol Teresa Bisnett, who is the latest director of the ICU at the hospital in Balad

LtCol Carol Fox, TBI nurse coordinator at Landstuhl

Thank you all for your service and leadership!!!

Canadian Women Leading in Defence

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:45:00 +0000

Hi Everyone!!!

This past week, March 3-5, I had the pleasure of meeting women in the Canadian Forces, our equivalent of the Band of Sisters.

My first evening in Ottawa, I ate dinner at Johnny Farina's with more than a dozen members of the Canadian Forces. It was great! The next morning, I spoke at a conference, Women Leading in Defence, sponsored by the Canadian Defence Academy. The entire day was fascinating. Met a couple of senators, as well as the first female general in the Canadian Forces, BGen (Ret) Sheila Hellstrom, CD, and many, many female service members.

If you didn't know already, the Canadian Forces are serving in Afghanistan and like our American servicemembers, they are making enormous sacrifices. You need only to visit the War Museum and its Afghanistan exhibit to get a glimpse of what the Canadians have been through. Thank you to Capt. Judy Emberson for driving me to the museum and spending the morning there with me. In addition to admiring the women in the Canadian Forces for their soldiering and leadership skills, I also now have great appreciation for their driving skills. Well, Judy's anyway. Judy drove me to the museum after an evening of sleet and snowfall. I woke that morning to the sound of the freezing rain pelting my hotel window and lingered over breakfast, certain that our visit to the museum would be cancelled. Either Judy wouldn't want to drive on the snow-covered roads or the museum would be closed, or both. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I, personally, would not have ventured out in such weather. But I have lived in North Carolina for the past 12 or so years. NC, where schools are cancelled at the mere mention of the word snow.

My flight that afternoon was cancelled but no need to feel sorry for me. I ate a mouth watering meal that evening at Mamma Grazzi's. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it. The night before Karen Davis of the Canadian Defence Academy and I ate dinner at a Scottish restaurant. For me, the highlight was the Keith's beer. And afterwards, I ate a warm beaver's tail and washed it down with a hot cup of coffee. Just trying to get the full Ottawan experience.

Thank you to all the women who met me for dinner at Johnny Farina's on Monday night. A special thanks to Karen Davis, Capt. Judy Emberson, and Commander Robert Edwards, Director of the Canadian Forces Leadership Institute, for YOUR leadership and vision.

While I love Ottawa and hope to return to that city and other locations in Canada, I am happy to be home. Ottawa is expecting two storms this weekend. It also anticipates breaking its record for snowfall in one year. The previous record--444.1centimeters in 1970-71. The city has already had 357 centimeters this year.

Merci, and bon chance with the storm!!!

A Canadian Band of Sisters

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:40:00 +0000

San Antonio Book Tour

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:57:00 +0000

Hi Everyone!

I spent Feb 20-25 in San Antonio and had a fantastic time. With the 80 degree temperatures, Riverwalk, Westin Spa and Resort, signings, and all the wonderful people I met, I couldn't go wrong.

Had signings at Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, USAA, and Barnes & Noble. A huge thank you to everyone in San Antonio who made the trip possible and successful.

A special thank you to Elena Marcum at Lackland, Patricia Krause, MCSS Manager at the Ft. Sam Houston Exchange (AAFES), Sasha at Barnes & Noble, and all the folks at USAA, including Mike Kelly, Gen. Robles, John Townes, David Bohne, Bob Lockett, Wendi Strong, LeVon Clark, and Rhonda Crawford. USAA is THE most impressive business I have ever visited. They're doing everything right. If you are in the military and need insurance, check out USAA. They will take excellent care of you! They took super care of me, providing me with all the comforts of home while I was away and much more! And I've been a USAA member for about 15 years.

Some other highlights--

Meeting Diane Cardile and April Payne for the first time. They will be featured in my next book, tentatively titled When the Girls Come Marching Home.

Spending time with Army medics Willi, Torres, and Stogsdill at Fort Sam Houston.

Meeting LtCol Kim Chaney, formerly of the 506th Regiment, and receiving his patches. I will treasure them.

Meeting the parents of three Marines--two female and one male--at the Barnes & Noble at San Pedro Crossing.

We need to keep ALL of our troops in our prayers. They're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they're still coming home with physical and emotional wounds.

Great trip all around!!

kh

Check out my Slide Show!

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:42:00 +0000

U.S. Naval Academy

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Just back from the U.S. Naval Academy. Had a wonderful time. Major Amy McGrath, a '97 graduate of the Academy and one of the women featured in Band of Sisters, received an incredible reception from the young midshipmen. Thank you to Capt. Peg Klein--Commandant of Midshipmen, Lt. Kerri Chase, The Captain Joy Bright Hancock Organization, Ens. Mel Parrish, John Pasko, Bob Dupuis, and everyone else who helped make my visit with Maj. McGrath possible. When Major McGrath agreed to be in Band of Sisters, she said she would do it because she wanted to be a mentor to young women in the military. Well, the visit to the Naval Academy revealed to me and everyone else present that McGrath is a mentor and much, much more. McGrath takes her role of being a mentor seriously, and in my opinion represents all that is good about the Naval Academy and the Marine Corps.

Thanks everyone!
kh

Photos

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:41:00 +0000

Here are two wonderful photos of women Marines of all ages and generations.

The first one is of women in the Marine Corps Combat Service Support School MCCSSS) at Camp Johnson in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The second picture is of members of the Tar Heel Chapter of the Women's Marine Association.

Congratulations to Chrissy DeCaprio

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:13:00 +0000

Marine Sergeant Chrissy DeCaprio, who was featured in Band of Sisters: American Women at War in Iraq, is the female recipient of the 2007 Sergeant Major Peters award. This award is given out each year to the female and male Marine of the Year.

Review in Military History Magazine--Nov. 2007

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:09:00 +0000

Band of Sisters: American Women at War in Iraq
Kirsten Holmstedt
Reviewed by Sharon Tosi Moore for Military History Magazine

Kirsten Holmstedt has pulled off two astonishing feats: Not only does she tell engaging stories of service in Iraq without any hint of a political agenda, but she has chosen stories in which the heroes just happen to be women. As she relates the experiences of soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines and how they react in combat situations, the fact that they are women is largely forgotten.

Books about women in combat generally come with a clear bias, either pro or con, and focus on extreme examples, rarely reflecting the actual experiences of servicewomen. Serv-ing in combat zones alongside their male counterparts is simply what the women in this book do, and they see nothing unusual or groundbreaking about it.

You won’t find tales of command mal-feasance and sexual harassment. Nor do the women downplay the difficulty of penetrating the inner circle and earning the trust and respect of their peers, leaders and subordinates; they just see it as something every new unit member encounters. Except perhaps when trying to use the latrine in the field, these women do not expect special treatment.

Tales range from a young corporal on patrol with Marine recon in Haditha to an Air Force squadron commander flying C-130s. Represented is a broad swath of American society, with diverse reasons for serving but a common devotion to comrades and country. As one nurse summed up: “Millions of Americans do the right thing. I’m just one person in that million.” Sharing America’s freedom and opportunities means sharing the risks involved in defending them.

The mothers feel an extra burden of societal guilt, but none tried to get out of their service. A sergeant with three young boys explained: “I went because I had to.

I was a soldier before I was a mom. ”Rather than presenting infallible paragons of virtue, the author faithfully records the women’s frustrations, weaknesses and fears. One admits she was barely able to function as a commander on her first Mother’s Day away from her children.

Another comes to grips with having survived an IED attack, while her companion (another woman) was killed. A third is devastated when her toddler son doesn’t recognize her when she returns home. These incidents are presented without judgment or rancor and with the acknowledgment that fighting men throughout history have dealt with these same issues.

A helicopter pilot’s reflections on having been shot down will resonate with anyone who has served in combat: “You always wonder whether you will be able to handle it if something bad happens. Well, I got a chance to find out. I feel very lucky to know that about myself.”

Should women be allowed to serve in all combat units? This book does not argue one way or another. These are simply good war stories that needed to be told. Our media-saturated culture carelessly throws the word “hero” around while true bravery in our midst goes unnoticed. This book brings the spotlight back where it belongs.

Photos from Southern California

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:04:00 +0000

Southern California Book Tour and Wild Fires

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 23:21:00 +0000

Oct. 20-28)

If ever there was a good time for a book burning in southern California, it was the fourth week in October 2007. Only I wasn’t there to burn books. I was there to sell books. It was a very difficult and challenging week. I had been planning this trip for three months. Still, I had to keep things in perspective because no matter how bad it was for me, I knew it was far worse for those living in southern California who had to evacuate their homes, whose homes went up in flames, and who lost family members. The wild fires represented a force far greater than all of us. There was literally nothing I could do about it except make the best of the situation.

I arrived on a Saturday and had an amazing dinner that night with Cheryl Spencer, CWO5 (retired) and Angelique Esquivel, also a Woman Marine (WM). We ate at Rainwater’s on Kettner in San Diego. I highly recommend the chocolate lasagna.

I want to thank Cheryl Spencer for being my point of contact and making sure that I got to my readings and signings okay on Sunday and Monday. Also, Cheryl and my bf in Massachusetts, Mic, helped me set up nearly every event out there. They're great people and WMs. Thanks Mic, for introducing me to Cheryl. You two are a great example of how strong WMs are, and how committed all of you are to supporting and empowering one another … and me and Band of Sisters!!

Sunday—I had fun signing books with Major Amy McGrath on the USS Midway. That evening I signed books at the Barnes & Noble at Hazard Center. There, I met Maria Edwards, president of the American Authors Association, and her family. She presented me with two awards—

2007 Golden Quill Award (military genre) from the American Authors Association
2007 Founder’s Award from the Military Writer’s Society of America

Thank you Maria and Bill!!

Monday—I was scheduled to read/sign at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD). By then, the fires were raging, the governor was telling motorists to stay off the streets, residents were evacuating their homes, and all the military bases were sending non-essential employees home. Still, we had a modest (good) turnout at MCRD thanks to Tom, Barbara, Vic, Cheryl, and everyone else who helped to make sure the event happened. I was thrilled to meet Brigadier General Angela Salinas and to receive a challenge coin from her. It is women like her who are paving the way for the current and future band of sisters.

Tuesday—I was scheduled to read and sign at Miramar Air Station but that event was cancelled. I took the opportunity to drive to La Jolla to meet my boyfriend’s 90-year-old mother, Doris. I had planned to meet her for the first time later in the week but that meeting was going to be hectic because there would be a lot of family members around. Meeting one-on-one, over lunch, and then hot chocolate and coffee at Starbucks, gave us a little more quality time. She has been a huge supporter of me and Band of Sisters. She bought all the copies of the book at the local bookstore and suggested that the store buy more. And they did. Thanks Doris!!! Even more important was her positive attitude and enthusiasm. Those qualities got me through some rough hours.

That evening I went to Bay Books on Coronado. The island was hopping but I think there were more evacuees than residents and not much interest in buying books. Still, I loved Coronado and Bay Books, and a few interested individuals stopped by for the reading.

I was supposed to drive from Coronado to Camp Pendleton but the next day’s events at CP were cancelled due to the fires. I had already checked out of my hotel room in San Diego and even if I wanted to stay there I couldn’t because the wildfires had chased the evacuees into the city and there were no hotel rooms available. Randy, president of the San Diego area Women’s Marine Association, was kind enough to let me stay with her in La Mesa. She actually said I could stay there if the sewer and water were working. They weren’t working. So Nancy, her friend, let us stay with her. We had a great night and morning. They’re wonderful.

Wednesday—Since CP was cancelled, I headed for the desert—La Quinta, Palm Desert, … This is where Uncle Ken comes in. He is not my uncle but may as well be. He is actually my boyfriend’s uncle. Several months ago he was visiting in NC and talking about his daughter’s wedding in late October. As he talked, I thought it would be great to have the book tour the week leading up to the wedding and end with the wedding.

Uncle Ken immediately got the ball rolling to have me and pilots from Band of Sisters speak to the Old Bold Pilots (OBPs) from WW II and other wars. More than 100 showed up with spouses and other family members and friends at 7:30 a.m. to hear me, Robin Brown (former Army captain and pilot), and Major Amy McGrath (F-18 aviator) speak and sign books. It was a super event. They gave us a standing ovation.

I’m always excited anytime the women from the book meet for the first time or get together. Amy and Robin, both 32, met for the first time at OBP and seemed to hit it off. Robin came alone from Oregon. Amy came from Miramar with her father who was visiting from Kentucky.

I had a reading scheduled at the Rancho Mirage Library for that evening but I think the World Series interferred with attendance. Who am I, a Red Sox fan, to cast stones at fans who choose a Sox game over a reading?

Saturday--The wedding was absolutely wonderful. Best wishes to Wende and Michael!!

Sunday--Traveled all day. I arrived at my boyfriend’s late Sunday night to catch the last inning of the last game of the World Series. Go SOX!!!

Today I received an e-mail from someone in southern California who had planned to attend my signing at MCRD. She’s very witty. “We knew you'd light up the place when you came, but really ... that wasn't quite what we had in mind.”

I wrote back and said I might try to get out there in March 2008. She responded, “Please try not to light up the place up again. Oh wait. By March, the fires will be over and the landslides should start. If you plan your trip just right, you'll miss earthquake season all together.”

Here in NC, the only bad season is hurricane season. I’m thinking it might be easier if the folks in southern California come here—to NC—for one big signing.

Thank you to everyone who helped keep things moving along in Southern California. I really, really appreciate each and everyone of you. I couldn't have done it on my own.

xoxo,
kh

Parris Island Photos

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 17:27:00 +0000

Top 10 List from My Trip to Parris Island

10. Standing on the yellow footprints and listening to a drill instructor shout orders at me as if I were a new recruit just off the bus. Seeing the phones the recruits use to make their last call home before the start of boot camp. I don't know how they do it. I would have cried like a baby talking to my mother.

9. Attending liberty call (a ceremony held the day before graduation. Recruits see their family members for the first time in three months—no dry eyes) and graduation.

8. Eating dinner at Dockside with very cool female Marines from Fourth Battalion. With these women serving and protecting our country, I KNOW we’re in good hands.

7. Meeting Sergeant Sarah Lytle in person. She drove up from Pensacola.

6. Hearing a recruit say that she read Band of Sisters this past summer and it inspired her to become a Marine.

5. Reconnecting Marine LtCol Jessup and Air Force LtCol Polly Montgomery, C-130 pilot featured in Band of Sisters. They went to high school together at Atlus Air Force Base in Oklahoma (?) and haven’t talked since then (20+ years ago). Neither one knew that the other had joined their respective branches of the armed services, never mind that they were both lieutenant colonels.

4. Four-wheeling with Major Goyette. Goyette was an AMAZING tour guide during my visit to Parris Island. From breakfast to dinner and everything in between, she made sure we got to see as much as possible and that we got to meet as many female Marines and recruits as possible.

3. Having Chuck Taliano and Jennifer Bailey, former drill instructors, sign copies of their famous posters—We Don’t Promise You a Rose Garden.

2. Seeing Gunnery Sergeant Noel reconnect with one of her former recruits turned drill instructor.

1. Listening to the SgtMaj give fashion tips to the CO of Fourth Recruit Training Battalion.

Let me back up here for a second—The CO is NOT known for her keen fashion sense. I was sitting in the front row, between the CO and sergeant major, during a graduation ceremony. Before the ceremony started, the CO whispers to me that she has pants similar to mine. I pride myself on being somewhat fashionable, so imagine my horror … Just the night before the female Marines had given me an earful about their unstylish CO, and then she tells me that we dress alike. :) OMG. I don’t think so. She insisted. How could I argue? She’s the CO.

Maybe the SgtMaj needs to take all of us out shopping. Talbots anyone?

Committed to her Country and to her Children

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:40:00 +0000

Air Force MSgt Denise LeBarb Malloy is a 39-year-old single mom. No one knows the struggles of being committed to her country and her children better than Malloy. She has been in the Air Force for 21 ½ years and is on her third deployment. She served one tour in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. She is currently working in personnel in Baghdad.

“My heart is definitely in two places. If I look forward I keep walking in the sand. If I look back, I see that I need to return and raise my children.”

Denise, thank you for your service!

Say it isn't so?

kirsten@kirstenholmstedt.com (Kirsten Holmstedt) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:27:00 +0000

Beaufort Books has commissioned an additional 50,000 copies of OJ Simpson’s “If I Did It,” the ghostwritten account of how the ex-football star would have murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The book, which came out last week and on Tuesday ranked No. 2 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, now has 200,000 copies in print.

Are you kidding me? Come on people. Is this what our society values? We can do better than this. Please, if you are looking for something to read, pick up a copy of Band of Sisters. Choose to read about people with substance, values, ... Read about female service members, their sacrifices, their courage, and amazing attitudes. Give credit where credit is due.

Don't reward OJ. He may have been a football hero once but those days are long gone. That person doesn't even exist anymore. Reward the women who are serving bravely beside our brothers-in-arms, women who have made a conscious choice to make America a better place. Read their stories and not OJ's. Celebrate their accomplishments and not OJ's. Stop looking to the past and look at the NOW. Where is he now--in a cell. Where are the women--making the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of our homeland.