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

by Kirsten Holmstedt

Deeply personal and emotional accounts of more than a dozen American soldiers returning home from the war in Iraq; includes women from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard Inspiring stories of courage while recovering from both physical and psychological wounds along with the frustrations of navigating the military bureaucracy to get help How combat affects someone's entire life, including her family and friends In her award-winning Band of American Women at War in Iraq, Kirsten Holmstedt described how female soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines are fighting on the front lines in Iraq despite the military's ban on women in combat. Now Holmstedt tells the stories of America's fighting women as they come home from Iraq. Some return with grave physical wounds, but all struggle with the psychological toll of battle while readjusting to life at home. As Holmstedt so poignantly shows, these women may have left the war, but the war will never leave them.Learn more now at Author Kirsten Holmstedt's website.

Genres: Military Fiction, Nonfiction, War, History, Book Club, Memoir, Middle East

336 pages, Hardcover

First published June 23, 2009

About the author

Kirsten Holmstedt grew up in Mystic, Connecticut. She graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2006 with a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Nonfiction Writing.

Ms. Holmstedt was finishing her first year of graduate school in the spring of 2003 when the war in Iraq started. Living in Jacksonville, North Carolina, near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Ms. Holmstedt was in an ideal location to initiate her research of women serving in combat for the first time. Over the next several years, she traveled throughout the United States and spent hundreds of hours interviewing female soldiers, Marines, airmen, and sailors.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. The stories were interesting (and heartbreaking), but the writing style was difficult for me to deal with. I was editing in my head the entire time.

[Carrie Daws · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and haunting, this book evokes a plethora of emotion. The women featured within its pages are due our honor and respect, but their stories are not easy to read--what they survived as well as what they faced once home. The author did an excellent job relating their experiences and letting the women shine from the pages, and I will carry their struggles with me for a long time.

[Krista Stevens · Rating 2 out of 5]

Serving on the front line of any war is beyond comprehension - to say nothing of Iraq - and add the twist that these stories are from the women who served on the front line. Their stories range from poignant to shocking in interviews that were turned into vignettes - some very brief - others much more detailed. Their bravery, dedication, intelligence as well as suffering from PTSD and physical disabilities is both heartening and disheartening. For many (as well as for their male counterparts), the effects and consequences of war come home with the warriors. It is sad that many must now fight both the military and the medical establishment to get the care they need.

Then there are some disturbing stories of what motivated these women (one was tired of caring for five children and wanted her husband to know what that was like) as well as the extreme, almost fanatical dedication they had for their fellow warriors - over the well-being of their children at home. In any event, what really made me put the book down was the writing. The sentence structure and diction is too simple; details jump around or are skipped all together leading to patchy writing. ("This left her discouraged." Really? In that same paragraph five sentences in a row start with "She...".) In one story a school district has an opportunity to create a smooth transition for a daughter of one of these women - the only comment - they didn't. Why not? What happened? Where was the follow-through with that school? Some editor dropped the ball on editing this book.

[Patricia Gall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too sad the state of things when our girls come home and are basically thrown away by the military and the society the girls went to war to protect.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a it was little hard to follow at times, I really enjoyed reading this book and gained a greater understanding into the lives of some female soldiers.

Not only that but this book also gave me some new heroes to look up and a greater respect and gratitude for all those who serve in so many different capacities.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stories but hard to read as many of them occurred during or around the time I was in Iraq. It sheds a much needed light on issues with the VA. Only 3 stars because the writing style and editing were poor.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stories worth telling, but very poor editing.

[Debi DeBacco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somber stories of the challenges women deal with after returning from war. Even though it was depressing to read, thanks to Kirsten Holmstedt for telling these real life stories. It highlights the trauma and unmeet needs of these brave warriors. During the early years of the war, while the first of the women who served on the front lines came home, the military did not have the support sevices in place to help them cope. With each story, I became more upset at the way our military responded (or didn't respond) to the immediate and long range needs to these women.

I gave the book only 2 stars because I could not finish more than 60% because of the depressing nature. I do hope that the second half of the book was more uplifting and that women warriors are finally receiving the support they need.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly what I was expecting, but an interesting read nonetheless. Holmstedt has interviewed dozens of women coming home from the war. Some that enlisted when they were in high school, some who were career military. It's an interesting look at what the women go through while overseas, and how things have changed since the first gulf war. Living in Virginia and going to a school with a corps I have many, many friends in the military. I cannot count the number of people that have come home recently with cases of PTSD, and the stories in here just illustrate the hardships that these women have gone through. The misdiagnoses, the ongoing frustration with the system that has failed them repeatedly, the suicidal thoughts, the loss of friends, etc. It's not an uplifting, positive book, but it is an honest one.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a series of stories about individual women and their experiences once that got home from Iraq. It was an eye-opener for me. We've all heard about vets' poor treatment from the VA hospitals, so that wasn't a surprise. But the racism both in and out of the service was a shocker to me. Also, it seems we (just me?) rarely hear of the long-term injuries sustained by these servicewomen. I suppose it's not much different from their male counterparts, but the whole concept of women warriors is an interesting one.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book helpful because it gives you an idea of what women soldiers are experiencing in war and how it affects them when they come home. How anyone can function after that I don’t know. I thought that there were places where the complexities of politics and personal responsibility came into play that were treated somewhat superficially by the author. Also at times there was too much focus on re-counting battle scenes and the technical details of war that were less interesting to me.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

I was expecting an overall analysis, rather than a collection of personal stories. And reading the personal stories just ... made me snarl. So many repetitions of the story of vets coming home hurt in various ways, and being treated like crap by the VA ... grr argh. Blood pressure elevating material.

[Dru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, someone has the courage to bring to light the one topic no one wants to discuss. This is a awesome read. Completely unbiased. Ms Holmstedt allows each woman to give her own story of her experiences of returning home from the front lines. This is a must read for anyone who has a female friend/family member in the military

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a Navy wife and a son in the Marines and other military people in the family I was curious about the role of the women in this war and how it was affecting them. Very well written and interesting read with views from several women and even a little bit about them after their stories were written....

[Nathaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories were good, but the writing was mediocre. The author would randomly switch in to first person or quote people without indicating the fact. It also felt like she left out important bridging information in some of the stories, she would be talking about something that happened like the reader knew it without her telling us about it.

[Cyndi]

As a female, a current service member and an OIF veteran, I found this an extremely difficult book to read as it brought back so many memories. I cried while reading this book, it brought back many emotions that I thought I had put to rest. Thank you Kirsten Holmstedt for bringing awareness to the public. God Bless.

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was definitely worth the 5 stars. It truly shows how the war has affected our soldiers, female and/or male, deployed or back home. It has definitely opened my eyes to our heroes that have served or are still serving in our armed forces.

[Ellie Revert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Painful to read about the scarred lives and minds of our soldiers, be they male or female. Think all should read these kinds of stories. (Nook)

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories. Could use a stronger editing hand.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening for those who think women are not fighting.