Military Families and Stress

"We know that a supportive family is the key to a person's success. It is fascinating to read a history of military wives that begins to give them the credit they deserve for service to their country and their families." Patricia Schroeder U.S. Representative, Colorado "Campfollowing opens an important page in history for the military and for the role of women in the military. The women described in this book were not only devoted wives and mothers who brought a few of the comforts of home to forlorn military outposts, but they were also nurses who cared for the sick and wounded, as well as soldiers who fought bravely next to their soldier-husbands. They served their country with great love, dignity, and honor, and they deserve this long overdue recognition. I believe this book will be both an inspiration and a model for present military spouses as they follow their loved ones throughout the world or wait patiently at home for them when they are apart." Timothy E. Wirth U.S. Senator, Colorado "Campfollowers" themselves, the authors of this volume have collected published and unpublished memoirs, diaries, and letters, and have conducted personal interviews to present a comprehensive history of the military wife from the Revolutionary War through the post-Vietnam years. Second in line to their husband's career and often the object of indifference from the military establishment, these women demonstrate the strength of their commitment in this unique book.

This book will appeal to persons interested in national security issues and, more specifically, to those who may want to know more about the manpower and recruiting problems facing the military of the future. The authors come from a wide variety of backgrounds and academic disciplines--including economics, political science, psychology, sociology, operations research, education, and public administration. This book will also appeal to persons interested in human resource issues beyond the military, as well as those interested in tracking trends in the labor force, public opinion, education, youth attitudes, or society in general.