Homefront 911: How Families of Veterans Are Wounded by Our Wars

by Stacy Bannerman

$23.97

Account Type

Format

Quantity

Author: Stacy Bannerman

Publisher: Arcade Publishing

Hardcover:
ISBN 10: 1628725699
ISBN 13: 978-1628725698

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 have symptoms of depression; and nearly one million veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan require increased care due to physical or psychological trauma. But, despite these staggering trends, civilian America has not been mobilized to take care of the families left behind; the American Homefront, which traditionally has been rallied to support the nation’s war efforts, has disappeared.

In Homefront 911 Stacy Bannerman, a nationally-recognized advocate for military families, provides an insider’s view of how more than a decade of war has contributed to the emerging crisis we are experiencing in today’s military and veteran families as they battle with overwhelmed VA offices, a public they feel doesn’t understand their sacrifices, and a nation that still isn’t fully prepared to help those who have given so much.

Bannerman, whose husband served in Iraq, describes how extended deployments cause cumulative, long-lasting strain on families who may not see their parent, child, or spouse for months on end. She goes on to share the tools she and others have found to begin to heal their families, and advocates policies for advancing programs, services, and civilian support, all to help repair the broken agreement that the nation will care for its returning soldiers and their families.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history—books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Review

Praise for Homefront 911

"The 99 percent of Americans who have viewed the past decade's wars from the home front salute the other 1 percent as heroes during parades or at football games. But America has barely begun to recognize the short- and long-term burdens it has place on the tiny minority of its citizens who have fought, sacrificed, and exposed themselves to peril in the country's name. Homefront 911 makes those sacrifices, and the bravery, unforgettably clear. Anyone for whom 'boots on the ground' has become an abstraction should read this book." —James Fallows, The Atlantic

"Homefront 911 is a powerful, tough-minded book, not for the faint of heart. For those willing to confront the true costs of American wars, it is also essential reading." —Andrew J. Bacevich, author of Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country

"This is not an easy book to read, nor should it be. It is a well-documented, well-written cri de coeur about the consequences of military deployment on soldiers and their families. . . . Highly recommended for readers of all types. —Library Journal, starred review

"A disturbing cry for help . . . Bannerman tells it like it is." —Kirkus Reviews

“Stacy’s bravery and honesty in sharing her experience as the spouse of an Iraq War veteran with PTSD and a TBI, and her extensive interviews and research on the high cost being paid by thousands of families caring for our newest generation of combat veterans, should be required reading for all who have the power to send US troops to war." —Belle Landau, executive director of Returning Veterans Project

"Homefront 911 is a stunningly comprehensive examination of what war does to the families of the warriors. Seamlessly weaving together firsthand accounts from military families, veterans' caregivers, and clinicians and emerging research in attachment theory, trauma, and epigenetics, threading it with her achingly personal narrative, Stacy Bannerman has created a defining work on the casualties of war at home. She challenges the definition and understanding of service-connected injuries and returning veteran violence, offering innovative solutions that span the spectrum from the personal to the political. This singular book is both a call to arms to help the families of veterans, and a call to this country's moral compass to end America's endless wars." —Thom Hartmann, Number 1 progressive radio talk show host in the United States and New York Times bestselling author

"In this stirring and heart-opening account, a warrior’s one-time spouse begs with searing, soaring eloquence that a nation and its people really hear the silent story of the families of those who have served our country in war—and recognize that those families, too, have been in the battle of their lives. You will not be able to read this book without being touched by the emotion with which it’s written, moved by the honesty with which it’s shared, and inspired by the call to action with which it’s pages blaze." —Neal Donald Walsch, New York Times bestselling author of the Conversations with God series

Praise for When the War Came Home

"For military families who have experienced the heartache, fear, pain, and anguish of having a loved one deployed to Iraq, Stacy Bannerman's compassion, anger, humor, and raw honesty will be immensely healing. For the rest of the nation, this is the book to read to understand and be able to reach out to those who have. When the War Came Home will help bridge the divide between those who have been touched so directly by this war and those whose experience of the war comes largely from the sanitized news media." —Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson, cofounders, Military Families Speak Out

"Stacy Bannerman's story shines the harsh light of truth and reality on Bush's war—and quietly calls all of us to action to prevent more of these painful stories." —Jim Hightower, bestselling author of Thieves in High Places

"The power of this book lies in its intimacy: what it feels like to have your husband who you love go off to a war you don't believe in, to know he's fighting with inadequate equipment while captive to an indefinite stop-loss order, to speak out as a witness while hoping he comes home alive." —Paul Rogat Loeb, author of Soul of a Citizen

"When the War Came Home is an eloquently honest account of how the war changed the lives of Stacy Bannerman and her husband Lorin. Stacy forthrightly wrestles with her conscience and her deep devotion to her husband. This is a book of tears and grace." —Celeste Zappala, mother of Sgt. Sherwood Baker, the first Pennsylvania National Guardsman killed in Iraq, and cofounder of Gold Star Families Speak Out

"Stacy Bannerman's a national treasure. She speaks with wisdom, from the heart, and her considerable intelligence informs nearly every page. . . . Stacy brings it home, makes it real, all too real. Please read this book. It will change your life. It might just change the world. —Glenn W. Smith, author of The Politics of Defeat

About the Author

Stacy Bannerman created and directed Homefront 911: Military Family Monologues, a performance piece that made history when it was presented at the US Capitol. She secured the introduction of the federal Military Family Leave Act of 2009, and drafted the Kristy Huddleston Act to assist victims of intimate veteran partner violence. Bannerman spearheaded the virtually unanimous passage of Oregon House Bills 2744 and 3391, establishing military family leave and the Military Family Task Force. She has discussed veterans and caregiver issues on numerous national media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and The Washington Post. She lives in southern Oregon.

Filters

Personality Disorders

Homefront 911: How Families of Veterans Are Wounded by Our Wars