When our country's brave citizen-soldiers are called to duty, local communities need to be there to support them abroad as well as their families here at home. The Citizen-Soldier Support Program (CSSP) is one way to help bridge the gap between the community and these families. The Wayne County Public Library is proud to be a participant in this program, which was started by the Odum Institute on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Below you will find a selection of books the Wayne County Public Library has recently purchased for our military families, to help them adjust to military life and endure the difficult times during a loved one's deployment.
Available at the
(Click on links to check current availability)
Resources for Children and Parents
Chicken
Soup for the Military Wife's Soul
By Jack Canfield
Call #: 355.009 CAN
Book Description: A soldier swears an oath
to uphold the constitution and protect our country, while a soldier's spouse
takes the unwritten oath to a life of constant moves, lengthy separations and endless anxieties. Their commitment requires a unique blend of patriotism,
dedication, hard work and, most of all, flexibility. Written by soldiers' wives
and the courageous women who themselves serve in the military, these stories
speak directly to those who live the life, understand the jargon, and thrive on
the joys and challenges of military life.
Courage
after Fire
By Keith Armstrong
Call #: 616.89 ARM
Book Description: The bravery displayed by
our soldiers at war is commonly recognized. However, often forgotten is the courage
required by veterans when they return home and suddenly face reintegration into
their families, workplaces, and communities. Authored by three mental health
professionals with many years of experience counseling veterans, Courage after
Fire provides strategies and techniques for this challenging journey home.
From
a Pebble to a Rock
By Patti Correa
Call #: 248.2 COR
Book Description: Patti Correa has compiled this collection of stories from all walks of
life, depicting the strength military spouses have demonstrated throughout
their years, developing as the title suggests.
Going
Overboard: the Misadventures of a Military Wife
By Sarah Smiley
Call #: 355.39 SMI
Book Description: In 1999, Sarah was a
typical bride-to-be, flustered with wedding details. Then the groom called.
"I don't want you to panic, but I might not be able to come to our
wedding..." So began Sarah Smiley's life as a military wife. As a former
Navy brat herself, Sarah knew better than anyone that weddings and funerals,
even childbirth, take a backseat to Uncle Sam. But just as the young syndicated
columnist gets comfortable with the military wife's routine, her husband is
sent away for unexpected deployment. What follows is a true test of strength and
wit. From getting locked out of the house in cowgirl pajamas to wrestling with
the temptation of infidelity, Sarah exposes it all with candor, heart, and
knowing humor.
Heroes
at Home
By Ellie Kay
Call #: 355.12 KAY
Book Description: Filled with actual
stories of Ellie Kay's and others' life in the military, this encouraging book
provides helpful guidance to families on active duty and insight to their
extended families, friends, and churches. From her perspective as the wife of
an Air Force pilot and mom with five school-age kids, the author includes
practical ideas on how to cope with frequent moves, pre-deployment readiness,
and how to stay in touch when families are separated.
Home Fires Burning
By Kay Houppert
Call #: ON ORDER
Book Description: The daughter of an Air Force
pilot makes a serious inquiry in to the problems and pleasures of being a
soldier's wife. Journalists Houppert's memories of her own military
"insider" status and her keen reporter's eye combine to offer a
nuanced portrait of the lives of a handful of women living near
Homefires:
War Through the Eyes of a Military Wife
By Sherry Hines
Call #: ON ORDER
In
Harm's Way: How to Cope When the One You Love is in a High Risk Profession
By Aphrodite Matasakis
Call #: 362.25 MAT
Book Description: Millions of American
women live each day with a troubling question in the backs of their minds: Will
my partner come home today? It's a fact of life when the individual with whom
they share their lives is in the military, the police or fire department, or
any other dangerous profession. Of course, these spouses carry on normal
day-to-day lives, pursuing their own careers and raising their families. But
the constant knowledge that the worst could happen at any time can cause them
considerable emotional pain and certainly raises significant practical concerns
about how to think about and plan for the rest of their lives. For every woman
in this situation, this book is a much-needed source of information, comfort,
and support.
Separated
by Duty, United by Love
By Shellie Vandevoorde
Call #: 355.12 VAN
Book Description: Written by a military
wife and U.S. Army veteran, this practical and compassionate guide is intended
to help military couples cope with the separation of active deployment. Based
on her own years of experience, Vandevoorde offers sound and comforting advice
for all military couples.
Surviving
Deployment: A Guide for Military Families
By Karen Pavlicin
Call #: 355.3 PAV
Book Description: As part of today's
active duty or reserve forces, your loved one may be called to war,
peacekeeping missions, anti-terrorism campaigns, field exercises, disaster
relief, and many other duties far from home--and you. Surviving Deployment
will help families know what to expect, how to prepare, and how to personally
grow as individuals and families during deployment.
Taking
the High Ground: Military Stories of Faith
By Jeffrey O'Leary
Call #: 242.98 OLE
Book Description: From the battlegrounds
of the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm, Christians in uniform tell how God touched
their lives in special ways. Gathered hear are stories of courage, on and off
the battlefield, which reveal true grace under fire.
Today's
Military Wife: Meeting the Challenges of Service Life
By
Call #: 355.12 CLI
Book Description: Now in its fifth edition, this book covers all the information
a service wife needs to survive and prosper in a service environment, including
a complete description of family-friendly programs, coping with periodic
separations, managing a separate career, living overseas, raising a family, and
being a full participant in the rich and rewarding social aspects of military
life.
When
Duty Calls: A Handbook for Families Facing Military Separation
By Carol Vandesteeg
Call #: 355.1 VAN
Book Description: In this unique and
thorough handbook, a military wife and mom shares practical advice about
preparing and dealing with the deployment of a loved one. Carol Vandesteeg
helps families learn what to expect as they prepare for deployment, how to
communicate while separated, helping children through the separation, and
reunited at the end of the tour of duty. When Duty Calls also addresses
the subject that's so painful to face: the possibility that the loved one may
not return.
While
They're At War: The True Story of American Families on the Homefront
By Kristin Henderson
Call #: 956.704 HEN
Book Description: An all-volunteer
military means that the vast majority of Americans will never experience the
gut-wrenching act of sending a loved one off to war, or the joy and stress of
welcoming him or her home. As a military wife and journalist who has reported
from
