A veteran is encouraging women who serve to make the best choice for themselves as they navigate life in and out of uniform.
This is the message that author Amanda Huffman spreads through a new book, “A Girl’s Guide to Military Service,” published by Elva Resa earlier this fall.
Catering to women who are considering joining the military, the book – which retired Army Maj. Gen. Mari K. Eder called “the guide I wish I had before joining the U.S. Army” – is a thorough and reliable source of information to accompany women throughout their military career.
Huffman speaks to readers as a longtime friend, the kind that just gets it.
“I served in the Air Force for six years as a civil engineer,” said Huffman, recalling her military service, including a deployment to Afghanistan.
Though choosing to leave the military with the arrival of her son, Huffman’s commitment to supporting her peers never ended. Aside from being a military spouse and mother to two children, Huffman hosts a weekly podcast, “Women of the Military,” where she interviews women who have served.
She also started a mentorship program to help connect young women with others who are serving or have served. Huffman says “A Girl’s Guide to Military Service” was born from her desire to help other service women.
“How can I help women transition out of military service?” she asked herself. “The more I thought about it, the farther I went back and realized the best way to transition out of the military is to have support from the moment you start your career.”
As she embarked upon her writing journey, she was determined to create a book that “isn’t just focused on joining the military, but one that puts the information in your hands.”
Wishing to address the most pressing, often unspoken and pivotal topics, Huffman covered everything from “military sexual trauma, sexual harassment, dating and periods, to finances, post-traumatic stress, preparing for life after the military, and even being a mom, whether as a single parent, dual military, or married to a civilian.”
Huffman warns readers that “the military isn’t right for everyone, and each branch has its own unique personality,” but she also encourages them to “find the right place for you, so you can have a successful career that can open doors to your future no matter if you serve four years, over 20 or somewhere in between.”
A book that the author hopes her readers will use as the go-to guide throughout their military career, it’s is an easy-to-follow narrative that is as informative in tone as it is encouraging.
“A Girl’s Guide to Military Service” can also be purchased at Military Family Books.
