Band of Sisters

In Iraq, the front line is everywhere . . . and everywhere in Iraq, women in the U.S. military fight. More than 155,000 of them have served in Iraq since 2003--4 times the number of women sent to Desert Storm in 1991--and more than 430 have been wounded and over 70 killed, almost twice the number of U.S. military women killed in action in Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm combined. But should women be in combat? Do they have what it takes to be warriors? Compelling questions once . . . but empty questions now, because more than ever, American women are in combat, and they are warriors. The real question is: What is their experience of war? We haven't heard their stories--until now. Band of Sisters presents 12 of these amazing and often heart-wrenching stories of American women in the frontlines: Accounts from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines America's first female pilot to be shot down and survive The U.S. military's first black female pilot in combat A 21-year-old turret gunner defending a convoy Two military policewomen in a firefight A nurse struggling to save lives, including her own To learn more about these and other amazing women serving their country in time of war, please visit www.bandofsistersbook.com. AUTHOR: Kirsten Holmstedt is a graduate of Drake University's School of Journalism and the University of North Carolina Wilmington's master's of fine arts program in creative non-fiction writing. Ms. Holmstedt has spent the past 20 years writing for newspapers, business, academia, and magazines. She has won awards for her writing at the regional and national levels. She currently resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. 70 colour photos