Military Widow: A Survival Guide

by Joanne M. Steen

This survival guide for widows of service personnel, a first-of-its-kind, tackles the unique and complex issues arising from the death of a spouse in the military. It speaks to loss in each of the service branches, across the span of rank and rates, and offers invaluable insights and practical strategies for dealing with this life-altering tragedy. The authors expertly blend personal experience with guidance from leading experts on grief and traumatic loss and translate ten years of lessons learned into an effective guide. Short, easy-to-read chapters provide realistic profiles of widows and their responses to loss and the complications generated in the unique world of the military, as well as insight on how to make difficult decisions and cope with everyday situations. Although written primarily for the widow, this book will also prove useful to other family members, friends, and military professionals.

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[murphyslaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be handed out to every CACO. It is one of the few things that helped me understand and cope. Losing a husband active duty is so very different and this book is one of the few things that helped me understand and cope. I found it, by accident, almost 6 months after my husband died (USN DIVER) and although I am not one for "self help" books, this one... well, it is far more then a typical self help.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a few months after my husband was KIA in Iraq. I was completely lost and had no idea how to keep going. This book saved my life. Everything I was going thru was normal and I realized I could do it. I met the authors. Amazing women.

[Carrie Daws · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors' tone was gentle and loving, like an older, wise friend showing up on your doorstep in the days after an unimaginable tragedy. The chapters are short, easy to digest, and well organized, and each chapter contains helpful tidbits as well as a healthy mix of sympathy, concern, and grace. This is an excellent guide for any military spouse who finds herself in this heartbreaking situation.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 2006 just days after becoming a war widow. This book is full of needed information for a military widow.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very informative, but I wasn't widowed when Paul was active duty.