When the War Came Home: The Inside Story of Reservists and the Families They Leave Behind

By Stacy Bannerman

Book Overview

In the ongoing war on terror, record numbers of Army National Guard reservists are being deployed overseas; more than 400,000 to date have been ordered into action. Nearly one fifth of them had already served their commitment to the U.S. Army, but through President Bush's stop-loss order, they have been forced to remain in Active Duty. Most of these reservists never thought they'd see war; some are blatantly opposed to it. Almost none are prepared for it; many are dangerously ill-equipped mentally, physically, and emotionally to wage war. They leave steady jobs and established careers, and they leave behind wives, husbands, partners, and families.

Stacy Bannerman is one of those left behind. When the War Came Home chronicles a journey that began when Stacy's husband Lorin, a forty-three-year-old Sergeant First Class who had never thought he'd be asked to wage war, was called to active duty as an Infantry Mortar Platoon Sergeant in October 2003 and remained on the front lines until spring 2005. When the War Came Home is Stacy's personal account of the emotional impact and oft-unreported realities of her home front experience during that time, something shared by thousands of reservists; spouses and partners. Unlike many of those others, Stacy has the singular viewpoint of being a high-profile career peace activist who ultimately finds herself at odds with her husband fighting on the front lines of Iraq. Stacy's voice and experience bridge the unique and the universal in a no-holds-barred memoir of war and of fighting for peace.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0826417957
• ISBN13: 9780826417954
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Continuum
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.13 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

MUST READING for any Nat'l Guard spouse facing deployment.

This is a fantastic book on deployment specifically focused on the National Guard perspective. The couple does not have any kids, got married in their 30s and are madly in love. Since he is in the Guard, they do not live on base so this perspective is unusual because most of the other deployment books I've read are from the "full time military/living on base" perspective. If this is your situation, BUY AND READ THIS BOOK. She is a very strong, independent woman but her love for her husband rises above everything eles. I can't stress enough how awesome this book is if you are in any of these situations in your own life. I am new to the military world so these books are a fantastic resource.

The inside story

Stacy Bannerman writes the untold story being played out in households across the nation as weekend warriors are deployed to a war zone in unprecedented numbers. It is a story she lived every long day her husband, the love of her life, served in Iraq. She tells it with blazing honesty and an unwavering quest to mine each twist in her 12-month separation for its nugget of Truth. It is a love story par excellence as the reader becomes privy to a human heart stretching to it's maximum load. Stacy's book is a page-turner. Don't miss it.

Excellent book

Stacy Bannerman's book is a "must read" for anyone who wants to understand what loved ones at home are experiencing during this time of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Stacy writes with beautiful candor and marvelous sensitivity. An A+ book!