[.uk] Invisible Women : Junior Enlisted Army Wives

How Offensive can you get?:
It is apparent that Ms. Harrell didn't do her homework very well. I could have given her a completely different view of military life. I did not marry my husband young, I have a college degree, I hold a job actually making more than my husband (an E-5) and never have I been more offended. The book does nothing to distroy the stereotypes of military wives and is just offensive.

Stirring a hornet's nest:
I, like some of the other reviewers am an Army wife who has some concerns about Ms. Harrell's work. It seems to me that the Army is bending over backwards to hear the voices all Army families and in fact, they have much more of a voice than Harrell claims. The main problem I have with this book is the fact that Harrell passes it off as being a mere statement of the issues that it is totally unbaised. Not true! She states in several different ways that it is horrible how these women have been forgotten and that serious changes need to be made in how the military deals with families. In reality, the military is sacrificing readiness and the ability to prepare for conflict around the globe to hold the hands of people who do have resources available to them in the military community. I do think some of the points are valid, and raising discussion is always good, but the danger is that people in the upper echelons of the military are paying serious attention to a book that is neither unbaised nor the whole story.

Common ground:
I found this book enlightening. I understand what the author's purpose was: not to show an "average" junior enlisted spouse, but a broad range of experiences by these women. It was not to disparage, but to inform military, community and political leaders about some of the hardships these families often face. As the daughter of one Army officer, the wife of another, involved as I am in the Army community, I find this book helpful in giving me ideas on how to approach the junior enlisted spouses. Also, I found a lot of common ground with these women, although my Army and life experiences have been very different. Even though I don't have financial difficulties, I have a Masters degree and have actively sought out classes and help when needed, I too have felt vastly overwhelmed by the Army lifestyle, the experiences of being a new mom, dealing with separations from my husband, and running up against the bureaucracy. I believe this book can allow the leadership to understand the issues better and call attention to similarities between all Army spouses.

Myths about military pay:
Just wanted to clarify a point about lower junior enlisted pay. In 2008, an E-1 (the lowest possible military rank... typically held for less than 6 months), the base pay (taxable) is: $1,347. Then, the military member is given an allowance for housing (non-taxable) of about $515 (the amount can increase for high cost of living areas... this is the rate for "transient bah", the lowest possible amount that can be paid (provided the servicemember is married with dependents.) The servicemember would also receive $294.43 for meals, again, non-taxable. That means over $16,000 a year in taxable income. Over $9,700 in non-taxable income. I don't know of many 18 year olds with only a high school diploma who can get that sort of income. In addition, the service member also receives free medical care for themselves, and very low-cost medical care for their family. And, they receive a very good retirement benefit as well, should they decide to stick with it for 20 years. I'm not arguing that military pay is exhorbitant. It clearly is not. In order to make ends meet on just one income, a family would clearly have to forego a lot of take-out or dining-out meals. They might not be able to afford cable TV. They may have to drive a used car. But many, many military families do just fine. Is it possible to do poorly? You bet. But as others have pointed out, what would become of these examples if they worked at, say, Wal-Mart or some local factory. Their benefits would be considerably worse and chances are their income would be much lower. And the income numbers I posted were for an E-1... the servicemember receives pay raises as they rise in rank and longevity. Given the alternative employment prospects for 18 year olds, I would say the military is not the easiest option, but it is hardly the worst, especially from a purely financial standpoint. Blaming the military for a person's own poor judgement and inability to manage one's finances ($160 a month in cigarettes? That's 10-15% of the servicemember's base pay!) is misguided.

Face the facts: This book isn't a fairy tale:
After reading the other various opinions on this book, I have to disagree with the majority of reviewers. As an enlisted member of the military, I feel that I can support myself more than sufficiently. Money, even though I wish I had more, is never really a problem. However, I only support myself. I don't have 3 + mouths to feed, and I have risen to a comfortable pay scale. Anyone who knows what Army life is like can empathize with this book. We have all seen E-1's and E-2's that are under 21 years old, married, and with multiple children. Many army bases are located in depressed areas, and work can be difficult to find if one is undeducated or has health issues. Just because you can't see it happening to you, doesnt mean it doesnt happen to someone. I've had coworkers who were on WIC before, and truly seen people struggle to put food on the table. This is definately not the norm, but it is a situation that needs constant attention. Support systems do fail sometimes, and other times people just don't want to ask for help. It is the responsibility of senior officers and leaders to prevent this book from "coming true".