Please welcome guest blogger Phyllis Zimbler Miller, author of Mrs. Lieutenant, who has a second novel, Mrs. Lieutenant in Europe, in progress.
Sharon Gold’s First Official Day as a Mrs. Lieutenant
Robert reemerges from the bedroom in his uniform, carrying his uniform hat, and stands in front of her for inspection. She wants to say “good luck.” The words stick in her throat – don’t these words imply the opposite is feared? She says: “You look terrific.”And he does look terrific if you like men in uniforms.
He kisses her good-bye at the front door. She stands on the balcony and watches him down the stairs to the car. He waves and mouths “I love you.” Then he’s gone.
She is without wheels and all alone.
In my novel MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL, this is the first day that Robert Gold reports for Armor Officers Basic (AOB) training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, in May of 1970. Sharon is left in a strange new place – Muldraugh, Kentucky (not even mail delivery!) – with no friends, no car and no place to go.
Does this sound familiar to many of you? And while the book is fiction, this description is how I felt when my husband of six months reported to the first day of Armor Officers Basic.
I was unprepared to be a military spouse. Of course both my father and my husband’s father had served in World War II. But that war was different. There weren’t anti-war protesters chanting “Hell, no, we won’t go!” – or two years earlier “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?” – on college campuses throughout the country. The first draft lottery had been only months before in December, and young men getting draft notices were fleeing to Canada.
Although my husband had told me on our third date that he was going to Vietnam, and although one of his best high school friends (who had volunteered for the army) had been killed in Vietnam, I had my head stuck in the sand like an ostrich. I neither watched the Vietnam casualty reports on the nightly news nor read the newspaper accounts of the combat actions.
And what’s more, here at Ft. Knox I was totally alone because the army hadn’t said whether ROTC second lieutenants reporting for AOB could bring their wives. I refused to stay home, and with great difficulty we had found decent off-base housing. Now nine weeks of isolation stretched before me.
Then my husband came home with an invitation for a function for the wives of his AOB class (see this invite at www.mrslieutenant.com in the section of original army documents). I attended the first function, where I learned that the army had a training program for AOB wives complete with a graduation luncheon. And that I needed to buy the $1 book “Mrs. Lieutenant” by Mary Preston Gross to learn how to be a proper officer’s wife.
Thus began my initiation into being a military spouse. And the plus side was that I started making friends, shared a car with another AOB wife, and had places to go – even if only (after Memorial Day) to the officers country club to work on my tan at the swimming pool!
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Visit www.mrslieutenant.com to find out more about Sharon Gold’s fictional adventures as Mrs. Lieutenant.
WIN IT: Phyllis Zimbler Miller is offering a signed copy of her novel, Mrs. Lieutenant, to one reader. All readers with US, US military, and Canadian addresses are eligible.
- To enter, just leave a comment here by 9pm EST June 30, either about this post (for example, tell us about your own “first day” as a spouse or soldier) or about something you saw on www.mrslieutenant.com. Comments that simply say, “win” or “hello” will not be eligible.
- Click HERE to find out about another way to win from YourMilitary.com.
I’d love to win this book I find women in the army very intriguing. Great giveaway, thanks!
I’d love to win this book I find women in the army very intriguing. Great giveaway, thanks!
I’d love to win this book I find women in the army very intriguing. Great giveaway, thanks!
I was very nervous on my husband’s first day as a soldier, and on every day after that for twenty years. He is retired now, and I can finally breath again. But I guess I will always be the wife of an army man.
I was very nervous on my husband’s first day as a soldier, and on every day after that for twenty years. He is retired now, and I can finally breath again. But I guess I will always be the wife of an army man.
I was very nervous on my husband’s first day as a soldier, and on every day after that for twenty years. He is retired now, and I can finally breath again. But I guess I will always be the wife of an army man.
As it turns out, a lot of spouses could have used this book while there was still a draft.
When we were drafted, it was so easy to think “this problem is all about me.”
When we left for Vietnam, we missed those left behind, but how often we overlooked what they were going through because we were so focused on what we were going through.
Even though military service today is a choice freely made, where one ends up being sent is not. The issues are still there, and I wonder if the best readers for your book are those going off to war who don’t understand how hard it is on those who aren’t.
Malcolm
As it turns out, a lot of spouses could have used this book while there was still a draft.
When we were drafted, it was so easy to think “this problem is all about me.”
When we left for Vietnam, we missed those left behind, but how often we overlooked what they were going through because we were so focused on what we were going through.
Even though military service today is a choice freely made, where one ends up being sent is not. The issues are still there, and I wonder if the best readers for your book are those going off to war who don’t understand how hard it is on those who aren’t.
Malcolm
As it turns out, a lot of spouses could have used this book while there was still a draft.
When we were drafted, it was so easy to think “this problem is all about me.”
When we left for Vietnam, we missed those left behind, but how often we overlooked what they were going through because we were so focused on what we were going through.
Even though military service today is a choice freely made, where one ends up being sent is not. The issues are still there, and I wonder if the best readers for your book are those going off to war who don’t understand how hard it is on those who aren’t.
Malcolm
I went to the website and learned that there is going to be a sequel to the book – thanks for the contest!
I went to the website and learned that there is going to be a sequel to the book – thanks for the contest!
I went to the website and learned that there is going to be a sequel to the book – thanks for the contest!
This book looks so interesting. I was not an army wife, but my boyfriend (now my husband of 30+ years) was drafted in the late 60′s and was sent to VietNam. I remember all the worrying about him, and him hitching down from Ft. Ord to come visit me (and all my anti-war friends) in college in Santa Barbara while he was going through basic training. It was such a time of turmoil. I remember him calling me from VietNam one time and all I could do was giggle through the whole conversation.
The Mrs. Lieutenant website was very interesting. I had no idea some of those organizations existed, like the one that provides Kosher meals for Jewish soldiers.
This book looks so interesting. I was not an army wife, but my boyfriend (now my husband of 30+ years) was drafted in the late 60′s and was sent to VietNam. I remember all the worrying about him, and him hitching down from Ft. Ord to come visit me (and all my anti-war friends) in college in Santa Barbara while he was going through basic training. It was such a time of turmoil. I remember him calling me from VietNam one time and all I could do was giggle through the whole conversation.
The Mrs. Lieutenant website was very interesting. I had no idea some of those organizations existed, like the one that provides Kosher meals for Jewish soldiers.
This book looks so interesting. I was not an army wife, but my boyfriend (now my husband of 30+ years) was drafted in the late 60′s and was sent to VietNam. I remember all the worrying about him, and him hitching down from Ft. Ord to come visit me (and all my anti-war friends) in college in Santa Barbara while he was going through basic training. It was such a time of turmoil. I remember him calling me from VietNam one time and all I could do was giggle through the whole conversation.
The Mrs. Lieutenant website was very interesting. I had no idea some of those organizations existed, like the one that provides Kosher meals for Jewish soldiers.
A must it the Ms. Lt. keep it up; many thanks SW
A must it the Ms. Lt. keep it up; many thanks SW
A must it the Ms. Lt. keep it up; many thanks SW
this sounds very interesting-I read the reviews & comments. I can still remember how my parents took the news when my brother was shipped to Vietnam
this sounds very interesting-I read the reviews & comments. I can still remember how my parents took the news when my brother was shipped to Vietnam
this sounds very interesting-I read the reviews & comments. I can still remember how my parents took the news when my brother was shipped to Vietnam
My first day as a military spouse was one I will always remember. I went in for a briefing and the Major who was giving it looked straight into our eyes and said “if the Army had wanted there to be spouses they would have issued them”. Stopped me dead in my tracks and I swear I was afraid of even talking for months!
My first day as a military spouse was one I will always remember. I went in for a briefing and the Major who was giving it looked straight into our eyes and said “if the Army had wanted there to be spouses they would have issued them”. Stopped me dead in my tracks and I swear I was afraid of even talking for months!
My first day as a military spouse was one I will always remember. I went in for a briefing and the Major who was giving it looked straight into our eyes and said “if the Army had wanted there to be spouses they would have issued them”. Stopped me dead in my tracks and I swear I was afraid of even talking for months!
The first day as a spouse to a soldier was pretty amusing. There was a lot of paper work signing and passport making since a few days after my husband was going to Germany…I would soon follow about 4 months after. It was a pretty interesting day with weeks to come of the same daily routine.
Great giveaway, would love to read this book and then pass it on to a few wifes.
The first day as a spouse to a soldier was pretty amusing. There was a lot of paper work signing and passport making since a few days after my husband was going to Germany…I would soon follow about 4 months after. It was a pretty interesting day with weeks to come of the same daily routine.
Great giveaway, would love to read this book and then pass it on to a few wifes.
The first day as a spouse to a soldier was pretty amusing. There was a lot of paper work signing and passport making since a few days after my husband was going to Germany…I would soon follow about 4 months after. It was a pretty interesting day with weeks to come of the same daily routine.
Great giveaway, would love to read this book and then pass it on to a few wifes.
Fell for a Navyman once and still feel the same way to this day.
I love to read and would welcome this one in home library.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Fell for a Navyman once and still feel the same way to this day.
I love to read and would welcome this one in home library.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Fell for a Navyman once and still feel the same way to this day.
I love to read and would welcome this one in home library.
Thanks for the chance to win.
My mother would absolutely love this book — not only because one of her favorite TV shows is ARMY WIVES on LIFETIME — but because her name is Phyllis Miller, too!! If I don’t win, I’ll have to buy this for her — and according to the website — the sequel when it comes out too.
My mother would absolutely love this book — not only because one of her favorite TV shows is ARMY WIVES on LIFETIME — but because her name is Phyllis Miller, too!! If I don’t win, I’ll have to buy this for her — and according to the website — the sequel when it comes out too.
My mother would absolutely love this book — not only because one of her favorite TV shows is ARMY WIVES on LIFETIME — but because her name is Phyllis Miller, too!! If I don’t win, I’ll have to buy this for her — and according to the website — the sequel when it comes out too.
I learned that Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the co-author of the Jewish holiday book â??Seasons for Celebrationâ?.
I learned that Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the co-author of the Jewish holiday book â??Seasons for Celebrationâ?.
I learned that Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the co-author of the Jewish holiday book â??Seasons for Celebrationâ?.
My first day as a military wife was spent on my honeymoon…definitely not G-rated! lol
My first day as a military wife was spent on my honeymoon…definitely not G-rated! lol
My first day as a military wife was spent on my honeymoon…definitely not G-rated! lol
My kind of book!
weblynx@hotmail.com
My kind of book!
weblynx@hotmail.com
My kind of book!
weblynx@hotmail.com
Good morning, Mrs. Phyllis.
I was online conducting research about the army (my soon-to-be husband is Captain), and I stumbled upon this book. I plan to order it soon. It sounds like an interesting read; I love the excerpts that I’ve completed.
Thank you for writing this!
Ashanti White
Good morning, Mrs. Phyllis.
I was online conducting research about the army (my soon-to-be husband is Captain), and I stumbled upon this book. I plan to order it soon. It sounds like an interesting read; I love the excerpts that I’ve completed.
Thank you for writing this!
Ashanti White
Good morning, Mrs. Phyllis.
I was online conducting research about the army (my soon-to-be husband is Captain), and I stumbled upon this book. I plan to order it soon. It sounds like an interesting read; I love the excerpts that I’ve completed.
Thank you for writing this!
Ashanti White
Coolness! I might have to put this on my list of “must-reads.”
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