Amanda Huffman - A Girls Guide to Military Service: Selecting Your Specialty, Preparing for Success, Thriving in Military Life

This is the guide I wish I had before joining the US Army. It is a solid, factual, and practical guide to help young women make a major life decision with confidence. Amanda Huffmans thoughtful commentaries will provide readers with meaningful insights and positive motivation. Amanda tells readers, Know your value from day one. This guide will make certain every young woman considering military service does just that and will be prepared to succeed, no matter what choice she makes. Strongly recommended.

Mari K. Eder, Major General, US Army (Ret)

Amanda shares advice through her own personal experience as a former Air Force officer. Amanda weaves overall suggestions on what women should consider through the full lifecycle of a military career. This book is a perfect guide to help any woman considering life in uniform get straight talk on how it all works The best way to know whether the military is right for you is to pick up a book that tells you the ground truth from an eyewitness who wore the uniform of our nation. That book is Amanda Huffmans A Girls Guide to Military Service.

Jose Velazquez, Sergeant Major, US Army Public Affairs (Ret)

a how-to guide to join the military from a female service members perspective, providing guidance and resources from inception through planning for the end of your military career. I liked that the author related her real-life experiences during her military career; it made it more relatable and easier to absorb all the knowledge and insight shared. a must-have resource for every mentorship program. On a scale of 1 to 10, I definitely give this book a 10! should be required reading for every young woman pondering the thought of a military lifestyle.

Danielle De Leon Guerrero, US Air Force veteran, founder of Served Like HER, Inc.

This book will change and guide many young womens lives for years to come. From detailing the all-important questions young women should ask themselves to decide if military service is right for them, to expertly explaining the personalities and missions of each service branch the critical difference between serving as a commissioned officer versus enlisting after high school the raw experience of the very-thorough medical examination at basic training, plus insight into the realities of workplace dynamics when youre the only woman (or one of a handful) in the unit Amandas holistic view of women in military service, gained from her years listening to hundreds of womens service stories, across all service branches, and their military-to-civilian transition stories, enabled her to brilliantly structure this book.

It covers the most important topics to help young women decide which service is the best fit for them and encourages them to first understand why they want to serve our nation this way.

Amandas wisdom shines brightly as she guides young women through the decision-making process, and for those who decide to serve, she adds many nuggets about the myriad of adventures, challenges, and experiences ahead.

Amanda reminds young women theres a powerful and active community of women veterans that make the military sisterhood a lifelong cherished treasure.

a must-have resource for all high school counselors, vocational course teachers, parents and grandparents of young women planning their adult lives, daughters of immigrants (like me) with no family member veterans to guide them, college career centers, and public libraries.

Graciela Tiscareo-Sato, US Air Force veteran, author of B.R.A.N.D. Before Your Resum: Your Marketing Guide for Veterans & Military Service Members Entering Civilian Life

Wow! this book is incredibly informative and real! Transparency and authentic viewpoints are needed (and highly desired) when a young woman is making the decision to join the service. As a woman and veteran myself, so much of this informational narrative really spoke to me and what I wish I knew when I was deciding to join the military. this book really provides a streamlined approach that is easy to understand for all ages. It is clear, succinct, and doesnt make you read between the lines to get the information youre looking for! really great insights by a woman veteran, who experienced these things herself. This is not the kind of information a recruiter will share. I highly recommend this book to any young woman, and her family members, who are looking for real insights on considering joining the service.

Destinee Prete, PhD, US Army veteran, president of We2AreVets

A Girls Guide to Military Service: Selecting Your Specialty, Preparing for Success, Thriving in Military Life 2022 Amanda Huffman

All rights reserved. Except as excerpted in professional reviews, the contents of this book may not be reproduced by any means without prior written permission of Elva Resa Publishing.

All information and advice presented by the author is intended to inform and encourage young women interested in military service. Each situation is unique, and individuals should seek professional support as appropriate. There is no actual or implied Department of Defense endorsement. While all information was accurate at the time of publication, regulations change, so please consult with your recruiter, physician, or military leadership for current information.

Design by Sarah Flood-Baumann and Andermax Studios for Elva Resa, Elva Resa Publishing.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022943585

ISBNs 978-1-934617-67-0 (pb), 978-1-934617-76-2 (epub)

Elva Resa Publishing

8362 Tamarack Vlg, Ste 119-106

St Paul, MN 55125

ElvaResa.com

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Dedicated to all the women who have served.

Your stories continue to inspire me.

Im proud to be part of the veteran sisterhood.

And to the next generation of women who will take up the call to serve and continue to break down barriers and change the world.

JOINING THE UNITED STATES MILITARY can be a daunting, yet rewarding, experience. Between acronyms and phrases you might not understand at first, what feels like far too many choices to make, and questions about whether the service is a good fit for you, the process can leave you feeling overwhelmed. This is especially true for young women, as I learned first-hand.

When I was considering military service, I had a vague idea that I wanted to join the military, but I did not know what it took to succeed or if I was even capable of serving. The doors to military service opened to me by chance rather than research. I knew I wanted to continue going to school and had been told by a recruiter that enlisting in the National Guard would give me the opportunity to serve while still attending college once I completed my initial basic training. I happened to have a friend in Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and when he heard I was looking to join the military, he took me to lunch and told me about how I could go to school and become an officer. That lunch changed my trajectory. I ended up joining ROTC and becoming a civil engineer officer in the Air Force.

I wrote this guide to military service specifically for women. While there are guides that cover the basics about the different branches, ways to serve, and preparing for military life, I wanted this book to offer deeper advice and feedback, from me and other women who have served, on what it is like to be a woman in the military. This book will help you make an informed decision by laying out options and covering the pros and cons, whether you are interested in officer or enlisted; Guard, Reserves, or active duty; Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, or Space Force. It will help you discover the best path forward using your own goals, desires, strengths, and voice.