Catching Up

Sgt. Chrissy DeCaprio (featured in Band of Sisters), Band of Sisters Author Kirsten Holmstedt,and SSgt. Tamara Velding, a drill instructor at Parris Island

Hi Everyone!

It's now approaching the end of May and I haven't blogged in a while. But I've had some great experiences that I wanted to share with you. The Marine Corps (Garden City Recruiting District) invited me to travel with educators from the northeast down to Parris Island in Beaufort, SC, to get a better understanding of our recruits and their training. The trip allowed me to spend a few days with Sgt. Chrissy DeCaprio, who is the MP featured in Band of Sisters. I also got to meet some female drill instructors from 4th Battalion who I hope to feature in my next book, When the Girls Come Marching Home.



Earlier in May, I traveled to Germany for book signings at Ramstein Air Force Base and Vogelwegh. While there, I had the good fortune of meeting some of the medical staff from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. I didn't make it to Landstuhl on this trip. That is a source of great disappointment for me because many of the women featured in my next book were treated at Landstuhl. I will do better on my next trip.

I did have the pleasure of meeting many female service members on this trip, including --

Captain Cindy Bond, who works in critical care air transport

Tech Sergeant Kim Blaum, a civil engineer who helps planes land after they've been shot up

LtCol Anita Greenlee, an MP

LtCol Teresa Bisnett, who is the latest director of the ICU at the hospital in Balad

LtCol Carol Fox, TBI nurse coordinator at Landstuhl

Thank you all for your service and leadership!!!