Military Officer - November 2006 - (Page 26)

rapidfire Spotlight Spouse Attention! Check out these military-related entertainment offerings. BOOK Mud: A Military History (Potomac Books Inc., 2006): C.E. Wood’s book delves into the idea that “there is nothing constant about mud.” The book is a concise overview of mud’s impact on warfare, specifically over the past two centuries in Europe, Asia, and North America. Wood defines the types of mud and examines each type’s effect on mobility, servicemembers, and equipment. BOOK Iwo Jima: United States Marines at War in the Pacific (Zenith Press, 2006): This book contains more than 500 photographs, many never before published, from the Marine Corps archives. Woven together with text by military historian Eric Hammel, the images vividly re-create the American invasion of Iwo Jima. DVD Commitment and Sacrifice: A True Story (Twenty First Century Video LLC, 2006): This documentary follows troops from Bravo Company of the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry regiment during the Vietnam War (1970) and the war in Iraq (2005). Combat cameraman Norman Lloyd’s footage shows that in war, the only constant is a soldier and his or her commitment and sacrifice. J oanne M. Steen, MS, NCC, the widow of a naval aviator killed on active duty, has coauthored Military Widow: A Survival Guide with Regina Asaro, MS, RN, CT, the wife of a retired Coast Guard ofﬁcer. What are a couple of unique factors of widowhood the book outlines? Military widows are dependents without living sponsors, so they don’t ﬁt fully into the military or the civilian world. Also, there are so many reminders of their spouse’s death. One widow told me she cries when she sees the [U.S.] ﬂag. Family and friends are a secondary audience for the book. What do you want these readers to know? Don’t try to “ﬁx” a widow’s grief. [Also] talk about the widow’s spouse. The widow will want to hear your memories. How did you and your coauthor get together? We were called to provide crisis response following a military aviation disaster. Afterwards, I talked about the need to write the book. She said, “Let’s do it.” It took us two years. In your work, do the wounds of losing your husband ever reopen? Absolutely. I try to be very careful about my own boundaries and limitations, but the rewards make it all worthwhile. More information about the book can be found at www.mili tarywidow.com. — Ellen N. Woods Business Loan Program T he Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering a “Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan” program to businesses whose essential employees — those whose expertise is critical to day-to-day operations — are called to active duty. The program funds normal operating expenses beginning the date the employee is activated and ending 90 days after discharge. It allows a current maximum 4-percent interest rate, loan terms of up to 30 years, and a loan cap of up to $1.5 million that is waived if a business qualiﬁes as a major employer. The SBA requires collateral to be pledged for loans over $5,000, to the extent it is available, and proper insurance to be kept in force for the life of the loan. MO ON THE WEB ■ For more information about the SBA loan program, visit www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/loaninfo/militaryreservist.html. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT http://www.militarywidow.com http://www.militarywidow.com http://www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/loaninfo/militaryreservist.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2006

From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Financial Guidebook Got (the right) Insurance? A Penny Saved, a Degree Earned The “Y” MOAA Scholarship Recipients Pages of History Information Exchange Member Books MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Member Services Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - November 2006

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.