In 2003, after serving five and a half years as a carpenter in a North Dakota National Guard engineer unit, Bronson Lemer was ready to leave the military behind. But six months short of completing his commitment to the army, Lemer was deployed on a yearlong tour of duty to Iraq. Leaving college life behind in the Midwest, he yearns for a lost love and quietly dreams of a future as an openly gay man outside the military. He discovers that his father’s lifelong example of silent strength has taught him much about being a man, and these lessons help him survive in a war zone and to conceal his sexuality, as he is required to do by the U.S. military. The Last Deployment is a moving, provocative chronicle of one soldier’s struggle to reconcile military brotherhood with self-acceptance. Lemer captures the absurd nuances of a soldier’s daily life: growing a mustache to disguise his fear, wearing pantyhose to battle sand fleas, and exchanging barbs with Iraqis while driving through Baghdad. But most strikingly, he describes the poignant reality faced by gay servicemen and servicewomen, who must mask their identities while serving a country that disowns them. Often funny, sometimes anguished, The Last Deployment paints a deeply personal portrait of war in the twenty-first century. InSight Out Book Club selection Bronson Lemer named one of Instinct magazine’s Leading Men 2011 QPB Book Club selection Finalist, Minnesota Book Awards Finalist, Over the Rainbow Selection, American Library Association Amazon Top Ten 10 Gay & Lesbian Books of 2011

Military families face stressful times that are unique to the military lifestyle. One of the most challenging situations, both for children and parents, is when a father, mother, or sibling is deployed for military service and must be away from the home. Children often experience sadness, anger, fear, anxiety, and loneliness, and they do not understand their own feelings or know how to express them. This book is designed to help children especially, but also their parents, during such difficult times. Based on many years of experience as a social worker, who has assisted military families experiencing stress, author Beth Andrews has created an excellent tool for allowing children and their loved ones to deal with the many emotions caused by deployment. The text and illustrations encourage children to discuss their feelings and to draw their own pictures to express themselves. The accompanying parents'' guide is designed to validate parents'' feelings and give them ways to help their children cope. Guided by this approach, a parent or caregiver can help their children understand why one of their parents or a sibling had to leave home, identify their reactions, cope with their feelings in a positive way, be assured that they are not alone, and try new activities to help themselves adjust. At a time when military families are asked to make many sacrifices in the service of their country, this reassuring book will be a welcome resource.

Nearly 1.9 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since October 2001. Many service members and veterans face serious challenges in readjusting to normal life after returning home. This initial book presents findings on the most critical challenges, and lays out the blueprint for the second phase of the study to determine how best to meet the needs of returning troops and their families.

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt (1875-1953) was one of the foremost German commanders of the Second World War. After service on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during 1914-1918 he rose steadily through the ranks before retiring in 1938. Recalled to plan the attack on Poland, he played a leading part in this and the invasion of France in 1940. Thereafter he commanded Army Group South in the assault on Russia before being sacked at the end of 1941. Recalled again, he was made Commander-in-Chief West and as such faced the 1944 Allied invasion of France, but was removed that July. He resumed his post in September 1944 and had overall responsibility for the December 1944 Ardennes counter-offensive. Captured by the Americans, he was handed over to the British, who wanted to try him for war crimes. Only his ill health prevented this from coming about.

Nearly every day an active-duty soldier in the United States military resorts to suicide, and nearly every hour a veteran does the same. In recent years the problem of military suicides has reached epidemic proportions, but it's all too easy for most of us to gloss over the headlines or tune out the details. In The Last and Greatest Battle--the first book devoted exclusively to the problem of military suicides--John Bateson brings this neglected crisis into the spotlight. Bateson, the former executive director of a nationally certified suicide prevention center, surveys the history of suicide in the United States military from the Civil War to the present day and outlines a plan to save lives-and ultimately end the tragedy of military suicides. He uses the stories of individual soldiers to illuminate the unique challenges faced by American troops today. Transitioning from the front lines to the home front is difficult for many service members, and many need help both during and after their deployments. But even though the military is spending millions of dollars on suicide prevention programs, record numbers of soldiers continue to take their lives. To that end, Bateson outlines a plan of action. If the military works to remove stigma, to make treatment more effective and more accessible, and to limit risk factors for suicide in the first place by taking measures like reducing the number and length of deployments and adjusting pre-deployment training to take into account the way that wars are waged today, an end to the problem of military suicide is as possible as it is essential.

The official magazine of United States Army logistics.

Have you ever had a little one question the meaning of deployment? Join the very brave and loyal family dog, Ace, as he smuggles himself aboard his dad's deployment-bound aircraft, seeking to discover answers for himself and the family left behind. Air Force Ace brings reassurance to any child facing the deployment of a loved one that their service member is happy and proudly doing important work for us all.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Study Guide: Associate (SAA-C01) Exam is your complete and fully updated resource to the AWS Solutions Architect - Associate certification. This invaluable Sybex study guide covers all relevant aspects of the AWS Solutions Architect job role, including mapping multi-tier architectures to AWS services, loose coupling and stateless systems, applying AWS security features, deploying and managing services, designing large scale distributed systems, and many more. Written by two AWS subject-matter experts, this self-study guide and reference provides all the tools and information necessary to master the exam, earn your certification, and gain insights into the job of an AWS Solutions Architect. Efficient and logical presentation of exam objectives allows for flexible study of topics, and powerful learning tools increase comprehension and retention of key exam elements. Practice questions, chapter reviews, and detailed examination of essential concepts fully prepare you for the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate certification. The certification is highly valued in IT and cloud computing professionals. Now in a new edition—reflecting the latest changes, additions, and updates to the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate certification exam guide—this book is your complete, one-stop resource: Access the Sybex interactive learning environment and test bank, including chapter tests, practice exams, electronic flashcards, and a searchable glossary of key terms. Learn all the components of the AWS exam and know what to expect on exam day Review challenging exam topics and focus on the areas that need improvement Expand your AWS skillset and keep pace with current cloud computing technologies The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Study Guide: Associate (SAA-C01) Exam enables you to validate your skills, increase your competitive advantage, and take the next step on your career path. Comprehensive and up-to-date content and superior study tools make this guide a must-have resource for those seeking AWS Solutions Architect – Associate certification.