The Frontline Generation: How We Served Post 9/11

by Marjorie K Eastman

Overview

"You are the frontlines--no matter where or how you serve."

It began as a personal memoir for her son. Reflecting on her ten years of post 9/11 military service, Marjorie K. Eastman wanted to capture the lessons and inspiration she'd learned serving beside men and women who represent the very best of what it means to be American. And these service members represent just 1 percent of the American public. Eastman identifies this group as the Frontline Generation and notes it is an untapped reservoir of leaders--now back in our communities--who have been strengthened by the unique difficulties of post 9/11 service.

The compelling journey of Eastman's time in uniform culminates in her final assignment, when she was responsible for the lives of over 100 troops--men and women--scattered throughout Eastern Afghanistan. Her first-person account of that time is a moving story from personal commitment to the conviction that service--no matter where or how--is the best path to success. She offers lessons on life, leadership, service, and the way for every person to find a role in them.

Eastman's journal entries further reveal frustrations, inspiration, joy, heartbreak, laughter, purpose, resolve, and the remarkable ways service members came together to solve problems and break boundaries. She defines the legacy her Frontline Generation leaves on this country, and encourages readers to think about who they want to be, how they can make a difference, how they can make their lives count. Service is the key.

The Frontline Generation abounds with wisdom, compassion, and humor.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780997761566
Publisher:	Longbow Six Publishing
Publication date:	05/04/2018
Pages:	262
Sales rank:	1,042,169
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Born and raised in Southern California, Marjorie K. Eastman earned her bachelor's degree in political science at the University of California, San Diego. As an undergraduate, she was selected as a White House intern and also studied abroad at the University College London, School for Slavonic and East European Studies. She attended the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, where she earned her master's degree in International Security, with concentrations in homeland security, intelligence, and human rights. She was selected for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Honors Internship Program and has an MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University.Eastman served as a United States Army Intelligence Officer and Commander for ten years, including two combat deployments, one in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the other in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. She was ranked the number one military intelligence company commander in Eastern Afghanistan for the deployment cycle of 2009-2010, awarded the Bronze Star, and received the Combat Action Badge. Eastman is also a spouse of a soldier; she and her husband, Charles, live in North Carolina with their son, Henk.

Table of Contents

Prologue: How I Met Your Mother (C. W. Eastman)
Preface: The 1 Percent We Should Be Talking About
Introduction: Fist Full of Glitter

Part 1: The Road to Command
You Have a Choice
Passion Chase
Patriotic Guilt
Sometimes All You Should Do Is Smile
Chart Your Own Path
Collect and Wear Pearls of Wisdom
Yes Men and No Men
Arrive Before You Arrive

Part 2: In Command and Mobilization
Embrace the Suck
Never Turn Down a Command
Perfect Discipline
Perpetual Optimism
Profiles in Courage
There Is No Bench Team

Part 3: Afghanistan
You See a Light, You Don't Hear One
Sometimes You Should Cry
Christmas Lights All Year
Asking the Right Questions
Close Calls Don't Discriminate
Never Shower Alone
Easier to Ask Forgiveness Than Permission
What Color Is Your Cape?
Skin in the Game
For Love of Country . . . My Soldiers
Like a Girl

Epilogue: Service Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
Acknowledgments
End Notes
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

"The 1 percent is commonly used to describe the wealthiest people. The discussion around that term is typically about the growing wealth gap between America's elite and the rest of the country. But what if we have that all wrong? What if you were told that the greatest value you could add to your life was not monetary? And what if, especially as a nation, we should be most concerned about the service gap? This generation has an untapped reservoir of leaders in our communities who have been strengthened by the unique difficulties of post 9/11 service." It began as a personal memoir for her son. Reflecting on ten years of post 9/11 military service and two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Marjorie K. Eastman realized she was capturing more than lessons and inspiration. Eastman shines a spotlight on the 1 percent of our society who served in the military after 9/11, those who were alongside her that left an indelible mark on not only her heart, but also on our nation's history. She defines the legacy her generation-the Frontline Generation-leaves on this country, and encourages readers to think about who they want to be, how they can make a difference, how they can make their lives count. Service is the key. Service is the post 9/11 generation's legacy, rooted in their actions to volunteer and be exposed to the forefront of action, time and time again. And they were-starting with those in the military and extending to journalists, government officials, nongovernment workers, and contractors alike. Eastman provides a compelling perspective of the remarkable ways seemingly disparate people came together to solve problems and break boundaries well beyond the heartbreaking day of 9/11. There is something new to be said-and yet, sometimes all too familiar-about this generation's character, sacrifice, and service. Eastman's first-person account of post 9/11 service also reveals how to find your conviction and leave a trail. The culmination of her time in uniform is a moving journey, only to be topped by the gripping obstacles that were overcome in her final assignment when she was responsible for the lives of over 100 troops scattered throughout Eastern Afghanistan. Rarely do you find a book that offers lessons on life, leadership, service, and the role of men and women in all of it. Eastman speaks with wisdom, compassion, and humor; she quotes from her journal, which offers a personal lens, and ties lessons to key concepts. Her stories ring true. The Frontline Generation will win the hearts and minds of every generation. This gift to her son is a powerful reminder to all of us how service is a force that gives us meaning. It unites us, and can make us leaders.

From the Publisher