The Strong Ones: How a Band of Civilian Women Made Their Mark on the Army

"An important story...No pedestal for these young American lionesses! Cheers and accolades instead." Pat Schroeder, former Congresswoman and member of the House Armed Services Committee

"From jogging 2 miles through the woods with 75-pound backpacks and squatting dozens of times under the pressure of a 100-pound barbell on their shoulders, the women exceededexpectations." USA TODAY Network

"This memoir covers one of the most foundational military studies addressing combat integration and the physicality of women in combat. Through these personal and relatable stories, Sara's book shows that not only are women physically able to compete and contribute to some of the most physically-demanding jobs in the military, but that the diversity of women also brings compassion, humanity, and resilience to a male-dominated career field". Martina Chesonis, Captain, US Air Force Reserve and Director of Communications, The Service Women's Action Network (SWAN)

"This kind of uplifting story is exactly what I needed right now." Goodreads reviewer

"This story of women triumphing over the expectations and sexist standards of conservative critics is a sprawling narrative over decades, which humanizes the participants of the study while tracking the changes it brought to be." The BookLife Prize

"5 STARS. Author Sara Hammel has crafted a truly inspiring account of her experiences, and those of her sisters-in-arms, with plenty of history, policy, grit, and motivational moments to offer readers.

When you begin to piece together the different reasons why each brave and powerful woman came to the study, the tapestry of lives, strengths, and struggles is all the grander to behold. I also felt that the author gave a raw and honest account of the genuine difficulties, as well as the triumphs, which shows the realism and heroism of how hard it was to change minds in such a male-dominated field. Overall, I would highly recommend The Strong Ones to fans of inspirational non-fiction and recent history, and for military families everywhere." Readers' Favorite

They said women couldn't keep up.
They said women weren't strong enough to do the military's toughest jobs.
In 1995, a ragtag band of civilians came to prove them wrong.
THE STRONG ONES will inspire a new generation with its cast of ordinary women overcoming daunting obstaclesand will thrill readers with a stunning and heartwarming twist.

This is the inspiring true story of forty-five civilian women who volunteered for a controversial seven-month Army strength study in 1995and proved just how strong women can get. A hybrid of memoir and military history that will appeal to fans of WILD and ASHLEY'S WAR, THE STRONG ONES lays bare the raw emotions, vulnerabilities, and body image struggles of those who dug deep to show what it means to be a strong womanin every sense.

With females still banned from combat and their supposed lack of physical strength used as a reason to keep them out, women from around Massachusettsincluding moms, teachers, a landscaper, a prison guard, a journalist and one solidercame to change the rules. Female soldiers were busy serving their country so these civilians stepped in, forming a sisterhood like no other through 75-lb backpack hikes, 110-lb trailer pulls, shared pain, keg parties, snowball fights and a refusal to fail.

Author Sara Hammel, a test subject and reporter with exclusive access to the study, traces the women and their results through the years, revealing how their efforts came full circle decades later when all military jobs were opened up to women. Exclusive interviews with former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder and Shannon Faulkner add context to this historic shift in military policy, anchoring the study firmly in the present.

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