When we marry a military member, our lives are suddenly no longer our own. We not only marry the one we love, but also a whole new way of life—one filled with separations, moves, deployments, and other challenges. How do we cope with this ever-changing life? Our guest, Jen McDonald, offers a helping hand and a whisper of “You’ve got this!” as you make your own way.

On this episode, our featured guest is Vicki Cody, author of Army Wife: A Story of Love and Family in the Heart of the Army. Full of humor and honesty, Army Wife brings us into Vicki’s private life in a very personal way and opens the lens for a broader view of world events, relatable to anyone with a family member in the military. Vicki grew up in Burlington, Vermont, and graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor’s degree in education in 1975. For the next 33 years she was an Army spouse, supporting her service member in his career. While raising their two sons and moving all over the United States and overseas, she served as a coach and mentor for other Army spouses and as an advocate for Army families. Her first book, Your Soldier, Your Army: A Parents’ Guide was published by the Association of the United States Army in 2005. Her articles have appeared in numerous military magazines and publications. She and her husband of 40 years now live in the Washington, D.C. area.