The Military Marriage Manual: Tactics for Successful Relationships

This guide offers advice to military spouses on dealing with communication, anger management, drug use, intimacy, task-sharing, and even breastfeeding. Marrying into the military brings major changes, such as frequent moves, unaccompanied assignments, long hours, and combat deployments, and the authors (Philpott and Hill previously penned The Wounded Warrior Handbook) address numerous concerns, providing straight talk on life with the enlisted. About the honeymoon, for instance, they suggest giving a wedding night gift; "if orders come through and you're separated for a time, you'll have something wonderful to hold on to." They also share trade secrets, like the Armed Forces Vacation Club, a program allowing military members to rent luxury condos at greatly discounted rates, and urge newlyweds to "splurge on one night in a great hotel rather than two in a mediocre one." Serious concerns are dealt with in the direct manner one expects from the armed services, and lengthy "Counseling" and "Wounded Warrior" chapters provide detailed advice for handling partners who may be dealing with drug addiction, physical wounds, PTSD, or suicidal notions. For the intended readership, this will prove to be a valuable guide. (Dec.)