New Book ‘National Guard 101’ Debuts for National Guard’s Birthday

PRESS RELEASE: New Book ‘National Guard 101’ Debuts for National Guard’s Birthday


National Guard 101: A Handbook for Spouses
By Mary Corbett (Savas Beatie, 2011)


On December 13, the National Guard will celebrate 375 years of protecting our country. What better way to celebrate than with the release of a book detailing this unique group?

When author Mary Corbett’s husband, a National Guard member, deployed in 2002, she spent a lot of time searching the internet looking for information to help her understand the role of a Guard spouse.

Finding that much of the information available was targeted toward active-duty spouses who lived on military bases with a completely different lifestyle, Corbett saw a need for a book, and went about writing it.

“Although I had family members who had served in the military, I had zero experience with military protocol or culture. The only thing I knew about the National Guard, at that time, was ‘one weekend a month, two weeks in the summer,’” recalls Corbett. “That perception changed for me—and most Guard spouses—immediately after 9/11. For the first time, I realized I was a ‘real’ military wife.”

National Guard 101: A Handbook for Spouses is a book written specifically for the National Guard audience. Corbett’s book covers a broad range of topics, from practical knowledge about the history of the National Guard and understanding rank to softer subjects like social life in the Guard and family programs.

National Guard Association of the United States President MG Gus L. Hargett Jr. (Ret.) said, "National Guard 101 is more than just a handbook for spouses. It's a go-to guide for anyone new to the Guard's portion of the profession of arms, even those in uniform."

Corbett is ready to get the book into the hands of the 162,000 National Guard spouses living in 2,700 civilian communities across the United States and its territories.

“While the Army takes care of Soldiers during deployments and provides resources such as Family Readiness Groups and Family Assistance Centers to connect families with military resources, it is really up to individual families to secure the day-to-day, practical, local support they need,” Corbett says. “I hope my book will do just that.”



About Author Mary Corbett

Mary Corbett is a professional writer and National Guard wife. She has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News Channel, local television affiliates, and nationally syndicated radio. Her first book, The List: 7 Ways to Tell if He’s Going to Marry You in 30 Days or Less was published in 2005. Corbett lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, with her husband Major Jon Roscoe, ARNG, their children Holly and William, and their dog Rumsfeld.

Did You Know?

- The National Guard is the oldest component of the U.S. military. It began in Massachusetts when it was established that able-bodied men between the ages of 16-60 were required to join the militia.

- The Army Guard and Army Reserves make up more than half of the total Army.

- Since 9/11, virtually every unit of the National Guard—a force the size of the entire active Army—has served on active duty for one or more of the deployments at home or abroad. The last time that the entire National Guard had been mobilized was for World War II.

- There are 3,000 National Guard armories in the U.S.

- Currently, there are nearly 50,000 Guardsman serving on active duty in support of the Global War on Terrorism.


National Guard 101: A Handbook for Spouses
By Mary Corbett
List $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-611210-68-2
Published November 2011 by Savas Beatie LLC
Available at bookstores nationwide and online.

For more information, visit www.marycorbett.com

Media review copies, ebook, high resolution photographs and interviews available upon request. Contact: Sarah Keeney, 916-941-6896, sarahs@savasbeatie.com.


For more information, visit Savas Beatie or the National Guard 101 page.