Book excerpt: There are hundreds of books discussing war, the politics behind battles, and the heroic actions of soldiers. Those books start at the end, the combat. Often times those stories are the last book civilians, parents, siblings, and significant others are able to read or want to read. Behind the war, behind the soldier, behind the gates, lies a community with its own story. This is one of those stories. This is a chance for civilians to see inside a private population through a narrative that is hilarious, tragic, challenging, infuriating, slightly irreverent, and above all, honest. "She informed me that anything handwritten would remain private, but anything typed - newspaper, cartoons, magazine articles - were to be read aloud by the receiving soldier. Each envelope garnered her ten push-ups, so I was to be concise in my messaging. Immediately I went shopping for romance novels.... A couple of times a week, I dutifully scoured my stack of romance novels and ripped out the pages I found particularly energetic. In individual envelopes, I sent off a couple of dozen sex scenes during the course of her basic training. During the months following her basic, I hid from her and her massive biceps." "I met spouses who introduced themselves as only 'the first sergeant's wife' or 'the captain's wife' or, better yet, didn't even give introductions because I was just supposed to know who the hell she was married to. I introduce myself as Rachel Showman, or more often just Rae, because that's who I am. For once I would like to go to a military function and not have to say, 'I don't give a shit what your husband's rank is. What's your name?'" "It took me ten years to figure out that I am the weird cousin who means well but talks too loudly and tells inappropriate stories.... These soldiers are mine to protect and support. They are kin, and I will love them even when, sometimes, I dislike them. They are my family, albeit a dysfunctional, maladjusted, exasperating, admirable, extraordinary family. And who doesn't secretly love the weird cousin?"