John Witmer

Sisters in Arms: a Father Remembers John Witmer

The story of three sisters, all Wisconsin National Guard members, going off to war together brought local media attention-when Michelle Witmer became the first female National Guard member to be killed-in-action the story brought National attention. When her parents went public with their request to have their surviving daughters taken out of harm's way, the story went round the world. Using the letters, emails, and phone calls received during their deployment, John Witmer describes his daughters' experiences in Iraq and provides insight not only into the lives of female soldiers, but into the lives of families who wait for soldiers. Sisters in Arms illuminates the changing roles of women in the military while sharing the deeply personal story of a family's struggle to come to terms with profound loss.