Beyond the Call

Three Women on the Front Lines in Afghanistan

By: Eileen Rivers

Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers

Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

A riveting account of three women who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with men and worked with local women to restore their lives and push back the Taliban.

They marched under the heat with 40-pound rucksacks on their backs. They fired weapons out of the windows of military vehicles, defending their units in deadly battles. And they did things their male counterparts could never do—gather intelligence on the Taliban from the women of Afghanistan.

As females, they could circumvent Muslim traditions and cultivate relationships with Afghan women who were bound by tradition not to speak with American military men. And their work in local villages helped empower Afghan women, providing them with the education and financial tools necessary to rebuild their nation—and the courage to push back against the insurgency that wanted to destroy it. For the women warriors of the military's Female Engagement Teams (FET), it was dangerous, courageous, and sometimes heartbreaking work.

Beyond the Call follows the groundbreaking journeys of three women as they first fight military brass and culture and then enemy fire and tradition. And like the men with whom they served, their battles were not over when they returned home.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Eileen Rivers (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A riveting story about three remarkable women soldiers and the incredible impact their service as a Female Engagement Team (FET) had on the war efforts in Afghanistan. They were able to win the trust of Afghan women and children, restoring faith in the future and improving quality of life...all this while still doing the heavy lifting required of a United States soldier in combat."—General Ann Dunwoody (U.S. Army, Ret.), author of A Higher Standard

"A compelling story, too long untold. Eileen Rivers reveals the power of women—of women in the U.S. military in Afghanistan, playing a crucial role in intelligence gathering that was impossible for their male counterparts. And the power of the Afghan women with whom they forged a bond. For the Afghan women, the war isn't over, of course. And the American women faced battles of their own when they got home. If you start reading Eileen Rivers's book, you won't be able to stop. Some of it will make you angry. Much of it will make you proud."—Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief, USA TODAY

"Today, women are on the front lines of our nation's wars all over the globe. Yet little has been written about them or the struggles they endure—both on and off the battlefield. Until now. Eileen Rivers's account of three women who served in Afghanistan is both a gripping narrative and a sharp analysis of a historic cultural shift in our nation's military. We owe it to the men and women who serve in our armed forces to understand this pressing issue. This book is a great place to start."—Jim Michaels, author of A Chance in Hell: The Men Who Triumphed Over Iraq's Deadliest City and Turned the Tide of War

INSPIRATIONAL

Learned a great deal about something I was completely unaware of taking place in the United States military. God bless these soldiers and Marines, and keep them safe in service to our country.

amazing

I love the boot it really is amazing I am currently in afganistan and to see the paths that these women paved before I got here really helps.

Female Veteran

I am a retired female veteran who served 7 times in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am honored to follow in the footsteps of the previous female who paved the way for me. I too was injured multiple times and have been well taken care of by the VA. Which I can only thank the female who fought for other females to have the care that we now have. This book is surreal and every person should listen to this book to be educated on the trials and journey that females fought for.