Long Way Out: A Young Woman's Journey of Self-Discovery and How She Survived the Navy's Modern Cruelty at Sea Scandal

Memoirs of Women in the Military, Volume 1

De: Nicole Waybright

Narrado por: Melissa Kay Benson

Completed after eight years of writing and research, Nicole Waybright's memoir tells the true story of her coming-of-age struggles while deployed as an officer on a US Navy destroyer. With heartbreaking and fearless realism, the author chronicles the despair and psychological crisis that she experienced while yet in the early days of a five-year military obligation.

Long Way Out, a narrative nonfiction work, is presented in graphic and historically accurate detail based on the author's five years of (honorably discharged) service as a commissioned officer in the Surface Warfare (SWO) Navy, during the era of the first wave of women to be stationed aboard combatant ships. Alongside an account of the author's turbulent psychological journey, Long Way Out reveals the tragic story of the notorious executive officer - the first woman in US history to command an Aegis destroyer and be stripped of command for "cruelty and maltreatment" of her crew - under whom the author served. TIME magazine later called this commander "the Female Captain Bligh."

An unlikely turn of events finds the author with a radicalized self-understanding, committed to seeking self-awareness and courageously exploring ways to make her tour successful in the face of tremendous obstacles. Based in Jungian psychology. Includes details of topical issues within US Navy Surface Warfare (SWO) culture.

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

©2019 Nicole Waybright (P)2019 Nicole Waybright

My review of "Long Way Out" by Nicole Waybright

I find myself struggling to write a review for "Long Way Out" that encompasses how much the book has come to mean to me. I am humbled by the author’s accomplishments both on ship and on shore.

The depths to which Nicole's character, Brenda, was willing to go to on her self-reflective journey, followed by her honesty in sharing that which she discovered about herself along the way, is admirable. I am currently listening to "Long Way Out" for the second time and am gleaning even more from it then I did the first time. The more I listen, the more comfort I find in this true story. In many ways, I feel that the author and I are much alike in our determination to traverse that oft shadowy and lonely path of self-discovery. To my own chagrin, I never have been capable of reaching the height of achievement that she has. I am so impressed by the author as a person of strength, character and integrity, and I find her courage inspiring.

This is the only audiobook I have ever purchased. I normally check them out from the library or listen to them on Google. KUDOs to author Nicole Waybright. She has much to be proud of.

A truly inspiring story!

Hello Nicole. Yes, I finished the book a few months ago. I found it genuinely inspiring and completely believable, having been on several ships, including the USS Harry S Truman and, of course, the same one as you, the Saipan. I had never experienced the riffs that you described in your book. However, I have had many Officer friends (Supply Corps) who had experienced similar experiences that you have mentioned in your book. Having been enlisted, I managed to avoid a lot of the political shenanigans that was so prevalent in the Officer community, especially Line. I did, however, make Chief in 1996 and, after doing so, refused to play chiefly politics, which led me to retirement some nine years later, still holding the rank of Chief. Your book is so well written that I literally had the smells, bells and 1MC announcements coming back to me some fifteen years later; absolutely fantastic. I truly don’t think that someone who has never experienced shipboard life could relate to your book the same way I did. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Navy, the camaraderie, and many of the Sailors I had the pleasure of working with and for, but as I said, I was also enlisted, which is quite a bit different. I did, however, in the last year before retirement, develop depression and General Anxiety Disorder-not sure why but I went down the rabbit hole, and it was difficult to crawl back out. I’m fine now but still take SSRIs. Thank you so much for writing your book and for keeping in contact with me. I hope all is well with you and yours and that hopefully, your life is getting back to pre-Covid normal-whatever that is. Thanks again, Nicole!

Long Way Out :-)

I enjoyed immensely the narration of Long Way Out, the book and substance of it was a little long and didn’t always keep my attention, Certainly got a clear understanding of this young lady’s life and her decisions that were made from not really considering her own heart. Melissa’s reading of it was excellent and I enjoyed that.

great book and narration

I love it. The narrator was great. Did not want to stop listening when I pulled into my driveway. I have never read or listened to a book about the Navy but this book gives me a better understanding of what my Uncle and brother in law are talking about when they talk work.

Long Way Out; an intriguing journey to find true happiness

Long Way Out is an intriguing truthful glimpse of the life of a female naval officer. You will instantly feel a connection to the main character through her journey of self discovery.
This fascinating story with attention to detail is an eye opener that allows insight to all.
I look forward to another read by this courageous author.