The author of this book secured permission to 'embed' with the U.S. 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and observe and interview "marines who happened to be women" then posted at Camp Fallujah in Iraq. In the time she spent there, she interviewed women in the Corps who held ranks from corporals to colonels to gain a broad and varied perspective of the experiences representative of female Marines throughout Iraq. While many people are aware that women are actively serving in the U.S. armed forces, few understand what exactly is expected of women in the military, the duties they perform, and the limitations and restrictions placed on them, especially in a combat zone.This book reveals much about its subjects. In some ways they mirrored their male counterparts, many enlisting only for four years to receive educational benefits or an opportunity to escape their home environment, while others make the Corps their career serving as commissioned officers. Beyond them are others who were recalled to active duty to serve with their representative guard units. The author uncovers their stories: the preconceived notions that they possessed when the enlisted in the Corps, how the experience of serving in Iraq has changed them, and what they ultimately take home from the battlefield. She also sheds light on the day-to-day grind that all service personnel face in Iraq. This book also examines how women at the lower levels of command and field duties are affected by their experiences.