Dear Military History: Hold My Bourbon

Captured this look, then used Arvin App to style it.

Quotes, Footnotes & Righteous Rage — The Remix

“Hold my beer” actually pairs just fine with my love of bourbon, whisky, and a properly built Old Fashioned—with a dark cherry, of course.

I frequently get asked who this blog or my research is for, so let me clarify that.

Let's be real—this is part love letter, part war cry, and a historical mixtape of all the stories that got left behind. I'm diving deep, flipping dusty pages, and asking the questions no one wanted to explore—especially those individuals who told me Military spouse history is "Ridiculous."

For me and ...

Hey there, history rebels —To my fellow historians: the footnote fanatics, the archive addicts, the ones who get an actual rush from touching a primary source (you know who you are) — welcome. You are so in the right place.

To the female veterans and military spouses — my sisters in camo and chaos, in combat boots and heels... or flip-flops. You’ve been through it all — the briefings, the TDYs, the deployments, the cross-country moves, the awkward spouse socials, and the legendary potlucks and coffees. This space? It’s yours. You’re not alone — not today, and not in History.

To military scholars and gender researchers — if you’re here to uncover the stories that have been left out of official narratives and sidelined– pull up a chair and bring your best sources. We're diving deep — into the messy, gritty, uncomfortable stuff that makes the story real.

And to the students, educators, and curious minds — if you’ve ever stopped and asked, “Wait... women and military spouses did what?” then welcome, friend. Buckle up — you’re in for one hell of a ride.

Finally, the doubters—the ones who told me I didn't "get" or "understand" Military History, the ones who called my research on military spouse history ridiculous. Thank you. No, seriously. You fueled my pursuit of a master's degree in Military History, this blog, and an obsession with finding the women, the military spouses, and the stories you choose to ignore.

I raise my bourbon to you all– Cheers!

Welcome to the end of whispers.

Loud, proud, and peer-reviewed — just how history should be.

~Mel

#MilitarySpouseHistory #HomefrontArchives #BehindTheUniforms #MilitaryHistory