Welcome to my book, and my site.

My goal with my book Beyond the Call was to tell the stories of women well — the untold stories of females serving in combat alongside men.

My goal with this site is to continue to do so — to keep highlighting the stories of these women and others who have done groundbreaking things in combat and beyond.

Check out my upcoming podcasts to hear more about women who have been in combat in their own words.

After we dig into their stories, I’ll tell the stories of other groundbreaking females in my ongoing Hardcore Women podcast series. Look for blog posts and video stories as well. Stay tuned for all of that after my book drops in November 2018!

Want to see me on tour? Find Where You’ll Catch Me by looking at my touring schedule. See Where I’ve Been by checking out my YouTube travel series. Some episodes will be embedded on this site. For the rest, check out my YouTube channel.

I look forward to sharing these stories and my book with you!

All the photos on this site are featured in the book and are courtesy of two of the women whose stories I’ve told: Sgt. Sheena Adams and Capt. Johanna Smoke.

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About the author

Eileen Rivers has been a journalist for more than 15 years, and has written about the military, among other things, for The Washington Post. Her book, Beyond the Call, was an outgrowth of a multi-media project she produced for USA TODAY.

She is currently a digital content editor for USA TODAY‘s editorial page, is a member of the paper’s Editorial Board and is the founder of the paper’s microsite Policing the USA, which tracks what’s happening with police and policing across the country. She recently won an Emmy for her work on an in-depth, multi-part series on prisons and recidivism for the publication.

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Contact me

Want to catch up with me on tour?  Have a question? Is there a woman whose story you’d like to hear as part of the Hardcore Women series? Talk to me. I’d love to hear from you. erivers1@hotmail.com de.rivers1@gmail.com

For publicity information, contact Lissa Warren at lissa.warren@hbgusa.com.

For book, television and other opportunities, reach out to Joelle Delbourgo at joelle@delbourgo.com.

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What people are saying about this book

“Today, women are on the frontlines of our nation’s wars all over the globe. Yet little has been written about them or the struggles they endure – both off and on the battlefield. Until now. Eileen Rivers’ 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

“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’ 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

“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 (US Army, Ret.); author of A Higher Standard