Martha Laguardia-Kotite – författare

For decades now, the poem "My Name Is Old Glory" has been read at military retirements and patriotic ceremonies. Composed by an unsung Marine who served during WW II named Howard Schnauber, it expresses his feelings about the Star-Spangled Banner. In this book, Schnauber's simple but powerful lines blend with timeless images--from a civil rights march to the Moon landing, from Iwo Jima to September 11, 2001--that capture the courage, strength, and glory embodied in our national treasure. With sidebars about significant flag-raising events, the flag acts of 1777, 1794, 1812, and 1912, flag etiquette, personal reflections about what the flag means to Americans of all ages, and much more, this is sure to be the flag book of the year.

Changing the Rules of Engagement brings to life the authentic, vivid stories of leadership from inspiring and adventurous women who achieved the extraordinary by serving their country in the U.S. military. These women shattered the glass ceiling and performed extraordinary feats by refusing to take “no” for an answer and learning how to lead in traditionally male-dominated environments. Martha LaGuardia-Kotite skillfully captures their leadership lessons, struggles, and successes-showing how courageous and tenacious women can achieve their goals and help change policy, insights also applicable to today’s leaders in corporate and business boardrooms.Whether soaring into outer space with the second woman to command a space shuttle or plunging to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with a combat veteran special operations diver, these profiles in leadership highlight a range of powerful examples: from Vivien Crea, a vice commandant of the Coast Guard, who rose to the highest position of any woman in the history of the U.S. military, to Tammy Duckworth, who demonstrated her resilience after being shot down while piloting a helicopter in Iraq and went on to serve as a U.S. senator. Also included are the inspirational stories of women Marines and the first women members of the military service academies’ gender-integrated classes, who recall the highs and lows of their trailblazing journey.Representative of a widely diverse group of enlisted women and officers of different races and cultures, these women have succeeded since the mid-1970s at combating prejudices and aiding change in the military culture with grit, intelligence, leadership, and honor.

So Others May Live is the untold story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s quiet but resolute rescue swimmers. From deep ocean caves on the Oregon coast to the panicked and chaotic streets of post-Katrina New Orleans, here are their stunningly heroic stories. In startlingly clear and exceptional writing, Martha LaGuardia-Kotite tells twelve heroic stories of the greatest maritime rescues attempted since the program began in 1985. These feats, told through the eyes of the heroes, reveal an understanding of how and why the rescuer, with flight crew assistance, risks his or her own life to reach out to save a stranger. Covering diverse environments—oceans, hurricanes, oil rigs, caves, sinking vessels, floods, and even Niagara Falls—So Others May Live is truly a can’t-put-it-down collection.