Washington DC's Decorated General- Richard Cody's wife- Illuminates What Americans need to know about the families behind their soldiers
Vicki Cody's narrative and journal entries-highlights the selflessness and sacrifices families make for their military members. She also illuminates the roller coaster of stress, loneliness, sleepless nights, humor, joys, and, eventually, resilience that make up her life while her husband is away at war.
When Vicki Cody got married 46 years ago, she also became wedded to the Army. In fact, her marriage has been inseparable from the military. She has spent her adult life supporting her family of soldiers and penned two award-winning books – Army Wife and Fly Safe – that help tell the story of what she and millions of army spouses and parents face when their loved ones go off to serve their country thousands of miles away. An author, speaker, and relentless military family advocate, Vicki is on a mission to help those who support our selfless service members.
“Through my narrative and journal entries, I share my journey giving the reader a glimpse of the ups and downs, challenges, and triumphs, and the stress of war as seen through the eyes of the families back home,” says Vicki. “When you have no control over a situation you have to have faith; faith in yourself, faith in your partner, and during the really difficult times, I relied on my faith in God.”
Her husband, Richard Cody, is a retired four-star general and served as the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. She was with him – oceans apart -- as he served in the evacuation of Vietnam and later when he was in the Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. They would move 18 times in 33 years, and as she raised their family of two sons she would see them turn into Apache helicopter pilots for the famed 101st Airborne Division.
Vicki is available in an interview to discuss the following:
· What it is really like to be home alone, thousands of miles away from your spouse or child who is risking their life overseas.
· How to keep a marriage vibrant and raise a family amid challenges and uncertainties.
· What Americans need to know about the families behind their soldiers.
· How women can turn challenges into life lessons and positive growth as a wife/mother.
· Why some choose to participate in their destiny, while others watch from the sidelines.
· How we can navigate a new norm.
· What we can do to support our veterans and wounded warriors.
Vicki Cody, after 33 years as an Army wife, is now an Army mom, with two sons active in the service as Apache helicopter pilots. She wrote about her experiences in two award-winning books and advises military spouses and parents around the country. Her popular manual, Your Soldier, Your Army: A Family Guide, for the Association of the United States Army, has been distributed to well over 500,000 Army parents.
Vicki is married to a retired decorated four-star general who served as the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Richard Arthur “Dick” Cody. While raising their two sons and moving all over the United States and overseas, she served as a coach and mentor for Army spouses and an advocate for Army families.
As an advocate, author, and speaker, Vicki has been interviewed on CNN, MSNBC, C-Span, and Soldier Television and Radio. She has had reviews published in The New York Times, Army Magazine, Military Times, Stars and Stripes, and Army Aviation Association of America. She has also been published by Authority Magazine and Thrive Global.
Her first book, Army Wife: A Story of Love and Family in the Heart of the Army, was published by She Writes Press. It won the USA Best Book Award for narrative non-fiction; was a Finalist for the Foreword Indies Book of the Year in the military category; and was named in Kirkus Reviews top 100 books of the year.
Vicki’s second memoir, Fly Safe: Letters from the Gulf War and Reflections from Back Home, was published by She Writes Press in 2021. Fly Safe was a finalist for the 2021 Best Book Awards in the History/Military category; made the Kirkus Reviews 2021 list of top Great Indie Books Worth Discovering; and is a finalist for the Military and Front Lines Book Award in the Chanticleer International Book Awards.
She has spoken at The Congressional Club, Institute of Land Warfare, Friends of Army Aviation, and numerous Army Spouse clubs. She was written into the Congressional Record as a tribute by Congressman Sylvestre Reyes for her writings about Army life and her contributions to the nation as an Army wife and Army mom.
An interview with Kirkus Reviews can be found here:
Vicki grew up in Burlington, Vermont and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1975, with a BS degree in education. Vicki is not only the wife and mom of pilots, she earned her own private pilot’s license at age 32. She and her husband of 46 years live in the Washington, DC area. For more information, please see: www.vickicody.com.
