At Ease Book Club: Chasing the Daylight, by Joanna Rakowski

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the At Ease program is launching our 2026 At Ease book club with a story from a women Veteran. We will examine Joanna Rakowski’s unique story and explore our own personal identities and how the military community has shaped them. 

What is it like to be part of the world’s most powerful armed forces at the dawn of the 21st century? Does a military tale have to be about the men going to war? You’ll find out in Chasing the Daylight: One Woman’s Journey to Becoming a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer. Joanna is a fragile, romantic, former ballerina. After a painful rift with her beloved friend and mentor, she joins the U.S. Army. Her dream is to become an Intelligence Officer. She faces a formidable task, but she embarks on a four-year journey to accomplish her goal. The story whirls us into the center of the rigorous army training and transports us into the reality that only less than one percent of the U.S. population would ever experience.

Questions? Please contact Veterans Program Specialist, Jessica Klinge at jklinge@brushwoodcenter.org.