Fidelis: A Memoir

Written by Teresa Fazio

Narrated by Teresa Fazio

In 1998, Teresa Fazio signed up for the Marine Corps' ROTC program to pay her way through MIT. After the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001, leading to the War on Terror, she graduated with a physics degree into a very different world, owing the Marines four years of active duty. At twenty-three years old and five foot one, Fazio was the youngest and smallest officer in her battalion; the combined effect of her short hair, glasses, and baggy camo was less Hurt Locker than Harry Potter Goes to War. She cut an incongruous figure commanding more experienced troops in an active war zone, where vulnerability was not only taboo but potentially lethal.

In this coming-of-age story set in the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Fazio struggles with her past, her sense of authority, and her womanhood. Anger stifles her fear and uncertainty. A forbidden affair placates her need for love and security. But emptiness, guilt, and nightmares plague Fazio through her deployment-and follow her back home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Jan 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781705277508

Reviews for Fidelis

[Terry Dunson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am always thankful for the service of a veteran. This book is more like a romance novel in the midst of a war scenario. A soldier is trying to maintain military integrity while battling the attraction to have relationships. It's worth reading as there is a good point about keeping one's dignity and honor. In the book we have a battle with consciousness and the physical adversary.