Kirkus Reviews Verdict: GET IT. "A sincere and passionate remembrance that will draw readers in." — Kirkus Reviews At seventeen, she joined the U.S. Army to escape poverty and chase a dream of college. At nineteen, she found herself pregnant in the Saudi Arabian desert—in firing range of The Battle of 73 Easting, one of the largest tank battles in history, hiding her condition from a chain of command that had already shown her what happened to Black women who stepped out of line. When her supervisor sexually assaulted her in the back of a Humvee, she said no—and paid the price. Transferred, isolated, and systematically punished, she dug foxholes, hauled water, and stirred burn pits full of human waste while carrying a secret that could get her court-martialed. When she tried to report what happened, she was told it would be "her word against his." That she should forget it ever happened. But God had other plans. Lost in a blinding sandstorm that should have killed her, she called out to a Father she'd been running from—and He led her home. Through mustard gas alerts, oil fires, and the thunder of war, she prayed over the child growing inside her, asking God to protect them both from a violence that came from every direction. Thirty-three years later, her daughter—who grew up never knowing the full story—asked her mother a simple question: "What was the war really like?" The answer changed everything. Blanket Party In Desert Storm: From Beatdown and Spiritually Broken to Eternally Blessed is a raw, unflinching testimony of survival, faith, and the cost of saying no. Praised by Kirkus Reviews as "a powerful account" written with "controlled fury," this mother-daughter memoir speaks for thousands of women who've been silenced. As one of the only Military Intelligence soldiers—and one of the only Black women—authorized to wear the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment's combat patch, she was there. She served. She fought. But for decades, her story was erased. For anyone who has been broken, betrayed, or told their story doesn't matter: this book is your proof that God redeems every wound and wastes no pain. "A sincere and passionate remembrance that captures war, motherhood, and survival with raw honesty. Reese's journey will resonate with readers drawn to stories of resilience forged under extraordinary circumstances." — Kirkus Reviews Darnnell Reese is a Desert Storm combat veteran who served as a Military Intelligence Analyst (98 Juliet) from 1989 to 1992. She was assigned to Bravo Company, 511th Military Intelligence Battalion, VII Corps, and attached to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Storm. She is one of the few Military Intelligence soldiers authorized to wear the 2nd ACR combat patch, having provided intelligence support during Operation Desert Storm, including the Battle of 73 Easting.After leaving the military, Darnnell built a successful career in the federal government while raising her daughter as a single mother. She has spent decades advocating for Gulf War veterans and fighting for recognition of Military Sexual Trauma and toxic exposure.Darnnell is the author of the Victorious With God series, which includes Victorious! Defeating Bullies & Giants God's Way, In All Seriousness... Totally Funny Bible Stories, and their companion Defeating Bullies and Giants Coloring Book. Blanket Party in Desert Storm is her third full-length book in the series.She lives in Fort Washington, Maryland, with her husband Terrence, a federal police officer with 25 years of service, whose love, kindness, unwavering support, and fierce protectiveness created the safe space that allowed her to finally tell this story. Deidra Wilson is a fashion designer and graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with over ten years of experience in the fashion industry. Her artistic abilities may be a result of her mother's love for Pictionary. She has designed standout collections for Joe's Jeans, Good American, Favorite Daughter, Athleta, JustFab, ShoeDazzle, and DVF.As the daughter of a Desert Storm combat veteran, she grew up witnessing her mother's fight for recognition and healing, never fully understanding the cost until she asked her mother to share her story. That conversation became the catalyst for this memoir.Deidra is passionate about amplifying the voices of Black women veterans whose service has been erased from history. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Charles, Founder and CEO of Ghost Dog Productions and Co-Producer of Warner Bros.' All American. His love, kindness, unwavering support, and fierce protectiveness shield her from the harsh realities that Black women navigate daily, creating the safe space that made it possible for her to help bring her mother's story to the world.