All Davis received when she was informed of her husband's death were eight small black boxes filled with Michael's personal effects and a black binder entitled "The Days Ahead." Of the boxes, Taryn said, "What's foremost in your head is the clothes, because you cannot wait to smell him, and you open [the black boxes] and it smells like Tide. Everything is sanitized, everything is wiped down." Of the binder, Taryn said there was information on how to arrange the funeral, but nothing about "how to deal with the emotions."

Finding zero resources for young women like herself, Davis decided to pick up a camera and reach out to other widows in her Texas town. Eventually, the stories of the widows Davis interviewed turned into a documentary called the American Widow Project as well as a website of the same name. Over 150 women have shared their stories on the Project's website, as well as offering support to each other via a MySpace page. The website also has resources for recent widows offering insights on how to face the difficult days ahead. Hopefully in the coming years there will be more government support for these women, as Michelle Obama has already made military families one of her pet causes.

Along with fellow widow Nicole Hart, Davis is taking her support group on the road this winter, planning to stop by many military bases to talk to fellow wives and widows about her experience. As Davis writes on the Widow Project's website, "Finding validation and understanding in what you are going through by connecting with other widows will help you to know that you are not alone."

[Image via The American Widow Project]

What Is The Origin Of Veterans Day? [Live Science]
More Homeless Female Veterans Seek Shelter [MSNBC]
'American Widow Project' Born From Grief [NPR]
The American Widow Project [Official Site]
Michelle Obama Focuses On Military Spouses [CBS News]

Earlier: Military Spouse: Serving Those Who Love Servicemen, Women

Derick Chetty of the Toronto Star reports that while many a man might well get downright excited about buying a new suit or a well-cut shirt, there is just something about the thought of buying new underwear that makes men go, Uh, I'd rather not.

Chetty hypothesizes that perhaps the way to trick men into buying new underwear is to design skivvies in bright colors and childlike/ironic patterns, which is exactly what the Ginch Gonch brand does. (The styles, some of which are seen below, have names like Big Bang and Crotch Rocket.) Question is: Would you want to see a man in these? Do you know men who would want to see themselves in these? And most importantly, would they make someone like Jeremy Paxman feel adequately supported? (Like the folks at The Telegraph, we'd have to agree that a classic brief will probably make a man feel the most safe, if not also the least, er, flappy.) What do you think about what men wear down there?

Feathers of Fire Sports Brief, $31.50; Painted Tiger Sports Brief, $31.50
Crotch Rocket Sports Brief, $27; Pretty Kitty Lowrise, $27

Big Bang Star Sports Brief, $27; Oil Slicker Brief, $23.50

Western Star Brief, $27

Introducing The Nation's Fancy Pants [Telegraph]
A brief history of pants: Why Men's Smalls Have Always Been A Subject Of Doncern [Independent]
Why Men Hate to Buy Underwear [Toronto Star]