Happy Veteran's Day

Coming Soon New Book by Cathy Harris
We Were Soldiers
...and Females...

Cathy Harris
U.S. Army
Nov. 1977 - May 1981
 
MOS: Administrative Specialist

Duty Stations:
Fort Jackson, SC
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Butzbach, Germany
Frankfurt, Germany

Companies:
Military Police Battalions







 

 

Should Women Stop 
Joining 
the Military?

 

Seeking stories for a new book entitled

"We Were Soldiers and...Females"

 

Nov. 11, 2013

 

Hey all:

 

Is it time to turn back the clock on the Women's Liberation and women's rights movement and rethink allowing women to join the military? It's past time that we look at today's military and take strong actions to keep women out of harm's way. 

 

One way to do this is by reevaluating job descriptions that women are allowed to serve in in the military and even think about discouraging women from joining the military all together.

 

It just might be time to stop women from serving in the trenches alongside of men on the front-lines. If men soldiers think this will be the last days of their lives, they will probably not care what actions they take against women in their foxholes. Is this what you want for your daughters?

 

This year while on my 15 state tour on the east coast, I watched the hearings on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, about punishment for soldiers who violate and rape female soldiers. 

 

For those of you who have had your head in the sand and have not been keeping up with the story, please read the below alarming statistics about women in the military: 

 

According to military and civilian statistics, over 40% of female veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reported suffering psychological trauma from sexual assaults or harassment. Four out of ten women have been raped. So a female solider is more likely to be attacked by a fellow soldier than killed by military fire.

 

The hearings focused on whether the military should allow punishment for these male soldiers to be determined by a court outside of the military. But like always they decided to keep it "in-house" through the military "chain-of-command" which means the abuses will continue to be covered up and male soldiers will continue to go unpunished. 

 

When I left the comfort of my home in Georgia and joined the military, my reason for joining was I wanted to travel the world and I did. I was never raped in the military but at every duty station, I was constantly sexually harassed by lower and higher ranking sergeants and officers. 

 

During my three and a half years of military service, I worked primarily as an Administrative Specialist in Military Police Battalions supervised by First Sergeants and Company Commanders. 

 

While serving my duties, I frequently witnessed officers continuously "abuse their position of authority," especially against minority soldiers and females. This was my first introduction to any type of injustice.

 

Sexual harassment was rampant at many of the military bases. One of my military stations, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Aberdeen, Maryland, would later become notorious for a sex scandal that changed the whole history of the military.

 

At APG, many female soldiers came forth to tell their stories of abuse and blatant acts of sexual harassment from their superiors. Because of their testimonies, the military's laws, rules and regulations changed forever. I was really proud of these women.

 

When I look back at my military years, I remember many of the injustices I witnessed and they haunt me to this day. The sexual misconduct in the military was just a preview that I would later learn, of the discriminatory practices which seemed to be sanctioned in the federal government.

 

As most of you know, all of my  18 non-fiction books are about bringing attention to the plight of others and solving problems in the community. As a former female soldier, U.S. Army, and mother of 2 daughters, I would like to make a difference in the lives of women who choose to go into the military. 

 

Therefore, I am writing a book and is currently seeking stories from women soldiers from any branch of service to participate in this book or a series of books on how women are treated in the military. 

 

You can send a half or full page write-up on Microsoft Word (or copy and paste into an email which I prefer)...about your experience in the military working alongside of men. 

 

If you can I would like for you to answer the following questions: 

  • What is your name, phone number and email address? (I won't use your real name unless you prefer I did and I should not have to call you but I might email you).
  • What branch of service were you in and for how long?
  • What were your duty stations (cities, states and countries)?
  • What was your Military Occupation Specialties (MOS)?
  • Why did you go into the military in the first place?
  • How was your experience working alongside of men?
  • How was the process to file a complaint when you were treated unfairly?
  • Where the officers receptive to you coming forward or where they the main persons you had the complaints against?
  • How were your fellow female soldiers treated?
  • What about the female sergeants and officers - did they stand up for other women?
  • If you had to do it all over again, would you volunteer to go into the military, or do you think that women should stop joining the military because of the alarming rape statistics against them? 
  •  Would you allow a female family member to join the military and if so -- which branch?

Just so you know upfront, the book will be written in order to bring attention to the plight of women soldiers. If your story is selected to be a part of the book, it will give you a chance to tell your story and give your opinion on female soldiers in the military but there will be no financial rewards for anyone who submit their story.

 

You can send the questionnaire or write-up to info@cathyharrisspeaks.com or cathyharrisspeaks@gmail.com. Again, I prefer you send by copying and pasting into your email and if you have any questions, you can call me at the number below.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Cathy Harris, Speaker, Author, Trainer

Angels Press, CEO, President, Publisher

P.O. Box 5288

Atlanta, GA 31107

(770) 873-2072

www.CathyHarrisSpeaks.com (Lectures, Seminars, Workshops)

www.AngelsPress.com (Empowerment and Publishing Company)

www.TheCathyHarrisStory.com (The Cathy Harris Story)

 

 

 

 Articles on Military Abuse Against Women

 

Off The Battlefield, Military Women Face Risks From Male Troops

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alarming Workplace Statistics

 

Surviving in the workplace means having the tools to fight back if you find yourself in that vulnerable position. As you read this book, Workplace Survival Guide you will understand that there is some alarming workplace statistics out there such as:

  • Over 85% of workers are unhappy with their jobs.
  • Over 85% of workers are one (1) paycheck away from being homeless.
  • The goal of abusive managers is to "break the spirit" of good hard-working, honest employees.
  • Because of the weak economy -- nepotism, favoritism and cronyism have polluted MOST workplaces in America.

 

Many issues affecting women in the workplace include:

  • Depression is the number one barrier women face in the workplace.
  • The federal government, the world's largest employer, has always fostered the "sex-for-jobs" atmosphere.
  • One out of 20 African American women in the federal government especially federal law enforcement has been on stress leave, is contemplating going on stress leave or is currently on stress leave. Of course the leave is 'unpaid.'
  • Over 40% of female veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reported suffering psychological trauma from sexual assaults or harassment. Four out of ten women have been raped. So a female solider is more likely to be attacked by a fellow soldier than killed by military fire.
  • Hundreds of teenagers file discrimination complaints each year. More than 70 percent of the cases are sex-related.
  • Over 70% of women in workplaces are mothers but there is very little "flex time" - anywhere.
  • Over 98% of all leadership books in the workplace were written by men.
  • Laws to protect women in the workplace have not been revamped in the past 20 years. More women vote than men - so why haven't laws been introduced and passed to protect women in the workplace?

 

Alarming statistics about Sexual Harassment include:

  • Over 90% of women will experience some form of "sexual harassment" in the workplace but only 5% will file claims of harassment.
  • Most sexual harassment takes place between a man in a superior position and a woman in an inferior position.
  • The rate of sexual harassment has remained relatively stable over the years; it has not diminished with more publicity and education.
  • Women are nine times more likely to quit a job because of sexual harassment than are men.
  • Women are five times more likely to transfer from a job because of sexual harassment than men.
  • Women are three times more likely to lose a job because of sexual harassment than are men.
  • Women who complain are often not believed and are sometimes punished. More than half of the women who call job-problem hotlines -- quit their jobs or were fired as a result of sexual harassment.
  • Most women cannot afford to quit their job because of sexual harassment. They just put up with it.
Cathy Harris 3 Workplace Books

Workplace Survival Guide: 
How To Fight Discrimination, Whistleblowing and the Workers' Compensation System

Discrimination 101: The Complete Guide to Recognizing and Surviving Discrimination in the Workplace 
(Volume I and II)
    

Available Only as E-books at
 
        

 

Now setting up seminars and workshops 
on health, business and self-publishing 
for 6 months Florida Tour 




 

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