Woman Recounts Horrors Of Her Army Stint In 1970s Letter Of The Week: From Nov. 15

Having spent time in the United States Army during the Vietnam era, I find it paradoxical that now, in 1996, the Army is starting to address sexual harassment and rape.

It was common during the ‘70s for women in the armed forces to be constantly jeered, criticized, humiliated and harassed, just because they were women in the service. If perchance you made it through basic training, which I will admit was grueling physically and mentally, you were considered a lesbian or sexually promiscuous.

Girls in our unit were told by our drill instructors never to leave the barracks alone. We had the buddy system way back then. We were, however, still harassed, constantly on guard of the deviates who were only after a sexual encounter, officers and enlisted men alike. It was awful.

After serving my three years at Fort McClelland in Alabama and Fort Sam Houston in Texas, I declined to re-enlist. My self-esteem had, by that time, plummeted.

I had nothing but great respect for the armed services when I enlisted. However, after experiencing the actual day-to-day existence of military life, I told myself if I ever had a daughter, I would break both her legs just so she would not serve in the U.S. military. Even though I feel the military has advanced in the last 25 years, I thank God she has no desire whatsoever to enlist. Suzann O’Sullivan Embury Hayden

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