Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Life at Camp chronicles the often harrowing and all-too-common stories of women in the military and offers recommendations for change at the national, state, commander, and individual levels.
Review from father of fallen veteran, Ginny Sweetser
“Last fall I became aware that Chief Doris Sumner had published her memoir about her experiences in the National Guard. I immediately read “Life at Camp” and was very impressed with Chief Sumner’s strength and dedication despite constant resistance from the top echelon regarding sexual harassment and assault cases that moved up the Chain of Command. Despite being sexually assaulted in her first days of military service, prior to taking the new position of SEEM, Sumner writes “I never considered sexism as a problem within the military”.
This exceptional Memoir is about the sexual harassment in the military and the National Guard. Women’s equality is important to me. I have seen far too much sexual harassment. The moment the word gets out about sexual harassment or assault the rumor mill churns like wildfire. The personal impact on victims is staggering. Promotions are denied, and changes in duty assignment in many cases of the victim because the victim is seen as a “trouble maker” by leadership for reporting an incident.
The position of EO in the military is a difficult one because upper level personnel do not want to “Rock the Boat” with their superiors despite the law. Chief Sumner clearly explains the issues of harassment and sexual assault and the extreme difficulty of the individual acquiring a purposeful satisfactory resolution.
I strongly encourage everyone (including Fortune 500 CEOs and their leadership teams) to read “Life at Camp” and think about the issues of sexual harassment and assault. My daughter Virginia was a victim of sexual assault in Iraq. She never reported it because she knew it would cause her more harm than good. We lost Virginia in 2020 due to PTSD-related suicide due to the many events she witnessed and experienced while in Iraq. There is no greater loss. No one is more important than anyone else. That includes people in power and in leadership positions - including members of Congress and the President. They have an obligation to bring an end to sexual assault and sexual harassment – in the military, in our colleges, in the halls of power of companies large and small, among star athletes.
I completed a tour in the Marines and then joined the VT Guard retiring in 2008 after 30 years. I have a MSA from Saint Michael’s College and served 14 years in the VT Legislature."
Gene Sweetser
Retired
Author Thomas Keith's 5 Star Review
“Doris Sumner, a 36-year veteran of the Vermont Army National Guard, has composed a harrowing and candid page-turner that takes readers inside the good ol’ boy network of the military where victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault have to fight for justice and often come up empty. But more than this, Sumner explains why the military can and should become a template for gender equality everywhere. Long considered to be a male-exclusive domain where bro behaviors were and are still common, Sumner offers a roadmap on how to get the U.S. military into the 21st century and beyond by treating women with the respect and professionalism they deserve.
But further, “Life at Camp” explicates how the present environment typified by male-centric chauvinism and turning a blind eye to sexual misconduct hurts military readiness. The good news is that there is reason to be optimistic about the future.
This book should be standard reading for everyone in the military as well anyone who cares deeply about the equal treatment of women and who would like to see the U.S. military take the lead in modeling to the world how a fair, efficient, and capable military should look. In the end, “Life at Camp” explains why creating a gender-equal military helps women, men, and our nation! My highest recommendation!” workplace harassment diversity and inclusion
