“I was a military police officer in Fort Bragg, NC in the 70’s, and in the first class of women to graduate. They really didn’t want us there. 60 of us started and only 30 of us graduated. It came so naturally to me, but it was so much rougher than I thought it would be. We had to do everything the men would do – hand to hand combat with men, learning how to guard the POWs, urban combat. Training helps, but it doesn't prepare you for the abuse, or getting shot at with real bullets. The first day I got there I got punched in the face. My sergeant woke me up and said, ‘welcome to Fort Bragg.’ We saw sick, traumatizing things. Being a female I also had to also deal with sexual harassment. You’d think the male officers would have your back, but that wasn’t the case. When you have to take your gun out on your partner and say, ‘get off of me’, something is wrong. There’s no one there saying – this person is emotionally depleting and needs help. I would be the only female on patrol for weeks on end – 60 to 70 days straight, no days off. The only way my female partner got off was by shooting her vehicle because she needed a break."