Our army at war against their female comrades

The recent events at the Australian Defence Force Academy involving the filming of a young woman as she had consensual sex are disgusting - as are the actions taken after the event by the so-called leaders of the academy (''Defence attacked in battle of sexism,'' April 7). I call on all young men and women thinking of joining the military forces to boycott the organisation until there are obvious signs that direct action has been taken to improve conditions. It simply isn't worth working for. Sexism and a macho culture predominate at the academy and throughout the Australian defence forces, as indicated by the constant reports of bullying and intimidation of young women, incidents showing young men totally out of control and the number of young males and females attempting or committing suicide. These attitudes come from the top of the military organisation, so I also call on the Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, and head of the armed forces, Angus Houston, to shave off the layer of men in the top jobs in the defence forces, including the head of the Australian Defence Force Academy, Bruce Kafer; they must be put out to pasture because their misogynist attitudes are polluting our military forces. And they must be replaced by people who don't live in the past and whose attitudes are appropriate to run today's mixed-sex forces. Advertisement: Story continues below There is obviously something very sick in the Australian military forces, especially as its leaders are known not to want women there and promote their treatment as second-class citizens. Sharon Webb Deloraine (Tas) The male defence cadets involved in the publishing and viewing of the consensual sexual act cannot complain about the woman involved going to the media concerning their actions. Their actions of filming, publishing and exhibiting the act are exactly Rosetta Stone Greek what any media involved in breaching a person's privacy would do. If they want to be part of the media industry, then they should have expected their ''work'' to be examined by their fellow media colleagues. Especially at their age, where they have grown up with the internet and know that everyone on the internet is a producer and a consumer. Luke Lake Kambah The executive group of Australian Defence Force Academy is, in my opinion, taking the coward's way out. It appears that they are encouraging the reaction from their troops. It is a disgrace and those who are on the executive should be investigated as well as those who trashed her room. And who decided to charge her the day after the incident came to light? I did 20 years with the navy and paid off as a warrant officer. I paid off in 1990. We were taught to look after our troops and my officers were good officers and they would take the appropriate action when it was required. Peter Haggarty Cranebrook As the mother of a first-year officer cadet (female) at ADFA, the wife of an officer currently serving in Afghanistan and a former media adviser to a defence minister, I have some advice for Stephen Smith: stay away from operational matters, especially during an unfolding story. Attempting to boost your ministerial profile on the back of what is clearly an emerging tragedy involving at least one very vulnerable young person is not a good look. Ditto the opposition defence spokesman, whoever he is. Michelle Schofield Queens Park When they are next handing out medals, there should be one for ''Kate'' for having the spherical objects lacking in her colleagues when it comes to exposing continued sexism at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Richard Ure Epping The bosses never wanted women in the forces. Their campaign has been covert and it continues.

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