Out standing in the field : a memoire by Canada's first female infantry officer

Some books are catalysts. Shake Hands with the Devil was one. For 2017, that book is Out Standing in the Field . In her memoir, Sandra Perron describes her experience of the Canadian Military - one of the most important institutions of our nation. What she has to say is exactly what the top brass has been paying lip-service to for years, and doing nothing to improve. In 2016, the Auditor General's Report noted that the military had no strategy to recruit women, even though they are required to meet a target that 25% of the uniformed personnel be women. According to Statistics Canada, 1,000 members of our military say they have been sexually assaulted in the past year. In her revealing and moving memoir, Sandra Perron, Canada's first female infantry officer and a member of the Royal 22e Régiment - the legendary "Van Doos" - describes her fight against a system of institutional sexism. Though repeatedly identified as top of her class throughout her training, she was subject to harassment by her male colleagues. Her military experience, however, wasn't all negative. Through two deployments to Bosnia and Croatia, Perron forged lasting friendships with men and women, serving her country with courage and compassion, and her determination helped pave the way for women's inclusion in the Armed Forces. Out Standing in the Field is the story of a soldier who refused to let her comrades or her country down, even while serving a military institution that failed her repeatedly. Beautifully written, Perron's memoir is a testament to her fortitude and patriotism, and serves as proof that the spirit of a true hero cannot be bent or broken. "Canada's first woman trained for combat, a decorated officer in the "Van Doos" the legendary Royal 22nd Regiment, comes up against a system of institutional sexism. Throughout her training, Sandra Perron was repeatedly identified as top of her class, but was also subject to "pranks" that included stripping her uniform of insignia (which is a not-so-subtle way of informing her that her platoon did not have her back). The lessons she learned, however, weren't all negative - through several deployments, including Bosnia and Croatia, she forged lasting friendships with men and women. Her memoir shows that while the Canadian military did, eventually let her down, she did not do the same to her fellow soldiers or her country; it also shows that the spirit of a true hero cannot be bent or broken. Beautifully written, Perron's memoir is a testament to her fortitude and patriotism. Canada's first woman trained for combat. First woman in the Van Doos, the Royal 22nd Regiment Sexism and sexual abuse in the Canadian military is an on-going problem and continues to make the news."-- Provided by publisher Sandra Perron, Canada's First Female Infantry Officer, Describes Her Experiences Serving In The Canadian Forces, Including The Harassment She Suffered During Training And Her Deployments To Bosnia And Croatia. Sandra Perron.