Girls Need Not Apply

by Kelly S. Thompson

This inspiring, compelling debut memoir chronicles the experiences of a female captain serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, and her journey to make space for herself in a traditionally masculine world.

At eighteen years old, Kelly Thompson enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces. Despite growing up in a military family -- she would, in fact, be a fourth-generation soldier -- she couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't belong.
From the moment she arrives for basic training at a Quebec military base, a young woman more interested in writing than weaponry, she quickly realizes that her conception of what being a soldier means, forged from a desire to serve her country after the 9/11 attacks, isn't entirely accurate. A career as a female officer will involve navigating a masculinized culture and coming to grips with her burgeoning feminism.
In this compulsively readable memoir, Thompson writes with wit and honesty about her own development as a woman and a soldier, unsparingly highlighting truths about her time in the military. In sharply crafted prose, she chronicles the frequent sexism and misogyny she encounters both in training and later in the workplace, and explores her own feelings of pride and loyalty to the Forces, and a family legacy of PTSD, all while searching for an artistic identity in a career that demands conformity. When she sustains a career-altering injury, Thompson fearlessly re-examines her identity as a soldier.
Girls Need Not Apply is a refreshingly honest story of conviction, determination, and empowerment, and a bit of a love story, too.

Genres: Nonfiction, Canada, Memoir, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Mental Health, Biography Memoir

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a member of the CAF this book has thoroughly upset me. From the beginning of her memoire, it is quite evident that Kelly’s motivation for joining the Forces was for selfish purposes. When you join the CAF you sign a term of service to Canada and service to Canadians. It is imperative that the mindset be “Service Before Self” to achieve the missions assigned to the CAF. This was never the case for Thompson; she demonstrated throughout that she was selfish: joining for the free education, Sewing her white name tags inside her clothing and then trying on her uniforms instead of helping her teammates when she was done before them, having an affair with a colleague who was married (!!!) instead of listening to her female boss who may know a thing or two about being professional at work(!!!) and finally not saying thank you to her boss for all the mentorship, which ultimately assisted her to top her specialty course. Shame!
Thompson always identified as a female who was viewed as only such (with large boobs). She never realized that her actions had consequences, i.e. her lack of physical preparedness for her courses ultimately lead to her career-ending injury.
Finally, is she so naive to think that when she wore nice fitting clothing at university that she was not looked at by the students. Come on! Anyone who wears Baggy clothing all day and then wears something nice would result in people looking and possibly saying things...especially from young immature people. This is a problem in society as a whole, not just the CAF.
I only kept reading her memoire to find out why “Girls Need Not Apply”? I never found the answer within the pages. Thompson lacks the requisite experience to properly explain what the Forces is like for women and I am insulted that she is trying to capitalize on this important topic.
“Girls Need Not Apply”?!? Heck, yes- women apply! The More women apply, the better the CAF will be.
Indeed there are those old-age stereotypes, but I have seen improvements over the past 19 years that I have been in the Forces.

[Lisa Chambers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this review. I served in the Canadian Forces as an NCM, joining up several years before this book takes place. The author and I had similar backgrounds - military families, fathers struggling with PTSD, wanting to prove ourselves and make our families proud. I experienced a lot of the sexual harassment she mentions in the book - find me a female soldier who hasn’t - and some of it was a shock even after having spent my entire life around the military.

There were SO MANY experiences, especially at CFLRS in St. Jean, that made me gasp with recognition and go back in time 20 years. Pool PT, PAT Platoon, climbing those freaking stairs to reach your barracks. Suicide attempts. Being a 120 lb female trying to keep up with men twice my size. Having to shed part of who I was to be taken seriously and not be dismissed.

As an army recruit my experience was quite different than the author’s - we lived in the green sector of the building in 5x7 cubicles with zero privacy, about 20 women to a barracks. No cushy private bedroom or bathroom with a lock for 3-4 people to share (and who cares if it’s orange? I can’t believe she complained about that!) The recruit school also differed from the leadership school as we had far less women - my training platoon had 6 females in a platoon of 60 mainly combat arms recruits and most of the other platoons were all male. There was no way to hide your gender and yes there were plenty of times I was sexually harassed, some quite badly. Bullying, harassment, abuse were the norm. Some of the instructors were absolute pigs and the recruits, most In their teens and many with not even a high school diploma, were sometimes quick to emulate the behaviours they saw displayed. Speaking up was strongly discouraged. SHARP training was pretty new at the time and was still regarded with a lot of amusement.

I was 22 and university educated when I enlisted, I often felt like a parent to my teenaged comrades. Our ages and backgrounds were all so different. I remember laughing at dental parade where we were lectured on how to brush our teeth. Until I realized that some people didn’t brush their teeth. Like ever. More often than not it was the men with hygiene issues but there was a girl in my barracks whose teeth were literally green. She wouldn’t brush her teeth unless ordered to do so. Crazy!

What really struck me about Kelly’s story is that she seemed to form very few personal relationships, except with Joe. This seemed odd, especially in basic training where you are built up then torn down then rebuilt all in the name of teamwork. A powerful bond is quickly formed when you spend 24/7 training, living with and sharing the same experiences with a group. You become a unit, a brotherhood or sisterhood...a family. I didn’t especially like some of my platoon and there were some who were downright creepy but when it came down to it we had each other’s backs because we were a team. That’s what I miss the most about the military - the camaraderie and the family. It seems like Kelly’s last several years of service (until her last posting) were an unpleasant struggle...I wonder how much of that had to do with her age and self- involvement that many young people struggle with? In any case I wish I could rewrite her story and let her continue helping veterans and releasing CF members as she seemed so happy at her last posting!

I don’t feel like this book was a shocking exposé of sexual harassment, it was actually somewhat mild compared to what I was expecting based on my own experiences. I like to think that perhaps things have improved and will continue to improve but the military, like all male dominated fields, has a long way to go. And I definitely don’t agree with the book title - women need to keep applying if we ever want things to change.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book, but I have to admit that I am biased. I am a woman in the Forces and joined slightly after the author. My experience is very different, but it would vary by individual, and the divide between officer and NCM (I am the latter) and Air Force to Navy (again, I am the latter) widens the divide.

I am glad that she wrote it and think there should be more like it. I was very excited to hear that there was a memoir from a Canadian female in the Canadian Armed Forces and that it was recent. I hope that it sheds light on issues in the military including harassment and sexism and encourages others to come forward and share their stories.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much for writing this. While those I know in the military are either WWII vets or in the cadet corps, this book has help me reach a deeper understanding of their experiences.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This was such an insightful and empowering memoir of how one woman made space for herself in a traditionally masculine environment.
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"I had been so caught up in the warm feeling of acceptance that it had only then crossed my mind that being welcomed into the fold was only permitted when my youth, gender, and body were part of the deal."
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Thompson starts this memoir upon her entrance into the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 18. Coming from a military family she was a fourth generation soldier. But as she starts basic training she realizes that a career as a female officer will be harder and more of a challenging than she anticipated, having to navigate her way in this masculinized culture.
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Wow! This is such an inspiring read! Thompson always had aspirations to be a writer and you can see that in this book. I was drawn in from page 1! Her prose are razer sharp as she recounts her career in the military with such sincerity and frankness. Reading her honest account of her struggle to find her place in a mostly male dominated world was so empowering! She also delves into the effects military life can have on a person. Being a fourth generation soldier herself she has seen up close how PTSD has affected her family.
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Thompson has written such an inspirational and important memoir. Military books are so often written by men so I really appreciated reading a females perspective.
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Thank You @mcclellandstewart for sending me this Book opinions are my own.

[Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed by this book. Honestly, if you read the summary, you pretty much have gotten all the salient points.

Her service was fairly short, at about 8 years or so plus time waiting for medical release. She spent a good chunk of it untrained for her military occupation, another chunk recovering from injuries, and the rest of it making poor life choices, having little to no life outside the military, and bemoaning the fact that she was experiencing harassment, but was unable or unwilling to say, hey, that’s not okay.

As a freshly-minted female Logistics Officer, I was really hoping for inspiration and all I got was frustration, mixed with the hope that I have more backbone than she did, should I have (or more likely see) any similar behaviour.

[Nicolas Lontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vu dans la pile de service de presse reçu à la librairie, la couverture avec une femme en habit militaire et le titre "Girls need not apply" et repense à plusieurs conversations sur le fait que je ne connaissais aucune ressource sur les femmes en milieux armées à l'exception des témoignages sur les agressions sexuelles, j'ai donc pris le service de presse pour le lire.

J'ai eu vraiment raison de prendre ce mémoire, je ne suis vraiment pas une personne qui apprécie l'institution militaire pour de nombreuses raisons (lesquelles je vais sauter pour pouvoir parler du livre), mais Kelly S. Thompson en brosse un portrait très personnel et affectif. Fille d'un vétéran qui a dû quitter l'armée suite à un syndrome de stress post-traumatique en Syrie, elle rejoint l'armée au début de l'âge adulte entre-autre pour permettre de payer ses études, mais aussi pour poursuivre une tradition familiale de service.

Les premiers chapitres racontent, avec beaucoup d'humour souvent, les exercices de recrutement, la camaraderie, le quotidien des militaires en formation, isolé des civiles, toujours épuisés après leur journée, plus ou moins bien nourris et toujours en situation de stress. L'autrice raconte tout ça non pour condamner ou glorifier (ce sera au lectorat de le faire), mais de montrer un peu l'atmosphère, les lieux dans lesquels elle évoluera pour les 8 prochaines années. Il y aura évidemment des joies, des peines, des accidents, qui la suivront pour le restant de sa vie. Il y a aussi les premiers cas de harcèlement qu'elle voit autour d'elle, sans jamais de conséquences réelles, et la résilience et le courage des femmes qui doivent endurer les remarques de leurs camarades masculins.

Plus on avance dans le mémoire, plus on quitte cette atmosphère de découverte, de suivre les ordres des supérieurs et de l'entraînement militaire. Thompson évolue dans la hiérarchie militaire (il faudrait vraiment que j'ai le tableau dont elle parle dans le mémoire parce que j'étais souvent perdu sur les grades) et prend de plus en plus de responsabilités et de tâches administratives. De l'entraînement militaire, on passe à un récit beaucoup plus calme en terme d' "action" puisqu'il s'agit, on dirait, beaucoup plus d'un travail de bureau (en témoigne les échanges de courriels) et moins de terrain (où, en tout cas, l'autrice ne s'y attarde pas). Avec son accident à la jambe, aggravé par le manque de compassion de ses supérieurs et du soignant qui aura vu sa cheville pour la première fois, il lui est aussi beaucoup plus difficile d'accomplir les tâches physiques bien qu'elle semble passer les épreuves avec plus de facilité qu'à son arrivée.

Un des sujets du mémoire, noté dans la quatrième de couverture, outre ce très pertinent récit de soi dans la hiérarchie militaire ainsi que la résilience et le courage des femmes dans ce milieu (avec de nombreux double standard, dont le classique un homme marié qui couche avec une femme qui ne l'est pas est correct, mais la femme, elle, est une salope qu'on voit répété encore et encore et encore dans le mémoire), est le harcèlement sexuel et l'absence de véritable conséquences ou prises au sérieux de ces comportements par l'armée. Tout au long du mémoire, Thompson est témoin, ou victime, de ce harcèlement, avec parfois les outils pour y faire face, mais pas toujours l'occasion d'agir: conséquence sociale, conséquence pour les autres, "c'était une blague/du sarcasme", de l'âgisme où les jeunes sont incapables de prendre une critique/être forte (alors qu'être une femme dans l'armée, comme le mémoire le démontre, c'est toujours avoir quelque chose à prouver tout le temps), ou encore le fameux "dans mon temps". C'est dur, surtout que ça ne semble presqu'empirer avec la lecture, au fur et à mesure qu'elle s'élève dans la hiérarchie, ce ne sont plus seulement ses supérieurs, mais aussi ceux qui prennent des ordres d'elle qui la juge, ose la reprendre, se moque d'elle.

Je crois que c'est un très bon mémoire, aussi très bien écrit, il y a un bon équilibre, un bon tempo, des effets pour faire ressentir son lectorat bien maîtrisés, et qui raconte comment même une femme qui aurait bien voulue passer sa vie dans l'armée, même malgré tout le harcèlement, a dû le quitter suite à un accident causé par cette même négligence militaire qui n'est pas à l'écoute de ses soldats. C'est aussi un récit familial, sur la dépression, le syndrome de stress post-traumatique, l'héritage et la passation de ces traumas familiaux. C'est aussi la difficulté de conjuguer la vie militaire et civile, l'après-vie militaire, les enterrements, les retraites, les accidents qui justement mettent fin souvent trop tôt à ces carrières sans vraiment offrir d'accompagnement adéquat.

L'autrice raconte beaucoup au début qu'elle veut devenir une écrivaine, et comment c'est un peu comiquement pas du tout compatible avec la carrière militaire qu'elle entreprend, mais elle réussit justement à prouver comment les deux sont, au contraire, très intimement lié dans son cas.

Une belle découverte, à ma très très grande surprise.

[Paula Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book, probably because I am a female in the military myself. I was hoping that I could connect with her and her story, but after reading I realized that this is not my story. And why should it be?

But I feel that she does bring a lot of things to light and is getting the conversation going about women who serve in the Canadian military. I feel that I was very fortunate to have met her in person at her book launch and have her sign my copy. Her story is worth telling and reading.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a striking book for me. The language and pacing was smooth and precise. At times, there was a detached feel to the story being told, but I can fully understand why. After I finished reading this book, I just sat there and looked out the window and wondered many things, for example… why?

Throughout the ages, women have had to fight tooth and nail for equality, to be treated with the same respect and consideration as any man. The evidence that the struggle is still continuing is laced between the pages of this book.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style and found the story itself intriguing and revealing. The sexual assaults made me cringe and how the author had to constantly deal with being slammed down because she’s a woman, work twice as hard to achieve what her male fellow soldiers achieved, and be treated worse because of her sex.

Because this all happened while in the Canadian Armed Forces, makes it even worse for me. I thought we raised our boys better than this.

[Chelsea Girard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls Need Not Apply: Field Notes From The Forced By Kelly S. Thompson
Rating 4/5 stars
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Serving in the military is no walk in the park but as a woman, it’s definitely a broken road. Kelly S. Thompson takes us on a world full of stress and pain as she tries to fit into a place where she doesn’t belong. As a fourth generation soldier, Thompson wants nothing more to find who she truly is and not who people think she is supposed to be.
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Through her own notes, we follow Thompson and the struggle of being a woman of service and also a woman of compassion as she tries to be someone she isn’t meant to be through a world run by stereotypes and sexism. I found this story to be compelling as Thompsons raw and poetic voice can be heard even through the hardest of times. You can feel the pain and hours of hurt that went into sharing this story of heroism and coming of age but you can sense how much love and soul is spilled onto these pages before us.
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I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a compelling memoir as Thompson’s story is one of many that needs to be heard, shared and gifted.

[Claire Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls Need Not Apply provides a nuanced and complicated look at sexism in the Canadian Armed Forces. Thompson details not only her own internal misogyny and sexism but also that of the men committed to the "old ways" of the army. She questions her own feminism, what she knows, and how she was raised in an effort to make lasting and positive changes for army women.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars, which I will round down to 3 stars overall.

I was so excited to read this book. I read Kelly's second book, the story of losing her older sister to cancer, and could not put it down. I had to find this book after reading that one because I liked her writing. I also wanted to pick this up because, while I have not been in the military, I am the daughter of two enlisted members myself. I wanted to read this book in hopes of getting an better understanding of what my own mother endured, even though her experience was in the 1960s. Unfortunately, I don't feel like I accomplished much of my goals.

This book was okay, definitely not the greatness I had hoped it would be. I had assumed, after reading the outline for this book, that I would learn things about being female in the military that I did not already know but, I did not. I think most have heard the stories about sexism, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault against female members. Kelly does discuss all of this but, it is nothing shocking or anything we have not heard countless times before. In case you are not aware, Kelly does basic training one year, and then officers training the second year because she joined as a University student. Even officers training is not immune to stuff like sexual harassment and sexual assault, we just might hear a little less about it.

I think you have to read this book with a grain of salt. It is now 2024 and we have the ME TOO movement, which did not exist in the 2000 when Kelly went through her military training. Are things different now? I like to think so because I think a lot of work places in general are different. Much of what Kelly called out for sexual harassment during training and her postings I had also experienced as a civilian working in a "female driven" profession. While it might have happened more frequently in the military, I think this book overlooks the simple fact that sexual harassment was happening in many workplaces, no matter where you were, until very recently. This book tries to call the military out for having this "bad" behavior but this had been happening everywhere for generations. Does that make it right? No, but it also does not make it shocking or really book worthy.

Overall, like I said, I wanted like this book. I was excited to pick it up (cheap) on amazon. However, I just don't think it deliver on the promises it made in the overview. While the writing is good, and Kelly tells a good story, I don't think it was much of a story really to tell. My mother has better stories to tell from her training years in the 1960s than this book does. That is the reason for my 3 stars overall review.

[Amber Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys, this book is just so awesome. Kelly grew up dreaming of being another generation of Thompsons in the Canadian military - but from the HR side, not on the field. So, she enlists and has to do basic training for nine weeks (even people in military 'desk jobs' have to pass physical fitness tests!) where she encounters some of the most demanding challenges of her life. The following year, she goes back for five more weeks until finally, she's done training and out into the 'real' military world. But a knee pain acquired during said difficult training (a break that went misdiagnosed for far too long, even as she continued a grueling training schedule (side note: the military does not take kindly to anyone who says they are injured or need support - sucking it up is seen as the honourable thing to do)) is always present and keeps Thompson in pain more often than she'd like. On top of that, every single step of her way is paved with misogyny, harassment and snide remarks that the military demands she ignore or laugh along with. After reporting one incident, the person she filed a report on called her into his office and basically said she needed to learn how to take a joke.

This book is a fascinating look into the military world, complete with its own rules, culture and severe issues. It's about one woman's journey to her absolute best and the tears, sacrifice and immense pride that goes along with that. It's also about justice (or lack thereof) and a warning to the industry that something needs to change to keep people in the military healthy for longer and to actually make people want to join. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!.

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Canadian woman, I was extremely interested in reading Kelly S. Thompson's memoir of her time in the Canadian Armed Forces. It is rare that the public is let in to the inside reality of the Canadian military. It is even more rare that the author is a female military member. In fact, most Canadian military memoirs seem to only scratch the surface of what the day-to-day reality is truly like for enlisted men and women.

Kelly Thompson grew up in a military family and was only 18 years old when she enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces. It was immediately apparent that she wasn't truly accepted into this traditionally male world. Kelly felt the disconnect as early as her days in Basic Training in Quebec.

Telling the truth about the rampant misogynistic behavior of her fellow enlisted service members is a truth that the public rarely hears about. In GIRLS NEED NOT APPLY, Kelly pulls back the curtain of secrecy which is part and parcel of the problem with the discrimination against women in the military.

Once you start reading this book, you won't want to put it down. Kelly writes with such clarity that I found myself getting angry on her behalf. But, that is only a small part of the story. Kelly examines her own feelings and her desire to serve our country. She also holds nothing back, good or bad, when she talks about her family life.

When Kelly is injured, she has to reexamine everything she thought she knew about her path in life.

I highly recommend this Canadian memoir. You will still be thinking about it long after you read the final chapter.

I rate GIRLS NEED NOT APPLY as 4 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Read this book. You'll be glad you did.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! I was an officer in the Cdn military too and I could totally related to her experiences in BOTC and slugging through all the stuff that it entailed. Though our experiences were different in many ways (I was in long before she started, did phase 1 of BOTC in Chilliwack, I did part 2 at the Mega in St. Jean), a lot of what she witnessed and endured were the same for me and the 3 (and then 4) girls there. A rape (during my NOAB (Naval Officer Assessment Board)), the pressure to do better because we were considered weaker, a suicide while we were at the Mega, the comments we had to put up with throughout my career. I like basic training though! It did get better after training tho and I really liked it. I feel sad for her that she didn't gt an awesome posting that she loved until her very last one. The saying always was, if you hated your posting now, just wait a year (It would change things up, either you'd be posted of some others would be posted and things would improve). By the time I got out after 20+ years, things were better for women, though we still needed a thick skin!
The culture in many other male-dominated occupations is the same. I worked at CN Rail and it was ALL the same crap.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books gets better to the end of it, but also gets weirder. The depression mention at the very end literally comes from nowhere.
I liked the honesty of this book. Kelly described it as it was without trying to make herself or other characters better. Some harassment episodes described in the book are pretty infuriating, and Kelly does come across as very passive even when episodes directly involve her. However, she was so very young when she joined the Army and probably quite confused.
The book has important information to share about what it it is like to be a woman in the Armed Forces. Sometimes, however, I felt it lacked emotion.
I also wished certain story lines - like relationships with her boyfriends and her an affair - were more developed. I also wished she talked more about her father's story. But overall, a solid read.
I honestly do not feel that we readers should judge her for decisions made.She was not the first one and likely not the last one to have a relationship with a married man while being in the army, and probably not the only one to join the Army for free education. Many people do that and find (or do not) their passion.

[Joanna Baxter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so wanted to love this book.
I admire Thompson for undertaking something so fundamentally difficult- physically, and mentally- and succeeding in her own way to the limits of her injury.

But I was looking for more of a feminist statement, a gender statement, an insightful reflection on what it’s like to be in a man’s world. Thompson, early on, cast herself as girlish and specialized, not ever really fitting in with either the men or the women, perhaps not having the right state of mind to engage in a position, and in an industry that demands immense strength of character and a neutrality when it comes to gender politics.
I felt truly let down when it turned into a love story. It’s a shame, the wonderful things that turned out well for her in her own life, were different than what she promised in this memoir. Well, giving a visceral glance into the predictable rigours of training, I’m not sure Thompson succeeded in educating her readers much past saying that most men are not to be trusted.

[Linda Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

She is an excellent writer and I agree with her title "Girls Need Not Apply". Her writing style is fine and for the entire book she talks about being bubbly but then the depression at the end was a weird add on. Her story about herself might appeal to her generation because for me she seemed to make one idiotic choice after the next and be shocked when harassed and then do nothing about it. She took so much harassment and still in this day & age acted like she was supposed to just accept it. No she wasn't and nor should any female. Her only time of defending herself got the expected response but it will obviously take sticking up for oneself enough to make inroads and give other females the courage to do the same.

[Natalie Jenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book, by a compelling and soul-baring voice. Thompson pulls you right into her first day of basic training with the Canadian Armed Forces and you feel every stress and strain, every high and every missed mark, right alongside her. It is also a story of growing up, Thompson being barely 18 when she joins the military, and - just as wonderfully - a story of finding love and friendship. With a brave and candid voice, Thompson has written a book that reveals what life in the military is like for men and especially women, making this an indispensable read for all of us who benefit from their sacrifice and service.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this would be hard, and it was, but the good kind of hard, the kind that makes you feel solidarity with the writer, where you want to stand up and fight back alongside her, defend her, encourage her. Thompson takes us through the ins and outs of becoming part of the armed forces, which is so very fascinating for a civilian. And we also see the sticky underbelly of being a woman in the armed forces, the everyday sexism, the assault, the even worse. Through it all, Thompson guides us with a deft, kind hand, writing a dichotomous love letter to the career she loved and at times hated. Complicated and important.

[Cheryl Pauls · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to take this for what it is, Kelly's view on her experience navigating the forces. I would imagine many females have had similiar experiences but you can't assume this is true for all females.

I enjoyed reading it and I do appreciate Kelly being honest and sharing some very personal stories.

I was able to sympathize with Kelly, atlough, some of her choices did fustrate me. I'm in my forties so I have to remember what it was like being a teenager entering into a career and a career that was driven by males.

I hope her next book is something completely different, she has a talent for story telling, so I wish to read something that is fictional.

[K.S. Covert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating memoir from an accomplished author. There's so much in the news about women's treatment in the military, it's interesting to hear it from the horse's mouth. What I found most compelling was that even though Thompson doesn't shy away from talking about rampant sexism, she doesn't make it the point of the story either. This book doesn't start or end there. It starts with her joining "the family business," following in her father's footsteps, joining the military because it will pay for her university education, desperate to succeed and make her father proud but at the same time not really sure it's for her.

[Chinchilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate that this book is a vessel for Thompson to highlight the already well-known yet poorly documented systemic problems of inequality, mistreatment, and discrimination in the Canadian Forces that she faced during her service in the Royal Canadian Air Force. I wish Thompson had spent more time talking about the positive memories she had of her time there though. The entire book seemed gloom and negative otherwise.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting point of view of military life from a female officer’s perspective.

I’m not sure about the title: while the author did discuss some harassment she left out too much for me to assume it was SO hostile that all women feel unwelcome? Or is it Girls need not apply, but Women should? Unclear.

It may not be the military both my parents were part of, but still gave me an understanding of their times in the forces.

[Jo-anne North · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a Capt Log O who has been in the CAF for 30+ years. What I don’t like about this book is the title. Kelly, are you really telling females not to apply? Girls need to apply!! We need more females!! Why perpetuate the old boys club? Yes I have been through my fair share of negative experiences in the military but the countless positive experiences far outweigh them. This book did not resonate with me.

[Catherine Sands · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. As important as the message in this book is, and as much as I can empathize with the story, this story was poorly told and the narrator does not do a good job of getting the point across. I loved the first few chapters because I relieved a lot of memories - good and bad - as I was reading them. However, as the story continued I just couldn't get over the book's other shortcomings. I really hope that, one day, someone writes this type of story the way it deserves to be written.

[Grace Burtt-Dykstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! If you are female in the military or have close military ties you will get it! So well said. If you know nothing about military life this book may give you an understanding of some aspects of military life. Unfortunately, in my opinion, sexism is still promoted as is drinking etc. Its a system that is slow to change...

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written story about a young woman who joins the Canadian Forces in university. The memoir is written in first person essays. I found Kelly's journey compelling, as my uncle is a retired major general, and I am quite interested in the Canadian military. She doesn't pull punches and really details the sexism she experienced in the military. Really glad that she documented her experience.

[Errrm · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
The title is correct, wait till you’re a woman to apply.
Writing was painful. Sounded like someone trying to be a writer with superfluous adjectives that sounded cliche or didn’t match.
Her juvenile behaviour was cringeworthy (it’s a work place not a summer camp!). I couldn’t bear to hear any more.
I Finally quit when she mentioned stuff the “grown-ups” do.

[Jim Sarjeant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written. We know the author’s parents. Did not see a lot of actual harassment in the pages but I always thought harass was two words so what do I know. Did not think this was a deep book by any stretch and I find it hard to adopt to military ways and jargon. Glad it worked out for her in the end.