Breaking Barriers: A Latina Colonel’s Fight Through Sexism, War, and the U.S. Military System | Lisa Carrington
Podcast: Bulletproof True Crime: The Operator FilesPublished On: Tue Dec 09 2025
Description: 00:00 – Introduction to Col. Lisa CarringtonSetting the stage: Latina trailblazer, combat veteran, and retired Air Force Colonel. 02:10 – Joining the military in 1980What it meant to enter a male-dominated system with almost no women in leadership. 04:05 – First assignment: an all-male fighter squadronWalking into a culture filled with harassment, discrimination, and zero support systems. 07:15 – The sexual assault she buried for decadesHow it happened, why she stayed silent, and the emotional cost of pretending it didn’t exist. 12:40 – Military culture in the 80s: sexism normalizedCenterfolds on the walls, “good old boys” culture, and no channels for reporting abuse. 16:20 – Moving every 1–2 years as a commanderHow command-track officers are uprooted constantly and how it affected her son. 20:00 – Her son’s struggle with friendshipsThe emotional damage of always leaving just as he formed connections. 23:10 – Pressure as a Latina womanWhy she felt she had to prove herself twice as hard — and why “coasting” wasn’t an option. 27:30 – Combat deployment: the psychological costSeeing death, facing threats daily, and the transition from warzone to everyday life. 31:40 – Coming home angry at the American publicThe disconnect between people in combat and civilians living normal, unaware lives. 35:55 – Coping the wrong wayHer honest admission of turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms after deployment. 40:10 – Leadership lessons learned the hard wayWhat true leadership means in a broken system — and what she would tell young officers today. 46:00 – Why she started speaking publicly in 2020The moment she decided to tell the truth and help others find their voice. 50:20 – Closing reflectionsResilience, identity, motherhood, and the cost of being a barrier-breaker. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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