A NEW campaign has been launched to improve access to life-changing support for ex-servicewomen.

The Help for Heroes’ ‘Help for Her’ campaign is designed to tackle the unique challenges women face when transitioning from military to civilian life.

And Gemma Morgan, a former soldier from Ross-on-Wye, believes it is essential that the experiences of her contemporaries should be understood and acted upon.

New insights reveal that many former servicewomen do not identify with the term ‘veteran’ owing to unresolved trauma, stigma, fear, loss of trust, and shame.

Women also face a significantly higher rate of medical discharge than men across all military services and are at greater risk of injury.

This International Women’s Day, Sunday, March 8, Help for Heroes is continuing to pressure the Government to urgently commission an independent review of the military medical discharge process; and wants to encourage more ex-servicewomen to come forward for support.

Gemma, a former Army Officer and author of 'Pink Camouflage –A Soldier’s Battle Within’ joined the Army in 1996 at the age of 22 and she went on to make history as the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Carmen Sword by HRH The Princess Royal, after being selected as the most outstanding young Royal Logistic Corps officer that year.

Gemma said: “I think ex-servicewomen are reluctant to come forward for support because we are trained to endure in silence, punished for speaking out, and taught that survival requires unquestioning loyalty. When misogyny is normalised, trauma is dismissed. When PTSD is treated as personal weakness, asking for help feels more dangerous than staying silent."

Gemma has spoken openly about her harrowing experiences of abuse in the Army, shining a light on the challenges faced by many women within military culture.

Today, Gemma is a passionate mental health advocate, sharing her story to inspire an urgent call for change.

“The change that’s needed in 2026 is that the Army must choose accountability over reputation, safety over silence, and care over control,” added Gemma.

“Until women are heard without retaliation, perpetrators are removed, not protected, and trauma is treated as a service-related injury rather than a moral failing, the system and its leaders will continue to claim lives.

“It’s important to keep speaking out and sharing my story because my silence nearly killed me.

“I speak out because I know what it feels like to believe you are alone, broken and unheard. ‘Give to Gain’ is the theme of International Women’s Day 2026 and its personal - when I give my voice, others are heard.

“When I give honesty, the system loses its power to hide. My story is not comfortable, but neither is the reality it exposes.

“Every time I stand up, I help to build a future where women are protected, heard and valued.”

Gemma concluded: “In an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world, there is growing recognition that we need our Armed Forces now more than ever.

“And by increasing the number of troops, the Ministry of Defence has ambitions for women to account for 30 per cent of military recruits by 2030. We need the Government to make changes now.”