About

CENTER FOR

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENTS

CTLCE

EXPERTISE

Meet Our Founder

SUPPORTING CIVILIAN AND MILITARY

PUBLIC SERVICE PROFESSIONALS

IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENTS

SUBJECT-MATTER-EXPERT in Transformational Leadership as a dynamic way of being based on the Psychology of Leadershp in Crisis Environments.

The Positive Transformational Leadership skills presented by CTLCE programs are based on evidence-based best practices in behavioral psychology, social psychology, and organizational psychology in crisis environments.

INTEGRATED LEADERSHIP SERVING OUR NATION AND COMMUNITIES:

U.S. Navy Emergency Response Team Leader and Field-Instructor providing forensic photography & film documentation. Her responsibilities were those of leading teams in documenting Naval aviation disasters, Naval air accidents, as well as other Federal land/sea/air critical incident investigations.

In a later role, she served in a leadership position for the Pacific Fleet-Air Command in producing the advertising for California, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and the Pacific in the Navy's search for -- and career grooming of -- the best and the brightest specialists for the new all volunteer era.

Development of briefings for implementing U.S. Defense and NASA experimental high-security "Black Programs" for emerging foreign affairs crises and international critical incidents. These briefings were tailored for Congressional and Senatorial Committee Chairpersons and the Secretary of Defense.

A career change in response to 9/11 led Cameron on a new and more personalized journey as a behavioral therapist providing psychotherapy to military veterans for treatment and recovery from traumatic stress.

She has served as a specialist in crisis management and behavioral crisis interventions for individuals and groups.

In her personal time, she has given the gift of volunteer Crisis Services for communities.

As an Educator and Speaker on the topic of psychological resilience training, Cameron has provided pre-and-post critical incident briefings, crisis counseling, grief and loss counseling, presentations in social and organizational psychology, and speaks on topics associated with traumatic stress as these apply to public service professionals serving in crisis environments.

Serving on psychological research teams of four National Institutes of Health studies in behavioral health, Cameron was a team member contribututing to clinical application of emerging new evidence-based best practices for the treatment of major depression, traumatic stress, addictions, and the prevention of suicide.

As a Principle Investigator she conducted a study in patient-centered approaches for military veterans in the treatment of traumatic stress founded on an alliance between the patient and therapist as a true and egalitarian partnership of different but equal responsibilities. In another study, she developed a survey that examined the best practices of crisis intervention interview techniques for individuals suffering from traumatic stress who exhibit high risk for suicide.

Her interests and continuing research focuses on:

- Positive psychology, noble values, and mindfulness in resilience-building

- Cutting edge new breakthroughs in neuroscience and psychology

- Social psychology and psychological human factors as they relate to environments of traumatic events

- New evidence-based best practices in the prevention and treatment of traumatic stress

- Grieving and loss

- Healthy team inter-dependency and negative group-think

- The impact of isolation and lonliness on professional performance

- The affects of severe and persistent mental illness and mental disorders on leadership decision-makng and its outcomes to teams and mission success

- The damaging effects of moral injury on professionals and communities

- The characteristics and evolutionary process of Evil behavior in leadership

- Supportive resources for professionals serving in crisis environments

As the of Founder-Consultant-Speaker-Mentor of advanced leadership training offered by the Center of Transformatonal Leadership in Crisis Envioronments, Cameron shares professional insights from behavioral psychology, social psychology, and organizational psychology that critically impact military and civilian professionals who serve in crisis environments. In these programs, Cameron seeks to foster positive Transformational Leadership in two ways: As cornerstones and high Standards of Conduct among leaders and as practices that add realistic value by integrating these evidence-based best practices for the wellbeing of teams and the success of mission objectives.

EDUCATION

Master of Social Work - University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Academic and internship concentration in Clinical Behavioral Health with additional concentration in Mental Health Research.

Specialized Clinical Training - Veterans Affairs Healthcare System and National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Bachelor of Arts, Social Welfare - University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Academic and internship concentration in Clinical Behavioral Health with additional concentration in Mental Health Research.

COMMITMENT:

THE POWER OF SERVICE, MODELING, AND LEADERSHIP

Each and every commitment and practice in our life actively demonstrates the values that we hold most dear and reinforces patterns that will endure throughout our life. These values may reflect what is the best of humankind, the worst of humankind, and every shade in between. Our backgrounds, education, family traditions, both positive and negative influences, and most of all, our choices under both favorable and highy challenging circumstances will determine whether our character and an enduring imprint. Our values therefore may serve as personal legacies to inspire the highest level of consciousness and have the capacity to prompt others toward reaching for their best, or contrastingly, they may focus on self-absorbed desires that reflect our most base, untrained instincts.

We are at an unprecedented time in our human history where we have also face the larger choices to elevate our collaborative efforts toward ever-evolving new discoveries, yet also our choice may be a laser-like focus where we may choose to destroy everything we have collectively developed as a species and plunge the world into total darkness and Evil. At this critical juncture, humanity defines itself. There is no opting out of this decision-making, for if we are passive and do nothing this in and of itself is equally a clear decision, and what is at risk is that the darkest intersts are likely to prevail if we do nothing. In short, our choices reveal who we are, and what we are willing to die for, and perhaps even more importantly -- what we are willing to live for and commit to.

In all these matters, our individual choices are both priviledges and responsibilities that ultimately revolve around a guiding principle or agenda. In concert with our emotional energy as fuel, they become highly energized orchestrated efforts to serve our primary over-arching objective.

Regardless of our position at any given time -- or title, or role -- our decisons and our practice are both modeling and leading every moment. We are leading our own life -- and are thus quite literally captains of our own ship, but equally we are leading others with whom we have influence, and still others who observe us.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of Evil

is for good men and women to do nothing.

INTEGRATED LEADERSHIP ACROSS A CAREER

A COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE VALUES OF OUR NATION

Cameron's early life background provided a solid foundation upon which arose her deep committment to the values and traditions of our nation as a vehicle to serve the Greater Good.

She endeavors to honor the social contract provided by our nation's Founders that outline the rights and responsibilities that continue to guide us in our evolution of consciousness as a mature democracy. These commitments provide a blue-print for choices and actions by engaged citizens and America's leaders, and in a like manner they provide clearly defined standards of conduct as citizens of our nation and citizens of the world.

Woven within an ethical and spiritual framework as intended by our Founders, these principles provide Cameron with guidance in her daily life and moral courage when the situation calls for it. With this as her framework, Cameron is commited to support the vision and reality of America's place of great responsibility in the world. In that role, America is not merely the leader of the free-world, but we are also a leader in continually striving to model the very values that distinguish us as an exceptional and as an enlightened society.

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

Cameron has experienced a Calling to serve the Greater Good since her earliest memories. Her efforts have concentrated on recognizing and acknowledging the highest attributes employed by individuals and to encourage and inspire others to contribute the best contributions of humankind's noble legacy.

In this endeavor, she considers her first duty as introspection within herslf to assess her own patterns and motivations and change in positive ways that reflect the most healthy perspectives. Secondly, she considers an equally important role in her life as that of messenger and a translator -- communicating what may seem complex into practical day-to-day practices where we can support one another as well as share and model our unique and greatest gifts.

Cameron considers our trials and challenges in life as defining moments that not only reveal our character but also offer distinct opportunities to heighten our awareness and consciousness as to what is most meaningful in this existence. In understanding what is truly important and precious we are more likely to choose to invest our time in what is most meaningful to ourselves and beneficial to others.

COMMUNICATIONS: THE TOOLS OF A MESSENGER

In each of these efforts, these specialists illustrated the trials and triumphs, compassion and horror, and good and evil that dwells within each of us under the most extreme circumstances. Whether it is our worst qualities or our best, we humans have the capacity to change; and the recorded realities and history remind us (and can inspire us) of our potential to invest our personal best into this world we live in. Such work does not rely on a mere snapshot of a moment, but rather records our history (the good, the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly) as our human species creates and encounters it.

Neither a pessimist nor an optimist -- but rather as a realist -- Cameron reserves a place of respect in her heart and in her mind for the power of photographic and film documentary communications in how it can explore major issues, record realities, and contribute to developing new policies that can positively impact the world. Photographs and film documentaries acknowledge reality, history, and offer broader issues for thoughtful consideration. They also have the capability to provide training and education to expand knowledge and expertise, internally communicate values and vision, and offer highly effective visual evidence useful for communicating briefings and Real-World analysis. In this way, Cameron's early training provided a vehicle to employ these tools as well as support our nation's vision and efforts. By such contributions, Cameron's intent focused on enhancing our collective understanding and knowledge. Such realism also has the capability to lead us toward reflections on both our successes while also learning from our our mistakes in a steady pursuit for advancement as an enlightened society.

Historical Documentation

U.S. Army Soldier,

"Thousand-Yard Stare"

Vietnam by

David Douglas Duncan

U.S. Dustbowl by

Dorathia Lang for Presidential Policy

Review

U.S. Civil War Medical Care by Mathew Brady

MILITARY DOG TAGS

At a time when many wore beads and engaged in the activities of the counter-culture, Cameron was among those who volunteered to serve our nation and who therefore wore military dog tags as a patriotic American during the Vietnam War. This wasn't for a love of conflict or war but for a duty to serve our nation and support the South Vietnamese vision and request for our help to maintain their own democratic independence and freedom. With all the priviledges and freedoms we ourselves enjoy and benefit from in our country, how could we responsibly not answer such a call for assistance?

Shortly after entering United States Navy Recruit Training, Cameron was singled-out and assigned a peer leadership position throughout her initial training. In addition to meeting her own training requirements, she was assigned the role to provide her team members with one-to-one tailored mentoring as well as encouragement tailored to the specific needs of each individual. Through these efforts she assisted her team mates through teamwork to develop their own mental toughness as a complement to staff efforts toward this goal.

NAVY

Although employing a very different leadership style than staff in her Boot Camp environment, together their staff leadership and peer leadership efforts concentrated on both mental and physical adjustments. These included managing anxiety and fear, physical demands, survival swim tests, academic expectations, military bearing, capacity to endure psychological stress, and to develop the emotional maturity levels of a professional. In Cameron's viewpoint, the experience can be summed up with the statement that Boot Camp is designed to break the selfish-small self and replace it with a much more conscious and self-less caring for others and a natural bonding through teamwork. Military training throughout the centuries has an amazing success record to foster such positive outcomes. At the conclusion of Cameron's training she and all her her team mates graduated on time, and in a manner that exceeded supervisory expectations.

Her peer team leadership was noted, and at the conlcusion of this training her supervisors identified Cameron as "a natural born leader." As a symbol of this collegial success, Cameron and certain other individuals of this team were requested to serve as an Honor Guard for a graduation speech by our President at the time.

When reporting for specialized training at the Naval Schools of Photography, surprisingly Cameron discovered she was again assigned responsibilities to provide peer leadership in a similar manner as in recruit training. Therefore, in addition to her own technical training, her duties encompassed peer leadership of those for whom she was directly responsible coupled with oversight and accountability for their actions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In this capacity she provided an embedded peer framework of leadership that established clear high standards, created measures for accountability, provided a conduit for communication from superiors and with her peers, as well as engaged with discipline, teamwork, adaptability, motivation, encouragement, inspiration, and assistance in technical and field training in their profession specialities. In addition, Cameron provided couseling to individuals and team coasching as a whole for both their on-station and off-station behavior. These efforts fostered the highest standards and ethics of the Navy and they were in fact adhered to as a team.

At the conclusion of this traiing, the team for which she was responsible was not only recognizfed for their outstanding performance but also as an exceptional model; and once again Cameron was offically regarded as a "natural born leader" by her supervisors. Both she and her team received commendations for their individual and collective "superior" performance in both their military bearing and technical specialty skill-sets. In her individual Performance Review she was especially commended for her leadership skills -- highlighting these as among her best assets to the Navy and highly recommending her for advancement.

THE HONING OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS

The unexpected opportunities to enhance and exemplify leadership skills presented early in Cameron's Navy training provided her with valuable and meaningful opportunities for her own development to serve others in the most effective ways. These leadership positions prepared her by practice to lead widely diverse teams with individuals of all ages, vastly different economic/cultural/and educational backgrounds, differing religious affiliations, both genders, and a wide-range of personal and professiaonal strengths and limitations. Cameron equates this as to a similar experience that she had in learning how to ride a horse. In that training, her riding instructor first required Cameron to develop a confident, positive, healthy, and trusting relationship with a tamed but highly independent wild mustang that had been extacted from the plains of the American Southwest. In that inter-species relationship both she and the mustang earned -- and formed -- trust together. Their relationship was bult upon respect; and only when that was genuinely shared did a relationship arise based on mutual partnership. From this perspective, Cameron came to understand that developing effective leadership skills with a wild mustang has many factors in common with leadership of newly formed teams comprised of individuals from such highly diverse personalities and backgrounds.

EARNING OPPORTUNITY

In the Vietnam War era women were just beginning to make some minimal strides in earning opportunites; and women's equality was emerging as both a disputed issue and a human right in America. With only 1% of the Navy permitted to include women across all spectums of professions and ranks, women had their work cut out for them to prove their worth -- in every field of specialty skills, their commitment and maturity, and in their psychoogical mental toughness. Such efforts throughout the Navy at the time required extreme and continuous proofs.

INTENTIONS....

Cameron directly and officially volunteered for -- and anticipated -- that she would serve in Vietnam as a combat photographer. This expectation was predicated on the solid foundation she acquired from the New York Institute of Photography (recognized as the highest level of professional training in photography and film in the United States at the time) before she enlisted in the Navy coupled with completion of specific Naval training at the Navy School of Photography & Film. The Navy's recruiting search for a specific cadre of photographers was cryptically communicated, but clear none-the-less emphasizing an urgent need for volunteers among Navy photographers who were "single, unattached, and without obligations." Cameron met that criteria, and was not only willing but sought such a role. Photographers were at high risk in the Vietnam War as documentarians and historians; and life-threatening environments were duly noted and accepted as professional risks by any volunteer.

Amidst a time-frame of women seeking equality in professional occupations in our culture, some like Cameron in all professions, felt the same call to serve as their male counterparts. She acquired letters of reference as well as personnel evaluations that supported her request to serve as a combat photographer in Vietnam, and on her own time while waiting for a response she acquired additional instruction and experience in numerous skill-sets useful for such duty. This included practice in parachute jumping, martial arts,"ditching" from a variety of aircraft and helicopters, EMT skills, coupled with advanced measures in survival at sea. Ultimately, her formal application as a volunteer for this duty as a combat photographer evoked a response letter from the office of the Chief of Naval Personnel in the Pentagon that denied her request. The letter matter-of-factly stated: "Although the United States Navy appreciates your intention and request, the Navy has determined that the American public is not yet ready for reports of the deaths of Navy women in the line of duty in war." The letter also concisely explained the public relations and political ramifications at the time which were complications affecting the service of women in all occupations within the Navy. Based on these realities, it became clear that Cameron was to engage in other ways to serve her military extended family of brothers and sisters as well as our nation at large. To Cameron's close colleagues and brothers who died in this duty as combat photographers and in other roles as photographers she extends this simple statement and earnest reflection of gratitude: "Thank you for your sacrifice. It was truly not in vein."

LEADERSHIP OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS

Cameron's service in the United Staes Navy was on Emergency Response Teams as a Team Leader providing forensic Photography & Film documentation. Her responsibilities were those of documenting Naval aviation disasters, Naval air accidents, as well as other Federal land/sea/air investigations. Her teams contributed to comprehensive full-scale field investigations, analytical reviews, and subsequent presentations of conclusions of "Lessons Learned," and their expertise also contributed to honoring their deceased colleagues based on new policies and procedures to save lives of Navy personnels.

In a professional context, Cameron's teams provided highly detailed and comprehensive visual documentation and written accounts of what they encountered; and these contributions established critical evidence in system-wide investigations. Specifically, these contributions provided factual information utilized by other diverse specialists on the scene and elsewhere to ultimately determine both primary and secondary factors that created these critical incidents. In a personal context, these experiences served as opportunity to reflect upon the stark realities of life and death; and in a similar way these events illustrated the importance of forming authentic and healthy relationships in a very imperfect and impermanet world.

The rigerous requirements of Federal investigations inspired Cameron with a deep appreciation for both evidence-based research and the necessity to consider the HUMAN FACTORS in crisis environments. The task itself illustrated the limitations of leaders relying nearly exclusively on procedural expectations, strategic and tactical planning from afar, protocols not based in reality, over-confidence that one perspective was the only perspective worthy of consideration, as well as some leaders who engaged in creating fear in their crew members as a primary means to initiate motivation. What appeared missing in each of these incidents was accounting for the psychological human element in all of these expectations.

With a reference point using Real-World outcomes, these investigations illustrated how evidence-based fact-finding reveal weaknesses or limitations that had gone unnoticed, unacknowledged, or were hidden. Therefore, the outcomes realistically presented evidence for acknowledgement in not only confronting the Realities but also provided opportunities to usher in new meaningful approaches and practices.

Unfortunately, new procedures and processes for leadership objectives affecting Naval personnel often are determined based on "Lessons Learned." However, subsequent positive changes typically prove to reduce critical incidents and save lives. In this way, leadership approaches, decision-makiing, and policy-making vividly demonstrate that leaders can achieve several critially important criteria simultaneously. These successes include the benefits of integrating HUMAN FACTORS into the equation that support the fundamental principle that the Navy values its personnel as its most valuable asset.

Understanding and acknowledging and making decisions that demonstrate that personnel are any organization's most valuable asset serves a three-fold moral and practical objective:

1) A mutual commitment to one another creates a natural springboard of high motivation to achieve shared mission objectives.

2) A mutual commitment to one another increases the survival rate of those for whom leaders are responsible.

3) A mutual commitment to one another improves the long-term well-being of professionals serving in crisis environments and illustrates their wellbeing is a major component and asset in evaluating mission success.

To complement her team leadership on Navy Emergency Response Teams and in collaborative efforts with the Navy Investigative Service, Cameron's additionally served as an instructor of Federal investigative methods and practices where she trained crews in the specialty to provide forensic evidence in the form of film documentation based on the highest Standards of Practice. Although a portion of her investigation instruction was provided to crews in a class atmosphere the majority occurred in direct advanced field-training in Real-Life scenarios. In this training format, Cameron incorporated a myriad of technical issues associated with documenting these air/land/sea critical incidents under austere and extreme conditions.

Perhaps most importantly, the training Cameron provided also addressed issues relevant to HUMAN FACTORS. Relevant issues were for her crew members to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in standards and practices appropriate for crisis environments. Specifically, this included perspectives that positively contribute to creating cohesive collaborative partnerships with joint-operational teams as well as very practical aspects of self awareness and team awareness. Among the many relevant issues were standards that respect the appropriate compassionae manner necessary when serving with others in such crisis environments. These principles applied to service with professional partners as well as with survivors and those being triaged by medical personnel.

As an instructor to teach forensic evidence film documentation for Federal investigations in crisis environments -- encompassing air disasters, aircraft accidents, critical incidents, suicides, and homicides -- Cameron also provided practical education tailored to be empowering to her team. She educated her student crews in healthy psychologial practices to appropriately and professionally manage psychological reactions and personal emotions that otherwise present realistic challenges to mind, body, and spirit. Psychological research was only in its infancy at the time regarding traumatic stress; and recognizing or acknowledging its symptoms or ways in which to provide effective clinical treatments was very limited. Cameron had a keen early interest in psychology for practical reasons in the military; and thus she studied psychology in order to be able to provide educational information in this area to the degree it was available.

Cameron also applied Zen practices in a secular format as methods to enhance psychologcal coping skills, and shared this with her crews if they chose to incorporate these approaches. Little did she know that 40 years later, these same practices would be researched by esteemed universities and acknowledged as effective for both preventing and recovery from post traumatic stress. Nor did she realize at the time that they would be offically incorported as an evidence-based-best practice into Veterans Affairs Healthcare. At a time when standard practice within all branches of military service typically totally denied, ignored, or accused anyone affected by compassion fatigue or trauma as "weak," Cameron's candid and practical approach proved useful by offering methods for crew members to psychologially prepare, build emotional resilience, increase coping skills, and maintain confidence and professionalism in crisis environments. It's unknown whether this instruction and education prevented traumatic stress among her students or crews, however, it was an uncommon (and innovative) positive and practical contribution in its time.

HONORING A MENTOR'S LEGACY

In her later service with the Navy, Cameron was informed that among her next options of duty were those that included service at a Command where her own Navy recruiter had recently committed suicide. Although this information could have swayed Cameron's decision-making in either direction, choosing where her recruiter served her last duty became the determining factor for Cameron's investment of effort and commitment. Cameron chose this service location and assignment -- the Pacific Recruiting Command --in which her recuriter committed suicide in order to honor the life and professional efforts of this esteemed individual. Although she noted their assignments were different, their mission was the same.

Taps,

a sacred tribute

Please click here...

During the Vietnam War era, women could comprise no more than 1% of the U.S. Navy's active duty personnel -- in totality -- inclusive of all professions. For this reason, from the outset of applying for Navy enlistment, a waiting period of many months was required before Cameron's entrance, and this time ultimately forged the beginning of a continuing professional alliance for years between Cameron and her recruiter. During those years, Cameron's recruiter served as her career counselor, mentor, and role model; and Cameron regards her most distinguishing contributions as those of setting an example in every way of the Navy's highest ideals, character, and ethical decision-making.

By choosing to serve in the same Command (and even at the same facility and adjacent office) where her recuriter last served before her death, Cameron focused on efforts to honor her recuiter's personal and professional legacy and to her commitment to the enduring values she exemplified.

Although there are numeros reasons why an individual may commit suicide, based on statistics now available from a historical perspective, suicide became identified as a high risk factor for those serving in recruiting during the Vietnam War era. Shortly after assuming her own responsibilities with her operational base located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Cameron realized the public and private pressures that likely led to -- or significantly contributed to -- her mentor shooting herself. These realizations were clearly the "dark side" of serving in the Navy's Recruiting Command in the San Francisco Bay Area at a time in our nation's history where many among the general public chose to target our U.S. military personnel as scape-goats for a war and policies they no longer supported.

MEDIA LAISON AND LEADERSHIP: COMMITMENT TO OUR MILITARY FAMILY

In a new leadership position for the Pacific Fleet-Air Command Cameron was responsible for the development, productiion, and distribution of the Navy's media advertising spanning across California, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and the Pacific. This encompased television, radio, magazine, and newspaper promotion. These efforts were tailored specifically to the Navy's search for -- and career grooming of -- the best and the brightest specialists for the new all volunteer era.

Encompassed within these responsibilities, part of Cameron's role also incorporated serving as a media liaison between the Navy and the larger civilian community as well as a communication link between the Navy and Navy families in these regions.

With a passionate bond to support our military community Cameron also engaged in leadership roles where she directed teams in concept development, script writing, as well as pre-and-post production of Navy documentaries tailored to support the well-being of Navy personnel and increase their morale wherever they are.

In a heartfelt way, in her personal time she chose to meet flights in which deceased U.S. servicemen and servicewomen and their remains arrived directly from Vietnam and other parts of South East Asia. She did so in order to honor their sacrifice and silently welcome them home. Sadly, these deceased military personnel were not afforded the respect they are today of flag-drapped caskets during their transfer from deployment. Instead, Navy personnel of the Vietnam era typically returned en masse in mere black body bags stacked high on pallets. These flights arrived between midnight and 2AM where an Airman was tasked with the solitary duty of carefully navigating a forklift to maneuver pallets filled with the dead from a cargo aircraft. No notification was permitted to news outlets of these flights nor normally to families to initially meet and claim the remains of their loved ones. Instead these arrivals regularly occurred in the most quiet hours where unloading could be accomplished at secure military bases -- thereby preventing volitile demonstrations and protests outside the gate as well as disgraceful scenes and a jeering public. It's a sad commentary of this historical era that the facts required our dead to arrive secretly in order that they be respected.

In a like manner, Cameron ensured that she was present among those to extend her respect to military Prisoner's of War when they returned from South East Asia. The return of POWs primarily occurred in groups during the day hours; and to prevent harassment to them Commanders and Admirals scheduled these arrivals on secure bases to assure a warm welcome from their grateful families as well as from their extended family of military brothers and sisters. However, even the publication by the civilian press of their return after the fact often ignited agitation from demonstrators against not only our government as well as all men and women in uniform, but also to POWs themselves. It seemed evident that compassion for the suffering and sacrifices of these returning POWs seemed quite beyond the scope of capabilities of many within the public sector.

HONORING THE DEAD AND SUPPORTING NAVY FAMILIES

In temorpary additional duty assignments, Cameron served as laison between the Navy and Navy families in a role to inform family members in person that their husband, wife, brother, sister, mother, father, or child had died in their service to our country. Military families are quite aware and alert to the unspoken meaning when service members -- in dress uniform -- solumnly exit a Navy vehicle and approach their front door unannounced and with no prior phonecall. Such a event conveys a high probability of the notification of the death of a loved one; and often engenders spontaneous weeping by family members even prior to officially sharing the tragic news.

As a representative of the Navy, Cameron provded the details of their loved one's deaths honestly and based upon the most accurate information available through the Navy with these family members. She and her counterpart then provided brief grief counseling, a list of Navy family support contacts, as well as networks for additional professional resources for the family.

Cameron was often requested for these assignments by her supervisors and other colleagues, as she earnestly felt their loss and was neither adverse nor afraid to be with those who grieved the loss of loved ones.

THE HOMEFRONT: THE SECOND FACE OF THE VIETNAM WAR ERA

FROM A STATE-SIDE MILITARY PERSPECTIVE

In Cameron's service to the Naval Rercruiting command, her operational base was locaed in the downtown commercial district of Oakland, Calfornia -- approximately a 10 minute drive from the campus of the University of California at Berkeley. This catapulted Cameron and her military colleagues in the San Francisco Bay Area into the direct fire of this central hub of the anti-government and anti-war movement in America.

The Department of Defense Federal building in which she served frequently found itself the site of demonstrations, violent protests, and civil unrest of every imaginable type. This facility was the home of the Navy recruiting headquarters for the Pacific, and additionally encompassed the military joint-induction center that administratively processed enlistees, conducted their medical exams, and where enlistees finalized their commitment by oath to protect and defend America and her Constitution. Therefore, all branches of service were on-site: Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard; and from this centralized point new enlistees traveled directly from this facility to their respective recruit training facilities.

According to declassified Top Secret reports of August 20, 1976 from the FBI library referred to as The Vault, San Francisco was the Pacific region headquarters of the Communist Party, and the Oakland-Berkeley area in particular was a focal-point of a variety of hard-core socalist-communist organizations that functioned as fronts for the Communist Party. Therefore, this region not only pulsed with the passion of a youth and counter-culture movement that sought major change, but also seethed with the rage of those who were fully dedicated to create a violent Revolution for the purpose of overthrowing the nation's democratic form of government in order to replace it with communism. The primary orchestrator of diverse radical groups engaged in this effort was the organization known as the Students for a Democratic Society (which directly arose originally from the ortodoxy of Marxist-Leninist Russian communism and later embraced Marxist-Leninist Maoist communism). Under this organizing charter, other violent radical groups in America came together such as the Black Liberation Army and the Puerto Rican Socialist Party -- best known as the Armed Forces National Liberation (FALN). The American Founder of the SDS was XXXXXX -- who was considered and greeted in Russia as a celebrity for his successful efforts aimed at fomenting disruption and contributing to turning the tide of public opinion of the Vietnam War in the United States.

The Weatherman (a name adopted from a Bob Dylan song) was the most influential and violent arm of the SDS. In the 1970s the Weatherman changed their name to the Weather Underground Organization since many in their leadership lived out of sight from the public eye -- roaming from "underground safehouses" among their supporters and sympathizers members in efforts to flee from the FBI to escape any accountability for their crimes.

At the height of their influence in 1975 and 1976, declassified FBI reports indicate these organizations had by that time annexed approximately 1,200 diverse extremist special interest groups in a commitment of one over-arching objective: To create the armed great Revolution that would ultimately overthrow the U.S. government and replace it with communism. The "New Left Notes" published by the SDS (coupled with declassified FBI intelligence archival reports since the 1960s) indicate during the Vietnam War era the leadership of the SDS and Weather Underground directly met with communist leader Ho Chi Minh as well as other communist leaders in North Vietnam numerous times. These meetings focused on strategies as well as developed tactics designed as psychological warfare in efforts to demoralize U.S. troops and extinguish American public support for the war.

Based on objectives clearly identified and publicly documented in their own organizational notes, films, and distributed propaganda, numerous leaders of these U.S. based socialist-communist organizations established in the U.S. also met with communist revolutionary leaders in other countries, including Fidel Castro and Che Guevara in Cuba. In their discussions with these two Cuban revolutionaries, collectively they developed guarilla tactics to implement in the United States that had proven successful in creating revolutions in other foreign nations with successful outcomes of overthrowing those governments.

Che Guevara was considered instrumental in not only guerrilla efforts in South America but also elsewhere. These revolutionary actions were organized under the banner of promoting (and implementing) a World-Wide Communist Revolution -- intended to include Asia, South America, and the United States and then expand to include the remainder of the world. At the time, the Maoist-based Chinese communists were in some degree of conflict with the Stalin-based Russian vision of communism since each was equally vying for leadership in this world-wide effort and success. The Cubans strove to prevent offending both Russia and China in order to gather support from both. Therefore, the SDS and Weather Underground likewise collaborated with Russia and China since both these countries assessed two critical core imperatives to their success was conquering South Vietnam successfully and achieving success inside the United States as critical on the path to achieve their long-term strategic goals. XXXXX

By forming major branches of the SDS and Weather Underground in 13 major U.S. cities the leaders of these fanatical organizations approached their objectives in a comprehensive way; and San Francisco, Chicago, and Manhattan were the sites of their primary focus. The San Francisco Bay Area therefore became a center for the most ardent of anarchists who conducted activities as the master-minds of these terrorist strategies implemented across America. The manifestos of these organizations as well as their magazines and newspapers were sold in local book-stores in the Oakland-Berkeley area; and on many street corners those who appeared to be counter-culture hippies could be observed distributing printed flyers as well as providing breaking news by word-of-mouth. These same sources distributed updated lists of "opportuniites for direct action" and engagement in nearby streets and on the UC Berkeley campus itself.

Public engagement through non-violent demonstrations, protests, and resistance are essential elements of our American democracy. Such actions form a vital check-and-balance not only over our government as a whole but also overa voice of significant inclusion on specific policies and decision-making of our governmental process that includes the Executive Branch and Legislative leaders. As additional oversight and a balance of power, an independent Judicial system -- coupled with a free and independent press -- form institutions and hallmarks of our U.S. Constitutional righs, freedoms, obligations, and responsibilities. However, it is documented in the radical communist organizational manifestos of this time (as well as through evidence obtained from FBI observation and operatives penetraing the inner realms of these socialist-communist organizations) that the role of "seasoned" and experienced professional communist agitators strategically engaged in efforts to promote highly disrputive incidents. Their stated objectives were to attract the media in events they promoted through propaganda and street theater; and these organizational leaders labeled these efforts as "direct participattory democracy." These were not new tactics tailored for the United States, but were well-developed and successful strategies employed in other regions over decades. In these incidents, violence was not merely an unintended consequence, it was, instead, a clearly defined intention to initiate the armed violent Revolution "by the people" upon which socialist-communist agendas are so obsessively fixated.

In a manifesto entitled Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialism, the Weather Underground Organization openly published its "Declaration of War Against the U.S. Government." Following this formal announcement, the SDS and Weather Underground systematically solicited and enlisted membership from special interest groups by offering "teach-ins" to share the skills of "community activism," organizing and demonstrations, as well as "fund-raising" through criminal activiites -- burglary from commercial businesses and personal residences, the manufacture and large-scale sales of illicit drugs, a "how to" for bank robbery and armed robbery of armoured cars, fraud schemes, etc. As core components to these efforts, they also taught the techniques for the manufacutre of bomb-making through the use of materials that were easily available in most any community and cheap. These approaches -- using "teach-ins" and "community activism" training -- proved to be very seductive and alluring to a generation that sought to contribute to the world through meaningful change and their efforts to overthrow what some perceived as the "chains" imposed by the establishment."

Among those who were swept up in this movement there were some who were profoundly naive, and others among the highly educated; and their intention in joining these groups may have been to further their own special interest causes under one powerful umbrella organization. A segment of these organizational members were thus some who earnestly sought meaningful social and political change through peaceful means; however, many if not most of these organizations adopted violence in various degrees since they were led to believe by their leaders that "only violence can be heard and understood." Therefore, however naive or well-intentioned some of these participants may have been, it cannot be disputed that there was a considerable amount of complicity engaged in by a great many Americans whose actions contributed significantly to the communist agenda to overthrow the U.S. democratic government, its values, and its institutions. Such complicty and collusion cannot be denied since the rhetoric and publications of these revolutionary organizations and their leaders clearly presented their objectives in their speeches, demonstrations, flyers, and media materials.

As the primary action arm of the SDS, the Weather Underground directly planted bombs in Navy recruiting stations located in heavy-traffic business districts across the San Francisco Bay Area. In orchestrating many of the communist efforts in the United States, Weather Underground members also directly planted IED bombs that targeted other military and Federal government facilities. These included the Pentagon, the Capitol, the Twin Towers in Manhattan, military recruiting stations in Manhattan, La Guardia Airport, police stations, a Los Angeles Attorney General's office, a California Department of Health and Human Services office, a Callifornia Senator's office, ROTC headquarters and operational areas at many if not most colleges and universities, and numerous U.S. military bases across the country. Their membership also planted bombs and engaged in terrorist activities in various areas where military personnel were known to be found in larger numbers in major cities such as the San Francisco BART-rapid transit system stop just outside Fort xx.

Additional havoc was also sparked within U.S. military units since Weatherman Underground leaders also docment that they recruited individuals who enlisted in the military specifically with the objective to create disruption and work toward communist objectives from inside the U.S. military in a variety of ways. Based on their consistent direct engagement in bombings -- as well as their sponsorship of the highest level of violent criminal activity across the nation -- numerous leaders of the Weather Underground became the Most Wanted by the FBI.

These extremist-terrorists proudly and arrogantly proclaimed their success in manufacturing bombs of various types and for diverse purposes. As an example of how best to terrify densly populated cities, bombs were packed tightly with nails or industrial staples in order to maximize their destructiveness and thereby create the most devastating destructive human impact. These incidents were not only to illustrate the cleaverness of those planting them and their ability to avoid detection while planting them, but also demonstrated that they had the power to destablisze the relationship between the public, the government, and the military. Even more importantly, these terrorist leaders openly proclaimed and documented that such acts were designed to inspire others to engage in similar ways while simultaneously providing a successful model of how it should be done. Their stated objectives likewise encouraged others to commit to these same acts believing that any one incident had the potential power to spark the armed Revolution that could ultimately overturn the U.S. government and replace it with communism.

One such bomb that was considered highly important for SDS strategic terrorist propaganda purposes was assembled in Manhattan. The bomb-makers of Weather Underground ancitipated planting it that day at Fort Dix -- where 300 non-commisssioned officers plus their dates were gathering that evening for a dance. However, in its final stages of development this particular IED exploded; and the survivors among these bomb-makers publicly expressed their regret that they failed in their objective, and confirmed that such efforts will continue at others times and places in the future claiming that they wll be successful next time.

One of these bombs of the Weather Underground was discovered in the Department of Defense Federal building in Oakland where hundreds of mililtary personnel served daily, and was the operational base from which Cameron served. It was reported that this IED was timed to explode immediately after a bomb in the U.S. State Department successfully detonated in Washington D.C. However, a few hours after the IED failed to detonate at the Oakland Federal building an unknown individual provided a "tip" to the military, and stated he was uncertain why this DoD Oakland facility bomb had not detonated yet. In response, a local Naval Air Station counter-terrorism specialist was immediately contacted, and he -- with his service dog trained to sniff out explosives -- soon arrived on the scene in Oakland. Collaborating with ATF and FBI agents the entire Federal building was methodically and painstakenly searched with the utmost care and urgency. Ultimately, the bomb was found hidden in a briefcase -- wedged behind a ceiling tile (with its clock still ticking). Although it was evident to these counter-terrorism experts that the intended-detonation time had past, the bomb was evaluated to be totally unstable. These professionals were able to carefully maneuver it to the street and detonate it in a way that prevented harm to others -- Navy personnel, new military enlistees, and the downtown Oakland community at large. From the next day forward, Navy personnel were warned by the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) that valid threats continued to be issued in a continuous stream by various members of extremist-terrorist organizations who specifically identified military personnel as their targets. NIS and local Navy security officers therefore advised military personnel in the San Francisco Bay Area to remain perpetually alert and issued detailed instructions what to look for -- in, around, under, overhead, and near their office space, vehicles, meeting areas, and personal residences. In addition, these Federal investigative service officers issued behavioral traits to be aware of and alert to observe. In so doing NIS enlisted the support of many eyes and ears through a team effort and formed collaborative professional networks to reduce or neutralize a significant portion of the many continuing threats to military personnel and their families.

This degree of terrorism and these terrorist acts were routine life in the United States during the 1970s -- occurring regularly within our homeland. During the mid-1970s, Brian Michael Jenkins -- a Senior Advisor with the esteemed Rand think-tank -- reports there were 1,470 successful bombings across America with 184 killed, with those bombings averaging between 50-60 per year. Other credible estimates were at least one per week occurring somewhere in the United States -- by highly organized organizations bent on enhancing chaos, creating instability, sowing doubt of our government to protect its people, and fueling the ananarchy that they anticipated could overturn the existing U.S. government. These acts were not engaged in by foreign nationalist terrorists, but rather by American (primarily middle-class and priviledged) students, and others who -- as members of extremist special interest groups -- may very well include one's neighbors. It is to be noted, however, that there was no secret as to the intentions of these organizations since core members consistenly publicly announced their objectives, and distributed materials highlighting their plans and event schedules.

Day-to-day encounters between military personnel and the public all too frequently illustrated the volitle relationship between these two segments of our society in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was commonplace that members of the public engaged regularly in shouting accusations in rage when encountering any military service member and were likely to hurl vile insults, and spit in the face of military personnel. In these events, the potential for rapid escalation of violence or spontaneous attack by an assembling group that targeted military personnel presesented a constant necessity for those in uniform to be aware and vigilent. Other typical pesonal encounters included attempts (and sometimes success) in suddenly and violently ripping military insignia from the uniforms of U.S. servicemen and servicewomen simply as they passed by on the street or stood in the line of a bank, gas station, or grocery store. Such actions are certainly not those that reflect behaviors of a grateful nation for defending and protecting its freedoms; and the intense degree of disrespect and betrayal by the American public was felt deeply by many military and civilian public service professionals.

These interactions created atmospheres of uncertainty requiring both heightened awareness and vigilence not only on the front lines confronting foreign enemies while on deployment but surprisingly were equally necessary by military servicemen and servicewomen in their own homeland. These incidents also became the last visual image of new military enlistees as they departed to military recurit training as well as the same image and treatment when -- and if-- they returned home. In related matters, military personnel were warned not to drive their official vehicles denoting their branch of service or Federal affiliation into downtown San Francisco when they conducted business there; Furthermore, they were cautioned never to wear their uniforms while on busness in that area. Past critical incidents provided evidence to military Commands that the highly congested and confined areas of downtown San Francisco created situations where miliary personnel had been -- and would likely continue to be -- less able to escape from impulsive angry crowds targeting them. The Navy acknowledged the facts of the Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco Bay Area and issued "Hazardous Duty Pay" to those serving the DoD Oakland Navy Recruiting headquarters as their base. This is a notable situation within the context that this was the same designation and pay provided to military personnel serving on the front-lines of combat in Vietnam. From this perspective, the San Francisco Bay area was a different face of the war in Vietnam -- a homefront composed of Americans who were not only openly hostile to those sacrificing their lives on their behalf, but who also loudly and overtly engaged in actions that blamed our men and women in uniform as the direct source for every evil in the world.

America's communist foes expressed immense pride in their success to exploit American dissent to favor their own political policies at the time; and they reveled in their ability to effectively magnify this dissent as a psychological weapon against American Democratic institutions, U.S. military personnel, and ultimately seriously divided our nations' citizens.

Military servicemen and servicewomen and their families reflect resilience and a life-style that continually demostrates their internal discipline and strength. Their "family business" focuses on the defense of our nation, protection of our communities, and a willingness to serve those across the globe who are vulnerable and seek our nation's help to either provide safety, defense, humanitarian aid, broker peace, or protect and strengthen their own independence as a democratic region. Individuals who serve in such a manner are held to a much higher standard than any ordinary citizen in the United States; yet the extremist behaviors of a large portion of the American public during the Vietnam War era were actions that would wisely be considered shameful to this nation. Events across America confirmed that every-day citizens joined the anti-government terrorist r adicals and together they railed against not merely the war but directly aimed at military personnel who they debased as inhuman and portrayed as their arch-enemies. Such behavior was in contrast to choices that would employ our American democratic tools in more effective methods to direct meaningful change in Executive policies or to facilitate Legislative action or deliberation. Sadly, this process of creating scape-goats, hate-speech and vilification of all military personnel -- as well as anyone associated with our government -- became a centerpiece of life in much of America where military personnel were accused, blamed, and taunted as "pigs," "baby killers," "losers," and imperialist monsters." Making matters worse, there were American citizens who called upon others around them "to slaughter U.S. military personnel wherever they can be found," and such behavior had surprisingly become not only "normalized" as a concept and principle but also operationalized in our own country.

SPEAK UP

TO STOP DISRESPECT

OF THOSE WHO PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS

The U.S. military draft ended in 1973 and from that time onward mililtary service became an entirely volunteer independent choice. Although the Vietnam War officially ended in 1975 the mockery and the degredation of those who served in the military during the Vietnam War Era continued for decades -- openly permeating universities and work environments alike as many military individuals transitioned into civilian life. In analysis of our history, a fundamental equation would seem wise to consider: If we value the committed services of those who continue to protect and defend our freedoms by their many personal and professional sacrifices then we can best demonstrate our appreciation by simple and sincere respect for those efforts.

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

REQUIRES VIGILENCE

AND

COMMITMENT

INTEGRATING THE MILITARY EXPERIENCE INTO THE LARGER COMMUNITY:

THE HEART OF SERVICE TO OTHERS IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENTS

As most individuals will testify who have served in our military or as their civilian counterparts, what becomes most important in these commitments are relationships. These relationships are forged through teamwork, caring for others, an intimate family camaraderie, the responsibility of knowing you are contibuting to a higher purpose than merely oneself, and the bond of selfless devotion that is so characteristic of those who serve our nation or community in crisis.

Those who understand the realities of sacrifice and death intimately receive advanced education in the precariousness, seriousness, and preciousness of exsitence. Very often such an education not only vividly illustrates the price to maintain our freedoms but also creates the groundwork for enhanced empathy and compassion for others.

The dedication and compassion of American civilian and military public service professionals is immense and historic, and it spans across every major global disaster since we established this "Grand Experiment" we call American democracy. Our commitment has extended not merely to one another within our vast territories, but also in our undersanding of our leadership role in our global "family of humankind." We not only acknowledge our mutual bond with one another as healthy and reliable resources, we also commit to the responsibilities inherent in this commitment to one another. As a direct outcome, one can find our men and women in uniform where no one else will go in the world -- or can go -- selflessly providing defense, security, diplomacy, medical care, and humanitarian effforts in literally the most challenging places and conditions on earth.

This extremely high level -- and incomparable degree -- of esprit de corps and commaraderie is the source of their success and why such service impacts an individual's entire lifetime. Furthermore, it is why those within this American Federal-family often earn the right to be considered most trustworthy. These individuals within this tight-knit community share a deep understanding of the criteria for genuine human bonding of the highest order. They embody a willingness to sacrifice for othes, as well as demonstrate the critical inter-dependence that creates true teamwork, collaborative effort, and allegiance to the Greater Good.

HEALTHY LEADERSHIP -- LEARNING FROM MENTORS

AS A STUDY, A PRACTICE, AND A LIFELONG JOURNEY

In other avenues of her journey of Navy service, Cameron engaged in continuous study and explored diverse avenues to enhance her own deepening understanding of -- and practice of -- wise leadership skills. She did so through Navy specialized training in management and leadership as well as what has evolved as a lifelong formal study and practice of behavioral psychology, social psychology, and organizational pscychology. Since her earliest encounters in leadership opportunities, Cameron has continuously honed these skill-sets and mind-sets in her encounters throughout her various roles -- inclusive of ordinary day-to-day events as well as in weighty decision-making.

Of particular educational influence in her own leadership development were Cameron's direct assignments with Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Chief of Naval Operations while serving in the Navy. Admiral Zumwalt's well-earned legacy (of what would today be identified as Transformational Leadership skills) clearly modeled and inspired a highly progressive style and Enlightened Leadership as he confronted complex new paradigms. He did so by moment-by-moment choices that reflect the principles that support human dignity, respect, and humility; and he encouraged all whom he encountered to live by the highest of ideals, professionalism, and the consistency of an honorable Code of Conduct.

Enlightened

Leadership

These were turbulent times in America during the Vietnam War era -- not only in war but also in social change; and events even included one riot and one near riot on two ships and even potential impending mutiny by crews. Amidst this, Admiral Zumwalt focused on improving relationships and humanizing the Navy. This he accomplished through social change that focused on fostering environments of dignity and equality between Navy colleagues as well as removal of unnecessary barriers to improve attitudes that otherwise separated officers and enlisted personnel. With sweeping changes the Admiral single-handedly steered the Navy into the modern era through leadership directives called "Z-Grams." His leadership was inspiring, and it was not unusual that when sailors were dismissed from formal formation when he came aboard, Navy personnel would rush to surround him on all sides -- en mass -- in an unbridled and highly enthusiastic display of their deepest respect and admiration for him.

Admiral Zumwalt was unofficially but affectionately known as "Admiral Z" among Navy personnel, as well as earned the title of "Zorro" -- a nickname given to him by sailors for his consistent efforts to improve the daily quality of ife of Navy personnel.

At the time when the military draft ended, and all branches of service were transitioning into recruitment of all-volunteer professional specialists, Cameron assumed a new position in a role to manage the U.S. Pacific/ West Coast Navy media advertising and as a liaison between the Navy and the larger community as well as a liaison between the Navy and its Navy family. The territories for which she was responsible spanned California, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and the Pacific; and in this role she had the priviledge of encountering and working with Admiral Zumwalt numerous times. In that role she had a clear view of the monumental impact Admiral Zumwalt's approach and his Z-Grams had on not only the retention of highy trained personnel but also in recruiting many of the best and the brightest to enlist into the Navy and for their consideration of the Navy as a career.

A short biography of Admiral Zumwalt as a true positive transformational leader of change is included on this website under the heading of "Inspiration." You are warmly invited to read of his unusual history of choices and the very charcteristics that led President Clinton to award him the Medal of Feedom, and why Admiral Z -- at his death -- was identified as "the Consciousness of the Navy."

iral Zumwalt's contributions to provide a context from which to view his thoughtful, effective, and disciplined reforms as they impacted Naval personnel not only during the Vietnam War era but also today in our 21st century. Additionally, it is Cameron's aspiration that sharing these details may also provide context for his legacy to the nation in both war and peace, and highlight the timeless relevance of his leadership style for all those in leadership positions. Understanding the character of Admiral Zumwalt provides one example of the goals of the seminars that Cameron currently provides to her audiences through the Center for Transformational Leadership in Crisis Environments. Although Admiral Z's leadership was "natural" in keeping with his personality, Cameron offers very clearly defined ways and means of cultivating many of these same attributes in addition to the core best attributes shared by the finest leaders in history.

From historical perspectives, Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr.'s personal background begins with birth in San Francisco as the son of two rural physicians in California. He was accepted for both medical and law school, and seriously considered service as an Army physician during World War II. However, his interests to contribute to protecting the country against the dangers posed by enemies of democracy took precedence. He therefore chose to train at the U.S. Naval Academy (being among the top 5% acedemically and graduating 7th in his class, as well as demonstrating he was among the top 2% militarily).

His experience spans across an extensive Navy career over three decades -- inclusive of direct service and command on numerous ships in the Fleet during war time in World War II and Korea, and maturing to the highest levels of military leadershp in Vietnam and within the Navy. His policy-making skills proved to be of historical significance and major contributions to the quality of life experienced by all Navy personnel during a time when the Navy openly exhibited extreme degrees of racism and misogyny in both its enlisted and officer ranks. Recognized as a positive transformational leader, TIME magazine identified him as an agent of change who brought the Navy "kicking and screaming" into the modern era after two centuries without significant changes; and he earned the title of the Father of the Modern Navy.

In his Pentagon assignments, Admiral Zumwalt was a member of the Presidential Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and served as Chairman of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He integrated these intellectual and philosophical perspectives with a strong and resourceful Code of Conduct, and they became a practical framework that formed the cornerstones of his expanded view of both the events in which he found himself as well as the times in which he shaped.

An Overview of the Vietnam War in a Nutshell:

Lessons Learned from the Vietnam War that are applicable in 21st century conflict examine the overly ambitious intervention that included a war of politics, diplomacy, building and training the Republic of Vietnam's military units, engagement in direct military operations, and building a democratic nation in what proved to be an unstable and unsustainable political environment.

At the time of American intervention, the United States engaged in efforts to support the Republic of Vietnam (i.e. South Vietnam) in its desire to maintain and stabilize its fledging democracy. Our purpose was to assist in the defense of that soverign nation's freedom against North Vietnam's communist expansionist aggression.

This was a proxy war in an attempt to avoid what could easily have developed into World War III between democratic nations and a nuclear war with China and Russia (similar in some aspects to our current world circumstances involving the twin challenges of ISIS and Communism). Therefore, this American effort also embarked on a mission to contain communism from spreading rapidly through the remainder of Asia and thereby thwart the intent openly expoused by communist leaders.

American involvement in the Vietnam War began with providing military supplies, and over the administration of five U.S. Presidents evolved slowly into providing equipment and supplies, advisors, ground war trainers, aircraft, Army and Marine Special Forces, followed by Air Force pilots and trainers of pilots. Failing in these efforts for a variety of reasons worthy of any reader's scholarly study, the Air Force and Naval aircraft were also involved to provide air support to directly attack targets, transport Marines, and prevent major incomng vessels from resupplying North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist troops. Admiral Zumwalt held command over the U.S. Naval Forces of Vietnam; and his strategies relied heavily on Navy SEALS and the innovative addition of the "Brown Water Navy" that included swift-boats patroling the coasts, harbors, and rivers of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

Admiral Zumwalt and the Brown-Water Navy Tactics

The "Brown Water" Navy tactics developed as a direct response to guirilla warfare, snipers, hit-and-run tactics by the jungle's edge, booby traps, mines, and the extensive tunnel systems underground where the North Vietnames Army and Viet Cong could disappear within moments.

The general mission of these 31-foot patrol boats was to block or limit major supply and troop movements, identify where the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong were traveling or entrenched, and maintain a safety zone for the South Vietnamese people to transport their food or move out from emerging combat zones. Additionally, the "brown water" Navy collaborated to inject or extract special units in combat "hot spots" as well as move our own supplies to different locatons, and transport the wounded. The Navy also provided a large cadre of medics, nurses, and doctors on the ground, in the air, and on-board a large dedicated hospital ship for our own wounded as well as medical care for the South Vietnamese as humanitarian aid. These efforts augmented more conventional operations of amassing Naval vessels off-shore in surrounding areas exclusively to intercept incoming supplies, ships, and aircraft. In the latter years of the war, all branches of service increased in numbers by surges; and ultimately, these waterways became even more critical elements of American strategies and tactics in the war -- with small combat-seasoned crews aboard swift-boats serving in ever-expanding roles.

With a 75% chance of being killed or severely injured while serving a one year deployment on a swift-boat, U.S. Navy crews patroling the waterways were at extremely high risk. Admiral Zumwalt searched for ways to lower the casualty rate of these Navy "brown water" river crews. After throughtfully weiging the challenges and options he employed the use of Agent Orange in order to eliminate the dense foliage within 1,000 yards of the riverbanks that otherwise hid awaiting snipers. His decision was based on assurances from all U.S. Navy official reports in addition to research directly provided to him from the manufacturers of Agent Orange that this herbicide posed no harm to humans or animals, nor was it reported to pose permanent damage to the environment. Given this data, he considered the use of Agent Orange as "the least worst decision" at the time; and this decision proved to lower a sailor's liklihood of death or severe injury from 75% to 6%.

A critical juncture in U.S. Vietnam War plans focused on transitioning the combat roles to South Vietnam and ending the U.S. military draft. Thus a major shift was taking place to create an all-volunteer U.S. military force. It was during this time frame that Admiral Zumwalt was promoted to Chief of Naval Operations -- with the distinction as the youngest CNO in history at age 49. President Nixon selected him above 32 other more experienced Admirals based on his visionary concepts that concentrated on a plan for addressing the serious personnnel retention problem within the Navy. Rather than brief the President on his extensive knowledge of foreign relations (as other candidates did) Admiral Z focused his attention on his own concern for the dwindling number of re-enlistments of highly valuable trained personnel who served as professionals.

Therefore, he offered his streategic plan to the President that reframed and redefined Navy personnel goals. This encompassed (but was not limited to) reducing the time of deployments, new policies to enhance and strengthen Navy family life, new policies that defined the relationships between enlisted and officer personnel, and methods by which to institute changes that reflect a deep appreciation of each and every member of the U.S. Navy community. In short, introduced the strategies employed by the most successful U.S. corporations and applied them to the needs of the Navy.

In Admiral Z's perspective, neither the quantity of ships, nor the equipment, nor the most modern technology were what achieved success. Instead, he passionately conveyed that it is each member of the Navy team that is decisively the most valuable asset to the Navy. It is the individual who assures the success of its mission and supports this nation, and it is the individual who is the embodiment of our American values. In his "listenting tours" among both the officer corps and enlisted personnel (what we would today call "Town Hall meetings" aboard ships as well as Naval bases and air stations) he developed a total of 121 policy directives (his Z-Grams) in his tenure as Chief of Naval Operations. These policies proved to be both practical and visionary.

Among some of the more major changes that Z-Grams tackled were reflective of the changes appearing in the larger world and emerging as issues within the Navy. As examples:

Z-Gram 54: Procedures to make suggestions to the Chief of Naval Operations (available to officers and enlisted).

Z-Gram 60: Installment of answering machines that record suggestions at all Navy facilities; encouragement to make suggestions at all levels; and leadership responsibilities to take appropriate action on those suggestions.

Z-Gram 66: Equal Opportunity for Blacks and Ethnic Minorities.

Z-Gram 109: Revitalization and Reshaping Recruiting Efforts. Choosing only those to serve in recruiting who demonstrate dynamic leadership, meet the highest standards of performance and ethics, possess high degrees of enthusiam and pride, and exhibit military "smartness" (i.e. excellent military bearing).

Z-Gram 116: Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women.

Z-Gram 117: Demand and Expection of Respect for Good Order and Discipline.

Z-Gram 119: Establishment of Minority Affairs commissioned officers or non-commissioned officers as well as Human Relations Councils at every facility, base, or ship.

On more personal levels, Admiral Zumwalt wore a Prisoner of War bracelet of Captain James Stockdale to recognize and frequently reflect on the fate Prisoners of War and those Missing in Acton during this war; and in particular, the life and efforts of James Stockdale. Jim Stockdale was both a pilot and fighter squadron commander whose A-4 Skyhawk launched from the U.S.S. xxxxx Skyhawk was shot down early in the war over North Vietnam.

Captain Stockdale was held for 7 1/2 years in the infamous North Vietnam Hoa Lo Prison (known as the "Hanoi Hilton") that included 4 years in solitary confinement. As the most senior Navy prisoner, he endured horrendous torture on a consistent basis, and was one of 11 senior ranked prisoners sent periodically to an even more "remote" facility reserved for "the most troublesome of prisoners." American POWs referred to this remote facility as "Alcatraz." Part of his time there was spent in a "tiger cage" that measured 3 feet wide, 9 feet long, and 2 feet high constructed of bobbed wire. It was dubed a "tiger cage" since only the "American tigers" were kept in such confinement. Jim Stockdale was regarded by other U.S. Prisioners in both prison camps with great respect for his enduring leadership that focused on keeping their morale up (not by being idealisitc but by being realistic) and enduring the unendurable through his own version of self-discipline, "good order," and training. He additionally creatively developed a communication system between prisoners as well as a successful method to relay information from these prisons back to the CIA and U.S. Pentagon. Truly, Jim Stockdale and Admiral Zumwalt were "cut from the same cloth" and had an innate understanding of one another.

Jim Stockdale's wife, Sybil, likewise illustrated her strength by founding the National League of Families of Prisoner of War/Missing in Action; and she endeavored repeatedly to engage with media to present the case requesting better tratment of POWs as they sought American and International support. Her advocacy was more often than not shamefully dismissed by media reporters and anchors as well as television hosts -- who either expressed overt disdain or whose station managers chose to eliiinate these interviews from their scheduled programming when they realized she didn't play the victimizfed wife of a POW whose government was imperialistic. This was a time-frame in America's history when anti-government extremism prevailed in the U.S. public sector; and threefore there was little to no support for our U.S> military and government by the general public or even mainstream media.

Admiral Zumwalt specifically supported the efforts of the National League of Families of POWs/MIAs through Z-Gram 45. This new policy required commanders to provide continuous updated communication relating to POW/MIA status as well as to provide appropriate resources for families of POWs and MIAs. As one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Zumwalt additionally had a two-fold approach for assisting POWs. This included negotiations for improved treatment of POWs to prevent the torture and starvation of prisoners since the North Vietnamese communists did not abide by any of the Geneva Convention agreements; and he tirelessly sought the release of POWs and to bring them home with honor.

When Jim Stockdale was released from Vietnam and met Admiral Zumwalt it was only then that he became aware that the CNO had personally chosen to wear the POW bracelet with his name on it, and CNO Zumwalt gave it to him in their meeting together. Stockdale stated with surprise: "No single memento of my return or imprisonment will have as profound a meaning comparable to this emblem of your faith in me."

After the war, Admiral Zumwalt personally walked the premises of the "Hanai Hilton" reflecting quietly on the terror and torture in that facility; at times he was observed to be weeping for all who endured such horrors. In later years, Admiral Stockdale provides some additional insight into Admiral Z's commitment when he presented Admiral Z with a copy of his memoir, Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot, with his handwritten note: "For my Boss at a crucial time, Bud Zumwalt. It was he more than any other man who gave me a boost when I came out of prison, and the confidence to press ahead in the Post-Vietnam years." Such effort by Admiral Z provided the pesonal and professional support for Captain Stockdale to transition and tranform his condition and mental state as a POW and ultimately rise to become a three-star Admiral and President of the U.S. Naval War College. This same support from Admiral Zumwalt continued to bolster Stockdale in his (albeit unsuccessful) campaign as Vice President with Ross Perot representing the Independent Reform Party in their U.S. Presidential race.

Admiral James Stockdale

Admiral Zumwalt valued relationships above all else; and he invested efforts for years to assist his close friend and equal -- Admiral Tran Van Chon, his South Vietnamese Navy counterpart who served as the Chief of Naval Operations of the Republic of Vietnam. Although Admiral Z had provided arrangements for passage for Admiral Chon and his family to the United States as American military forces were leaving Vietnam, his friend chose to stay since his parents refused to leave Vietnam. Two-days later Admiral Tran Van Chon became imprisoned in a communist "re-education" slave-labor camp in which he was held for 12 years after the U.S. sudden departure from Vietnam. Admiral Z continued relentless efforts with the U.S. State Department and the International Red Cross in order to free what what he considered "his brother." Upon release Admiral Tran Van Chon moved to America and the two remained close friends and "brothers" for their remaining years until Admiral Zumwalt's death.

Admiral Tran Van Chon

When Admiral Stockdale was released from Vietnam and met Admiral Zumwalt it was only then that he became aware that the CNO had personally chosen to wear the POW bracelet with his name on it, and CNO Zumwalt gave it to him in their meeting together. Stockdale stated with surprise: "No single memento of my return or imprisonment will have as profound a meaning comparable to this emblem of your faith in me."

Admiral Zumwalt's son served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade and commander of one of the swift-boats on patrol on the Me Kong Delta, and thus was among those affected by this defoliant. As a consequence, Admiral Z's own son -- Elmo Zumwalt III -- developed two of the several forms of cancers that proved to be directly related to exposure to Agent Orange. Futhermore, like many other offspring of military personnel affected, Admiral Z's grandson also developed severe medical problems as a genetic birth defect from the toxic chemical of dioxin in Agent Orange.

After the war, Admiral Zumwalt discovered that the manufacturers of Agent Orange had not only presented false testimony but outright falsified data; and it became increasingly evident how harmful doxin was to humans, animals, and the environment as a toxic chemical. His immediate response was to take responsibility for the repercussions of his own leadership decisions and engage in actions that could be of greatest assistance to all affected U.S. veterans of all branches of service. He therefore engaged in advocacy for them in hearings in Congress, the Senate, in the courts, for medical research, and to provoide veterans with healthcare benefits for treatment of these medical conditions.

In addition to the coverup by the manufacturers of Agent Orange, Admiral Zumwalt and his youngest son (who became an attorney after his transition into civililan life) examined clinical studies and discovered additional coverup of the effects of dioxin that frequently developed among veterans. To their dismay -- and tragically -- certain U.S. government leaders in powerful positions acknowledged its toxic effects but consciously chose not to acknowledge its biological effects based on the expense that they considered "too great to pay for healthcare and benefits to veterans." Admiral Zumwalt therefore even more fervently championed for veterans in both House and Senate hearings on this issue as well as with (and at times against) the policies of the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. By his dedicated efforts, the effects were acknowledged by both the U.S. government and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and thus the clinical research and benefits were released to honor America's pledge to veterans that could provide appropriate healthcare for their sacrifices. Additionally, based on the evidence connecting Agent Orange with specific cancers, the Supreme Court ruled that its manufacturers -- Dow, Mansanto, and others -- were required to pay the largest class action settlement of benefits to affected veterans and to the U.S. governement (for Veterans Affairs Healthcare System) as a consequence for their company's irresponsible and unethical actions. In later years -- based on this evidence -- the U.S. government likewise engaged in significant efforts for clean-up of this toxic chemical in Vietnam as well as contributed to the medical treatment of Vietnamese people affected.

In their time together after his son's diagnossis, Admiral Z and his son collaborated on a book entitled My Father, My Son. In that effort they shared their basis for coping with such personal tragedy as many military personnel experienced in outcomes that were the results of the use of Agent Orange. In short, together, they provided a very personal account that also translated into a successful and beneficial model that was based on acknowleding the truth and choosing an appropriate and healthy response. Admiral Zumwalt concluded that he would likely have made the same decision even if the truth had been provided to him when he considers that this decision undoubtedly saved thousands of American lives. However, he regards this as one of the deeply tragic decisions inherent in war. His son shares that if he had an opportunity to choose over again, he still would have served in Vietnam. He adds that in spite of the challenges their personal relationship became even stronger and more meaningful.

Elmo Zumwalt III died at age 42; like others who miraculously survived the war he died early due to exposure to Agent Orange employed by our own nation (and decisions of his own father).

Althouogh bone marrow transplant was an option utilized as a cancer treatment for his son, Admiral Z was keenly aware that many military veterans did not have such an opportunity for a transplant that could potentially save their lives; as a result, they were denied this resource in treatment of these forms of cancer. Therefore, Admiral Zumwalt both tackled -- and successfully championed -- efforts that provided the option of bone marrow transplant to veterans of all U.S.military branches who were affected by dioxin who either did not have this bone marrow option available through their family as a gift or lacked the financial funds for it from other donars.

Related to these same issues, Admiral Z served as the Founder of the Bone Marrow Registry and also was the first Chairman of the National (Bone) Marrow Donar Program. In other contributions that support humanitarian efforts he served pro bono on multiple Executive Boards for non-profit agencies (especially those relating to healthcare); and also served as Director of the Vietnam Association to the Handicapped (manufacturer and distributor of prothesis for the people of Vietnam), and as the U.S. Ambassador to the International Red Cross in Geneva.

Although Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr. was a gifted leader with a remarkable history of achievements -- as well as recognized and esteemed by both policial party leaders -- his Senatorial campaign as a Democrat representing Virginia was unsuccessful. No doubt this lack of success in this endeavor was more due to internal political issues than his own gifts to share. This, in and of itself, is a reminder that even the finest leaders may still meet with disappointing outcomes for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with their capabilities or the significant contibutions they may be able to make for the Greater Good.

In Cameron's pespective, among the most significant legacies of Admiral Zumwalt's life may be the acknowledgement by his own statements and actions that whole-heartedly convey each of us are responsible for our own choices, and our choices have consequences. His own investment of time, energy, and resoures demonstrate his focus on what he consistently lived as most important -- values of character. These include values of integrity, commitment, honesty, devotion, and ethics.

Admiral Zumwalt was a trusted advisor to President Clinton who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his life-long dedication to improve the lives of others. Admiral Z died of mesothelioma -- a form of cancer due to exposure to asbestes in his Naval career. President Clinton was among those who gave his eulogy citing Admiral Z's legacy and efforts as those that consistently were grounded in reality and responsibility, integrity, and equality. At his death President Clinton described Admiral Zumwalt as "the Consciousness of the Navy."

Admiral Z modeled true positive Transformational Leadership in both war and peace. Having the opportunity to encounter an individual who embodied such an inspiring and progressive model clearly reaffirmed to Cameron the power of leadership based on the principles of human dignity, respect, professionalism, and living by the highest ideals and honorable Code of Conduct. Cameron regards it as truly a priviledge for all Navy personnel who served at the same time in our American history -- and in the same Navy --as such a leader of remarkable impact.

EXCERPT FROM

Z-GRAM 117

"...If we are to place the importance and responsibility of 'the person' in proper perspective in the more efficient Navy we are seeking, the worth and personal dignity of the individual must be forcefully reaffirmed."

Her methods of mentoring and modeling create a practical and dependable resource for the development of Transformational Leadership as a way of being as well as prjovide practices for strengthening pscyhological fitness and resilience, inspiring high performance teams, and realistic guidance for ethical decision-making in complex crisis environment.

Our true purpose in this existence

is to employ our Noble Values and Moral Courage

as an ever-evolving Enlightened Society.

PREPARING NEW LEADERS TO SERVE OUR NATION:

SERVING U.S. DEFENSE AND NASA

EXPERIMENTAL "BLACK PROGRAMS"

Following her military service, Cameron enhanced her skill-sets and served in major aerospace corporations as both a subect-matter-expert and in leadership roles. She led teams in developing strategic planning, national and international joint-venture agreements, and new business Research and Development proposals for emerging U.S. Department of Defense projects. Additionally, her leadership encompassed development of sophisticated R&D technical briefings of high-security national and international Special Access Programs ("Black Programs" not acknowledged bo the public) for both U.S. Defense and NASA Projects.

Under her leadership to research and develop these "Black Program" briefings, Cameron's team provided updated daily presentations for high-level review. Cameron provided research in a clear, concise, accurate account; and directed presentation development that engaged three aerospace departments to meet the ever-changing realities of policical foreign affairs and the latest national security information from the highest levels of CIA reports. Thus, these briefings served a two-fold purpose: As a source of continuos review, analysis, and options for decison-making by U.S. government leaders; and how specific defense projects could contribute to current and emerging political or war challenges.

The audiences for these briefings were an elite cadre of U.S. Congressional and Senatorial Committee members and the Secretary of Defense. At times, this also included briefings tailored for the needs of the President and Vice President of the United States.

Cameron's additional assignments in aerospace on "Black Programs" focused on human factors in relationship to these projects: Psychological issues; health, safety, and security of military personnel; and an emphasis on the survival and long-term well-being of civilian-military crews and military communities.

In these endeavors, Cameron's leadership responsibilities were two-fold: The first was to ensure mission success spanning across and coordinating the specific responsibililties of three major teams consistening of approxoimately XXX each; and secondly, to develop and groom new leaders. This latter entailed providing those for whom she was directly responsible with opportunities to demonstate and contribute the value of their unique backgrounds. In this leadership framework, she also provided guidance, freedom, appropriate boundaries, and oversight for them to hone their talents and develop new skill-sets.

These contributions earned Cameron and her teams numerous commendations and awards for both her leadership and individual professional efforts serving U.S. government Defense and NASA projects.

COMMUNITY SERVICE IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENTS

Cameron's volunteer service includes direct service roles in air and sea missions with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Search & Rescue teams. These encompassed both exercsies and Real-World events that required air and sea missions to support individuals and groups in crisis on the sea.

Her community volunteer service likewise encompassed Red Cross Disaster Services in both local and joint-venture efforts.

In a volunteer leadershp role serving as the Director of Development at a Community Women's Center....

Other leadership roles to serve the community include:

Developing a successful Native American business plan that supported development and funding of resources to reduce tribal crisis situations by providing:

- Tribal healthcare and establishment of a clinic to provide both physical and psychogical wellbeing.

- Tribal education, cultural traiditons, and a historical library to enhance self-esteem of individuals and promote positive cultural identiy.

- Support and encouragement for human and citizen rights among indiginous traditions in the U.S.

Providing leadership and behavioral health crisis interventions in an innovative atmosphere of a community home environment as an alternative to hospital in-patient psychiatric units.

Serving as Business Development Director and Operational Manager of a community residential facility tailored for 102 individuals of low income and significantly affected by both physical and psychological factors.

A RESPONSE TO 9/11:

A CHANGE OF CAREER TO SERVE AS A TRAUMA THERAPIST --

HONORING AND SUPPORTNG HUMAN RESILIENCE AND PERSONAL GROWTH

Providing Psychological Counseling for Recovery from Traumatic Stess

As a native of Manhattan, the events of September 11, 2001 and its aftermath had significant impact on Cameron -- ultiately redirectinge her priorities toward contibutions to shape leadership that supports the long-term well-being of public service professionals as part of any mission success. In this way, following events of 9/11 her career journey explored diverse aspects of operational stress and traumatic stress arising from civililan and military public service in environments of terrorism, war, international conflict, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and other realms of service in high-stress high-threat environments.

In embarking on this new chapter of her career, Cameron earned both a Masters Degree and Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington in Clinical Behavioral Health and Mental Health Research with a specialty in the treatment of traumataic stress.

As a Clinical Social Worker, Cameron provided psychotherapy for recovery from all troubling mental states, mental illnesses, and mental disorders; and her specialties are in traumatic stress for active duty U.S. military personel, military veterans, and refugees. She engaged her patient/clients in both individual therapy sessions and in group psycholgical-educational training-skills in order to provide the most effective results in mastering symptoms and her patient/clients regaining and resuming their lives. In these endeavors she provided counseling for highly diverse populations recently returned from deployment in the Iraq and Afghanastan war theater as well as those who served in the Gulf War, Vietnam, Korea, and/or World War II campaigns. Her service spanned from Department of Defense Healthcare Systems in outpatient clinics, in-patient hospital psychiatric units, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In-Patient Intensive Treatment Programs for veterans, private and public hospitals and clinics, and county government crisis centers.

Suicide Interventions:

Cameron has served in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems, Emergency Rooms and psychiatric units in public and private hospitals, community crisis centers, and in the field in roles providing crisis interventions to prevent suicides. In each of these situations, suicide was averted, and these individuals instead actively engaged in psychotherapy to resolve their despondency and overcome their personal challenges.

In equally complex scenarios, Cameron provided both grief counseling and trauma counseling for military veterans who had experienced catastrophic losses and were affected by polytrauma (where the suicide risk is at its peak). These individuals were deeply afflicted by traumatic stress and equally by recent physical (even multiple) amputations, severe spinal cord injuries, and/or serious life-threatening illness. As direct and indirect repercussions of these life-changing events, many of these veterans had also lost their family and community supportive resources. To strengthen those in her professional care at their most devastating life transitions, Cameron also provided end-of-life counseling for individuals evaluated by their health providers as nearing imminent death from illness or accidents.

Mentor and Speaker in Crisis Environments:

Cameron has provided mentoring, psychology education, and mental health research presentations to hospital staffs and the larger community on topics related to working with professional individuals and communities affected by critical incidents, traumatic events, and traumatic stress. In a like manner, she shares her knowledge and expertise to assist first-responders in practices to enhance their own resilience during (and following) their service in mass casualty events and critical incidents.

Mental Health Research: From Research to the Clinic, Tactical to Practical

Aware that Real-World data is the key to developing meaningful new effective approaches, Cameron contributed her efforts to four major research projects funded by the National Insitutes of Health that explored the efficacy of new psychological interventions for the treatment of major depression, traumatic stress, substance abuse, and the prevention of suicide. These interventions proved to be evidence-based best practices for healing, recovery, and positive outcomes, and are now employed effectively internationally.

Her research as a Principle Investigator explored other practical realms that have successfully converted research into effective clinical practices in the following areas: Psychological resilience-building; developing client-centered (customized) psychotherapy and individualized recovery plans for military personnel and military veterans affected by traumatic stress; and evidence-based best practice interventions for individuals experiecing suicidal crisis.

Cameron's special interests are in areas of: Consciousness; cutting-edge research relating to neuroscience and psychology; recent breakthroughs in studies relating to the human brain; ethical decision-making; spirituality and leadership; and enhancing human potential.

ENGAGING THE DISCIPLINE OF THE MIND:

A ZEN WAY OF BEING

As a Zen Buddhist monk, Cameron has trained in Zen monasteries -- and cultivated skill-sets that are universal in their application to not only her own spiritual foundation but are equally effective in secular, government, interfaith, and scientific foundations. These skill-sets are a disciplined mind, development of internal psychological strengths, and a continuous deepening of insights and consciousness which are globally recognized as the foundation of enlightened societies.

Her 48 years of practice in Soto Zen meditation, mindfulness, and Zen application of human psychology in ordinary daiily life have proven useful for her in crisis enviornments and for others who choose to integrate these as compentencies and valuable assets.

A few of the many beneficial outcomes of these practices include: HIghly developed concentration and focus; an increased awareness and understanding of human nature; a more comprehensive understanding of Reality; enhanced empathy and compassion; greater coping skills applicable to physical, psychological, and emotional pain management; stress reduction; creative insights; wise discernment and the honing of wise decision-making; as well as a quiet balanced mind amidst chaos.

Living from the Heart of Deer

Cameron's Zen Buddhist name is Roku Shin, translated from Japanese as Heart of Deer.

In the Soto Zen tradition, Buddhist names are given and received at the time of formal commitments to spiritual vows. These vows are a commitment to be service to the Greater Good of all beings, and it is the individual's closest spiritual advisors who determine what that name will be. The process of selecting a name is based on observing an individual over the long-term and discerning that individual's core values, his/her aspirations, and the natural unique gifts that individual offers to the commmunity and to the larger world.

Cameron's view of her commitment encompasses:

A way of being...like deer grazing on the hillside.

Neither fearing the past, nor anxious for the future...

but rather fully engaged in the richness and great responsibility of this one precious moment.

Our most critical job at every moment is to remain calm.

Our best decision-making is based on maintaining

a quiet and balanced state of mind.

CULTIVATING POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION:

SPEAKER - CONSULTANT - MENTOR

CENTER FOR

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN CRISIS ENVIRONMENTS

Just as the new Freedom Tower and One-World-Trade Center in Manhattan embodies a spirit of America's vision, strength, and leadership for mutual cooperation, interdependence, and social responsibilities to one another, so too each of us is offered an opportunity to engage in this endeavor on a smaller scale. We do so by working toward freeing ourselves from destructive emotional shackles that constrict our views and separate us from achieving mutually beneficial positive objectives. In such a pursuit we can choose to be FULLY PRESENT and FULLY ENGAGED in this empowering-creative process; and if we share such a willingness and choose this wise path we are offered the tools that provide us with the distinctive power that is so beneficial to achieve our 21st century visions.

Through the services and programs offered by the Center for Transformational Leadership in Crisis Environments (CTLCE), you will discover the critical choices, skill-sets, and character traits that differentiate Transformational Leadership from other leadership styles; and more importantly you will gain a solid foundation and initiate the practices that cultivate these qualities.

In essence, Transformational Leadership is based on cultivating the characteristics that are those of a dynamic leader who chooses to employ psychlogically healthy principles toward objectives of the Greater Good. These principles are based in human behavior, social psycholoty, and organizatinal psychology.

LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES:

VALUES OF A MATURE DEMOCRACY

To determine if the services and programs of the Center for Transformational Leadership in Crisis Environments seem a good match for you or for your team, the following two serious questions may assist you in your decision-making:

First: What are the primary personal-professional values and skill-sets that you envision as humankind's best gifts and legacies as a contribution to your children's future, to our nation, and to our planet?

Secondly: What way of being and leadership governing style (personally and as a community) would you wish for humankind to establish in our preparation to colonize other planets and the cosmos?

If your vision is that our best gifts to these endeavors reflect a mature democaracy by living consciously and with the highest and psychologically healthy human traits, and thereby operating as an enlightened society, you will likely be earnestly inspired by our approach and offerings. These ways of living are realistic and achievable in spite of the fact that all humans -- by their very nature -- are very imperfect. Yet our higest qualities have been instrumental as a way of being of transformational leaders for centuries. It is only recently that these successes have been studied intensely, identified by characteristics, traits, and practices, assessed for their effectiveness, and through CTLCE's unique advanced training programs developed into programs that are tailored for civilian and military public service professionals. as a society. a civil society. confronted against offenses.

The specific training CTLCE provides is based on the esteemed rigerous research and scholarship of James MacGregor Burns, Bernard Bass, and Ronald Riggio which Cameron has skillfully integrated with secrets closely held by the disciplined minds of ancient Japanese Samurai warriors and the expanded consciousness of Zen masters. She shares these insights in a warm mentoring style with her audiences, and she invites you to explore these intensive programs designed for those serving in the unique circumstances of crisis environments.

Our legacy is our personal Code of Conduct.

This is probably the hardest work in which we shall ever engage.

PASSING THE BATON:

LEADERSHIP AS AN ART AND SCIENCE

Supporting Your Success

Cameron's integrated areas of Real World expertise are in human behavior, social psychology, and organizational psychology as they apply to Transformational Leadership in crisis environments.

Cameron's additional areas of exploration and expertise are in the study of new frontiers that expand the development of human potential, create cooperative high-performance teams, and facilitate mechanisms for ethical decision-making under crisis conditions. She invites you to discover practical applications for leadership in crisis environments through citting-edge research to integrate life-altering transformations into your toobox of advanced leadership skill-sets in crisis environments.

At this time of unprecedented challeges facting humanikind, Cameron shares her ingights from seasoned experience, evidence-based best-practes, and lessons learned in order to pas the baton of this vital information directly to those serving as civilian and military public service professionals in crisis envioronments. In this way, she continues her role as messenger and mentor during timtroubled time and where decison-making is cridetermines the fatvery fate of humankind and our contribution into the future and other planeto the universe.

The GREATEST gift

you can give someone is

the gift of inspiration

A Letter from our Founder

Civil and military public service professionals dedicate themselves to serve our communities and our country by engaging in duties that thrust them into the most grueling environments on this planet. Where others are overcome with terror and grief -- or rush from such scenes -- these unique individuals step up to the challenge of this call-to-duty and serve in a myriad of specialized ways. They commit to protect, defend, investigate, and bestow order, or serve in roles of diplomacy/intelligence/negotiation in the field; or they may provide search and rescue, medical care, or recovery at Ground Zero or in combat. Their working environment may include events of terrorism, war, international conflict, critical incidents, natural disasters, the dangers of space operations or space exploration, or mass casualty events arising from every conceivable source; and their missions may focus on benefiting a single individual or engagement in joint-operational efforts designed to benefit entire communities or nations.

What these specialists share in common is that they are professionals dedicated to this way of life. They travel light -- carrying a duffel bag filled with tenancity, resilience, and an internal strength that is far beyond what is expected of others. They deserve our respect and appreciation; and those that lead them through these trials and challenges are obligated to equip themselves and their teams with vision, practicality, and the ability to inspire.

Regardless of the source, crisis environments impose rigorous demands upon the human mind, human body, and human spirit; yet it is our very humanity that can be among our highest gifts and greatest assets. In this paradox the toll of service amidst chaos and tragedy may become evident in a variety of ways; and without keen awareness normal human factors can affect readiness and effectiveness of individuals and teams. In these efforts, valued careers may become “short-circuited” -- which in turn affects everyone involved. This includes the loss of a seasoned individual as a team member; however, it also affects the individual's family, friends, supervisor, organization, community, and nation. It is no secret to those involved that the outcome of such service can be devastating, and the suicide rate of both military personnel and first-responders is shocking to the uninitiated; and yet most of these deaths need not occur. Based on evidence-based research, it is a fact that both personal and professional crisis leading to suicide can be mitigated and even eliminated by an appropriate leadership style as the basis of the relationship established between leaders and their teams.

In this complex 21st century -- where even our very existence as a civilization is at stake -- our ever-evolving new paradigms demand new "ways of being" in order to effectively respond to the increasing challenges we face both nationally and globally. Clearly our most serious deficit at this unparalleled time in our history is leadership tailor-made for crisis environments; and our best assets are our emerging and seasoned leaders – those who dare to transform themselves from within and who will serve as true transformational agents of positive change in these circumstances. Armed with personal and professional qualities that earn trust and confidence their mission is to hone the skill-sets that lead to success. By forging new competencies in environments where horror abounds, they serve as pathfinders lighting the way to our democratic goals for global unity, well-being, justice, and security -- benefits not merely designed for a few but for all.

If, like me, you realize that it is the human element itself that is the critical value-added component to achieve mission success and change our world in deeply meaningful ways, I invite your questions to explore and discuss how this might be applied within the scope of your own organizational structure and goals.

Respectfully,
Cameron Burnett

CALM

CONFIDENT

COMMITTED

A nick-name given to Cameron by some of her supervisors was "Can Do Cameron." She was given this name because of challenging tasks which seemed impossible yet in those roles her emphasis on partnerships with others scounted on to accomplish these missions under her leadership. In her view, these successes were due to the high level of professionalism of those with whom she worked; and she sees a leadership role as one to enlist the best resources of individuals, serve to provide them with the tools they need to succeed, and provide the cultural environment that best supports their strength and well-being in efforts to achieve the Greater Good.

OUR FOUNDER'S EARLY LIFE INFLUENCES

Cameron was born in Manhattan, New York and is of Scottish heritage on both sides of her family. She was raised by her grandparents with the values they considered as critical for a strong foundation -- the respect and dignity of all beings, honesty, responsibility, bullding and maintaining meaningful relationshps, a strong work ethic, and service to family and the community. Of equal attention was a passionate commitment to the values of America and democracy -- aspirations of our nation's Founders to create an enlightened society where decision-making reflects a frame-work of equality, justice, responsibility, peace, and promoting the well-being and prosperity of society.

Cameron's grandfather -- a kind and soft-spoken individual -- was, by his trade, a highly skilled carpenter earlier in his life. By the time Cameron was born he had become specialized as a master cabinet-maker. His traditional craftsmanship with wood was at the level of an art. He carefully hand-selected each piece of timber for any specfic commissioned work -- choosing only the best or most unique in this selection process. Employing old world expertise and the meticulousness of traditional joinery techniques that were free of both nails and screws, his handfinishing techniques likewise were focused on exquisite attention to detail and aesthetics. Some of Cameron's most tender and meaningful memories growing up were working side-by-side with him in his workshop -- sharing a mutual appreciation for not only every step of these creation journeys, but also deeply experiencing this quality time alone together.

This love of the varying natural qualities that each specific tree offers as a special gift later matured into Cameron's continued appreciation of fine wood, fine design, and fine sailing characteristics of two classic wood sailing boats that she purchased, restored, and passionately sailed in her adult life.

The skill-sets of Cameron's grandmother were those as a seamstress and tailor sewing customized clothes, primarily in various weights of wool. Throughout the year her grandmother was also called upon to crochet infant and baby sweaters, hats, booties, and blankets which her clients delighted in giving as special gifts. Additionally, she had an established and always growing array of on-going commissions requesting customized traditional knitwear ranging from mittens, scarves, classic cardigan and pull-over sweaters, and always of high demand -- traditional cable-knit Scottish fisherman's sweaters.

The only person you ae destined to become is the person you decide to be.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Valuing a good education as an important start to "good citizenship," her grandmother also was Cameron's first academic teacher -- methodically teaching Cameron how to read before school age by use of a large print Bible and a large print edition of Ralph Waldo Emerson's Essays. Her grandmother's simple and convincing perspective was: "You can learn how to read at the same time you learn good values." Her approach met those goals, and also gave Cameron an early start in school and a strong affinity for the value of reading, moral and ethical reflection, and writing.

Cameron's grandmother was an Elder in a Baptist church, and therefore spiritual life was a central core of family life. These values re-enforced each congregation member's responsibilities to others and the value of our Americans freedoms. Each religious Sunday service generally also included at least one patriotic song such as "America the Beautiful," and on special occasions (such as near July 4th or Veteran's Day) even the "Star-Spangled Banner." Spiritual classes and meetings consistently began with a personalized prayer for any congregation members who were ill or facing hardships, as well as others in national and world news who were most impacted by injustice, faminine, draught, war, plague, or other disaster.

God

and

Country

Pror to beginning any spiritual class or meeting, congregation members also engaged in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag as a personal and collective commitment to the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities of American citizenship. The pastors and congregation very much believed in the importance of maintaining the separation of Church and State in our personal lives, however, the values of democracy, spirituality, and walking-the-talk to be of service in the world were considered the outward expression of our Commitment to American democracy. To put their principles into useful action, church family members of all ages frequently worked together to organize and engage in tasks that were in direct response -- and of practical assistance -- to national or international regions or to specfic families or individuals.

At age 12, Cameron approached her grandparents to inquire if she could receive their permission to explore the principles and practices of other Christian religious denominations to gain a broader perspective. Her grandparents approved her request, and she studied the Catholic catechism teachings in a year-long program. At that conclusion she chose to be baptized in the Catholic faith in a nun's chapel by a priest from Scotland who also served as her mentor and spiritual friend. Cameron participated in Mass every morning before school; and on Sundays, after the celebration of Mass and a message from the priest, she worked with congregation members as they collectively engaged in projects designed for others in both the local community and for those in need overseas. Over the next five years she explored the perspectives of the monastic founders of several Catholic religous communities through frequent periodic spiritual retreats. She discovered she had a natural incliniation for the principles of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Clare of Assisi -- simple living, humility, a positive vision of the world, detachment from material possessions, social justice, and respect for nature and all beings. Therefore, Cameron's investment of available personal time gravitated toward engagement with Franciscans in both retreat spiritual programs and with their direct service in the larger world.

Throughout her teen years (and throughout her life) Cameron has felt a strong calling to serve as a priest. In fact, her desire was to serve as a Chaplain within the Navy. However, the Catholic church was not ordaining women as priests. With women's rights becoming a viable possibility it was anticipated by many women across the globe (especially in America) that Pope John XXIII and his modern approaches had a strong chance of leading major changes through the 3-year meeting of the Second Vatican Council (known as Vatican II). The topic of this Council was "The Church in the Modern World." Although women's rights and women as priests were topics of major discussion during this conference, the conclusion (based entirely on male religious input) was that women were still entirely excluded from such service within the church and in the larger world.

By the time Cameron was ready for university education, she encountered Zen Buddhism as it made its entry into New York City from Japan through visiting Zen Masters. This was the true and deep practice offered by legitimate recognized Zen Masters; and Cameron experienced an immediate and profound connection with the practices during Zen Sesshins ("intensive" practices). These practices gave her a feeling of "coming home," and she intuitively realized this path was the one that would serve as her framework of principles and practices for the duration of her own life.

The ease with which this took place was also facilitated by Cameron's prior extensive reading in Western philosophy from Aristotle (with efforts to shape civilizations in positive ways based on evidence-based outcomes) to Marcus Aurelius (integrating both leadership and spirituality and major social reforms for the disenfranchised). Additionally, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius published after his death emphasized reason coupled with the responsibilities that are inherent with power and the wisdom of self-restraint.

Cameron's study and readings at that time also included published translations of the diaries and letters of mystic Catholic monks, nuns, saints, and religious scholars whose works spanned over many centuries and were incluisve of the modern era. Likewise, she immersed herself in the study of Eastern philsophy and Eastern spiritual practices of Asia offered by Lao Tzu and Taoism, Confucius, Shakyamuni Buddha, the 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual leader of Tibet), the psychological studies of human nature and the human condition offered through Theravadan Buddhist Abhidhamma studies, and Zen studies as authored by Philip Kapleau Roshi (a Western Zen Master) and Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (Zen Buddhist scholar, translator, global lecturer, and Japanese university professor).

Cameron also explored the writings of the respected contemporary Catholic Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, who frequently wrote of his study and practice of Zen Buddhism -- as well as his facilitation of inter-religious dialogue and projects that recognized, honored, and integrated East and West spirituality into practical daily life and ethics.

In accounts shared by these and other revered deep spiritual religious thinkers and scholars from diverse spiritual backgrounds -- each of whom had reputations as very serious spiritual practitioners -- Cameron was mindful that their recorded encounters and influences often referenced Zen Buddhism in their journals, correspondence, and publications. Additionally, such notables as Dag Hammerskjold, second Attorney-General of the United Nations, shared his vision of the world based on fundamental agreements of member nations to core practices that embody ethical boundaries in both war and peace. For those who are familiar with Zen principles, Zen's influence on Attorney-General Hammerskjold was unmistakable. Mr. Hammerskjold clearly had a deep understanding of the history of humankind that all too often has been sparked by religious differences; therefore, he introduced secular values that all major religions share as their core into the U.N. objectives for which he encouraged support. Furthermore, he proposed secular moral leadership boundaries based on fundamental agreements by U.N. members of what are recognized throughout human history as wholesome behaviors verus unwholesome behaviors. In this way he led efforts that established clear standards of conduct that reflected a respect for human rights and have proven to be beneficial for not only the safety and wellbeing of citizens but also as essential for the progress as civilizations. Some called Dag Hammerskjold "the consciousness of the U.N." and others called him the "Zen Master of the West." His own personal spiritual struggles, sacrifices, and spiritual journey were published posthumously under the title of Markings; and after his death, his immense contributions to the world-society were recognized in awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Collectively, these highly credible sources clearly recognized the high degree of relevance of Zen practices as they apply during any period in history, in any country, and by individuals from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, Cameron gained keen awareness and confidence that the opportunity presented by these visiting Japanese Zen Masters to Manhattan was not only auspicious for her own development but likewise provided credible and appropriate guidance to others inclined to engage directly in serious Zen practice.

In contrast, simultaneously, a rapidly evolving adaptation of Zen emerged within the hippie and counter-culture movement in which various concepts were loosely (and generally incorrectly) interpreted and exploited for their own purposes -- including justifications for communes of "free love" as well as the illicit drug use of heroin and hallucinagenics such as LSD. Cameron had no interest nor natural affinity with the counter-culture; instead, she committed to the authentic Zen Buddhist path where, over the years, her practice has matured to produce a considerably quiet mind amidst a very disruptive and troubled world.

The Vietnam War remained both the backdrop and the foreground for Cameron's immediate decision-making as she was considering ways and means of service. Engaged in a war, as we were, she wished to contribute in a postive way to our nation as well as directly to the American individuals who were sacrificing to maintain our freedoms. In a like manner, she wished to contriubte toward our U.S. efforts to help the South Vietnamese maintain their fragile democracic government. This was in sharp contrast to what she witnessed in person on university campuses and in the news occurring at public, private, and Ivy League universities where students appeared most focused on demonstrating their anti-government and anti-military sentiments -- often in uncivil ways. This included -- but was by no means limited to -- harassing Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students and burning or bombing campus ROTC meeting locations until they were closed permanently, as well as various means of personally degradng active duty military personnel. Cameron's aspirations to serve in the Navy therefore seemed best met through one of her strong interests -- developing useful skill-sets as a communicator of realities and ideas through film. She anticipated this would be a study and contribution to an ongoing historical record of war and peace from within the context of serving in our military. She therefore engaged in the program offered by the New York Institute of Photography in Manhattan, with the intent of entering the Navy upon its completion.

COMMUNICATIONS: THE TOOLS OF A MESSENGER

Cameron's career preparation began with training at New York Institute of Photography in Manhattan, New York where she acquired skill-sets as a professional photographer and film-documentary cinematrographer. Her inspiration to engage in this work was sparked by the insights provided by three influencial sources: First, the work of U.S. military photographer David Douglas Duncan in documention of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War that revealed the struggles, selflessness for others, and horror of war. Secondly, the photographic exposes of Dorathea Lang's documentation illustrated the events and outcomes of the Dust Bowl in American history in the 1930s and sparked beneficial Presidential policy changes. Third, the extensive historical documentation of the the U.S. Civil War by Mathew Brady and his photographic colleagues -- that for the first time -- recorded that war was not a heroic nor idealistic endeavor but rather should serve as a conscious last choice for the purpose of estbalishing human rights and legal standards of conduct to be honored by the "United" States.

In each of these efforts, these specialists illustrated the trials and triumphs, compassion and horror, and good and evil that dwells within each of us under the most extreme circumstances. Whether it is our worst qualities or our best, we humans have the capacity to change; and the recorded realities and history remind us (and can inspire us) of our potential to invest our personal best into this world we live in. Such work does not rely on a mere snapshot of a moment, but rather records our history (the good, the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly) as our human species creates, encounters, and shapes it.

Neither a pessimist nor an optimist -- but rather as a realist -- Cameron reserves a place of respect in her heart and in her mind for the power of photographic and film documentary communications in how it can explore major issues, record realities, and contribute to developing new policies that can positively impact the world. Photographs and film documentaries acknowledge reality, history, and offer broader issues for thoughtful consideration. They also have the capability to provide training and education to expand human knowledge and expertise, internally communicate values and vision, and offer highly effective visual evidence useful for communicating briefings that facilitate Real-World analysis of events. In this way, Cameron's early training provided a vehicle to employ these tools as well as support our nation's vision and efforts. By such contributions, Cameron's intent focused on enhancing our collective understanding and knowledge. Such realism also has the capability to lead us toward reflections on both our successes while also learning from our our mistakes in a steady pursuit for advancement as an enlightened society.