The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide on Thursday completed a two-week block of hearings in Sydney, with the inquiry next meeting in Canberra from April 4.
An ex-soldier, who gave evidence under the pseudonym SY5, described suffering degrading and humiliating bullying and harassment for more than a year.
She was targeted by several young men aged in their 20s while she was serving as their deputy commander.
"They had a real problem with that, they did not like that at all," SY5 told the commission.
"It was very derogatory ... Everyone in the squadron was talking about me in this way and it was humiliating.
"The thing that struck me the most was when I talked to the youngest one ... he was like, 'I just don't think women belong in the army'."
She sought an early discharge from the ADF and was subjected to an investigation, which re-traumatised her due to having to repeat her story over several hours.
After several months, her request to discharge was rejected despite being endorsed by a senior officer at her army base.
Her next option was to file a redress of grievance via the ADF inspector-general, which was also unhelpful.
She then wrote to senior ADF members, urging them to help resolve her matter, but she was told: "Know your place as a soldier and use your chain of command."
At this point her psychological state had severely declined, she suffered from suicidal thoughts, severe memory loss and was constantly crying.
She went to see a psychiatrist and was given a medical certificate stating that she needed time off, but this was rejected by senior army officers.
SY5 refused to go back to the unit due to her psychological state, when a senior officer told her "if you don't come back we will institutionalise you".
Eventually, her doctor came up with a plan and requested urgent convalescent leave.
She went to visit friends with the army in Darwin, where she had a very different experience and her immediate medical discharge was sought after a psychological evaluation.
Her experience left her severely depressed and she suffered suicidal ideation on at least three occasions.
"The ADF harmed me in a way I never thought they could," she said.
"They shattered by core beliefs about human nature, they behaved in unspeakable ways and they simply didn't uphold their duty of care.
"It is my belief that real change will not occur in the ADF until people are held accountable for their actions."
She said her bullies had since received postings in sought-after positions in the army and there were no consequences for their actions nor the actions of senior officers.
She urged the commission to make recommendations for the ADF to improve its complaints process by giving members better legal protection and independent advocates.
In his closing remarks, senior counsel assisting Kevin Connor SC said there were significant issues with how defence force suicide data was collected.
He said the Department of Veterans Affairs only collected data on permanent ADF member suicides and not the "very large reserve population".
"We really don't know why that's not being covered," he said.
Over two weeks in Sydney, the commission heard from high-ranking ADF members who conceded more must be done to support people transitioning from military to civilian life.
There have been accounts of bullying, sexual assault, poor treatment of women, a lack of support for veterans and recruits being forced into hazing rituals.
"The information before us suggests that cultural problems still exist in the ADF," commission chair Nick Kaldas said on Thursday.
The hearings will continue in Canberra on April 4.
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