OTTAWA -- A senior commander in the military has resigned from the Canadian Armed Forces, saying she is 鈥渟ickened鈥� and 鈥渄isgusted鈥� by the ongoing investigations into sexual misconduct allegations against top officers.

In an internal letter requesting leave Lt.-Col. Eleanor Taylor, who was most recently the deputy commander of the 36th Brigade Group and has been touted for her accomplishments as a high-ranking female officer, said she is not surprised by the number of high-profile male leaders being accused of inappropriate conduct.

鈥淚 am also certain that the scope of the problem has yet to be exposed,鈥� she wrote in the letter, which she requested be shared widely with military leadership.

She went on to write that throughout her career, without naming names or specific examples, she has 鈥渙bserved insidious and inappropriate use of power for sexual exploitation,鈥� and that some senior leaders are unwilling or unable to recognize the negative impact of their behaviour. Or worse, they know the harm but think it can be kept under wraps and 鈥渓ack the courage and tools to confront the systemic issue,鈥� she wrote.

鈥淚 have been both a victim of, and participant in, this damaging cycle of silence, and I am proud of neither. I am not encouraged that we are 鈥榠nvestigating our top officers.鈥� I am disgusted that it has taken us so long to do so,鈥� said Taylor, who served for decades before leaving the regular force for the reserves.

In early February, military police launched an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against former chief of defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance. Six weeks after his departure, Vance鈥檚 replacement, Admiral Art McDonald, stepped aside because of a military police investigation into unspecified allegations of misconduct against him.

CTV News has not independently verified the allegations at the centre of these investigations into the Forces鈥� highest ranking officers, but the House of Commons National Defence committee has struck up a study that鈥檚 been exploring the issue of sexual misconduct within the Forces, where new information continues to come to light.

OPERATION HONOUR 'POISONED'

In her letter Taylor cites Operation HONOUR鈥� the Armed Forces鈥� mission to prevent and address sexual misconduct鈥攕aying that while it appeared the military was moving in the right direction, 鈥渢he failure of senior leadership to set the example on the operation has poisoned it.鈥�

She鈥檚 now calling for the name of the operation to be dropped, calling it 鈥渉armful.鈥�

In the letter Taylor said she considered remaining in uniform to try to 鈥渁ffect change from within,鈥� but now she doesn鈥檛 think that鈥檚 possible.

鈥淚 have spent the past decade speaking publicly and passionately about the gains women have made in the CAF. While I remain fiercely proud of parts of our organization, on the issue of addressing harmful sexual behaviour, we have lost all credibility,鈥� she writes.

In a statement the Canadian Armed Forces confirmed Taylor鈥檚 departure and said they have reached out to her, asking to 鈥渓earn from her as part of our ongoing efforts to address broader cultural issues,鈥� calling her a mentor to many and an 鈥渙utstanding officer鈥� who is respected for her 鈥渂ravery, skills, intellect, and compassion.鈥�

"As we have said before, there is absolutely no place for any kind of misconduct in the CAF. Not only does it harm our readiness and cohesiveness, but it also affects our ability to retain people. This loss highlights the importance of tackling this issue,鈥� said the Forces. 鈥淚t is clear that the road ahead will not be easy.鈥�

'MUST SEIZE' CHANCE TO IMPROVE: SAJJAN

Taylor, who is from Antigonish, N.S., previously served as an infantry commander during the war in Afghanistan in 2010 and was awarded by the governor general in 2011 for being an 鈥渆xceptional combat leader鈥� in that role. She went on to work with the special operations unit Joint Task Force 2, and in 2013 was named one of Canada鈥檚 top 100 most powerful women.

鈥淔or me, the breach of trust has been too much, and my release is the best tool at my disposal to highlight the depth of my disappointment,鈥� wrote Taylor.

Sandra Perron, the country鈥檚 first female infantry officer, knew Taylor and said she was saddened when she learned of her departure because at this time the Forces needs more women like her.

鈥淚t's always disheartening to see another woman with a 鈥榢nee down鈥� as we say, the military鈥� basically saying, 鈥業 have battle fatigue, I can't do this anymore,鈥� and not battle fatigue from deployment or operations, but battle fatigue from fighting a system that is no longer suitable for her,鈥� Perron said.

Perron, who wrote a book about her own experiences of sexism and abuse while in the military, said that while she鈥檚 heard from members that progress is being made, it鈥檚 clear from the voices speaking up recently that the military has not come far enough fast enough.

鈥淚t also says a lot about the state of鈥� the atmosphere that is prevailing right now in the military where women are tired of just putting up with this stuff, and are willing to come forward to tell their story,鈥� she said.

In an interview on CTV News Channel鈥檚 Power Play, 鈥嶯ational Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman Gregory Lick said he agrees with Taylor, saying the military has lost credibility when it comes to handling sexual misconduct within the Forces. 鈥淲e owe our members much, much more than that,鈥� he said.

鈥淢embers need to have the confidence and comfort level to come forward鈥� and that their allegations will be addressed properly and they will receive fair treatment and there will be no reprisal. And for that, I truly, truly believe that it needs a completely independent investigative body to do that, reporting to Parliament,鈥� Lick said, adding that the Forces鈥� Sexual Misconduct Response Centre and the military national investigation service could benefit from more independence from the chain of command as well.

Citing Taylor鈥檚 letter in a statement, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said that the Canadian military 鈥渕ust seize this opportunity鈥� to eliminate misconduct and abuses of power within the ranks.

鈥淎ll options are on the table to make sure that any person serving in the Canadian Armed Forces can feel safe and confident to come forward to report misconduct鈥� We need to redouble our efforts to change the culture of toxic masculinity and eliminate sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. We owe it to our members and to Canadians to get this right,鈥� the minister said.

'WATCHING THIS MISSION FAIL'

While the military and Sajjan continue to vow change will come, one military member who says she鈥檚 on her way out, is skeptical.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a complete lack of trust right now among survivors in the Canadian Forces leadership to honour their promises to us to make things better,鈥� said Donna Riguidel.

She has joined others who say they鈥檝e experienced sexual misconduct while in uniform in to offer input on any coming structural changes aimed at improving the situation.

鈥淣obody鈥檚 talking to us, nobody鈥檚 asking the survivors: 鈥榟ey, you know what, you guys know better than anybody where the problems are in the system, why don鈥檛 you help identify them, do you have answers? Do you have solutions?鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been standing by and watching this ball get fumbled over and over again and watching this mission fail over and over again, very publicly.鈥�

The NDP is now calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make concrete changes urgently, before more women are 鈥渇orced out of their careers.鈥�

鈥淲omen across the country are watching closely to see how the prime minister handles these allegations... So far he has only shown that he does not take them seriously. Women are concerned, upset and some are scared of losing a career they鈥檝e spent their lives building,鈥� said NDP women and gender equality critic Lindsay Mathyssen in a statement. 鈥淭he prime minister needs to stand with them.鈥�

With files from CTV News鈥� Sarah Turnbull and Annie Bergeron-Oliver