Indomitable Spirit; The Joy of Rebuilding a Life’s Purpose!
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Former Army medic Chris Swift has shared several podcasts with us. You will find his experiences leading up to this Friday August 12 episode on the podcast episode page of our webpage.Today we continue Chris’ transition experiences after his 55 month deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan serving as a combat medic. After years of punishing and unexpected reactions resulting in alcoholism, legal problems and other issues Chris acknowledged and sought out help for these reactions. Now participating in several veteran projects as a veteran or peer mentor Chris has found his life purpose as an official Veteran Peer Counselor in the VA Healthcare System. In this episode Chris shares the joy in life he has earned with indomitable spirit and courageous dedication to resolving the
experiences of transition!
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DISCLAIMER: The information and content shared in each episode of the Stigma Free Vet Zone are for informational purposes only. The Stigma Free Vet Zone hosts, Mike Orban and Bob Bach are not, nor claim to be, medical doctors, psychologists, or psychiatrists and should not be held responsible for any claims, medical advice, or therapy/treatment recommendations mentioned on this podcast. Any advice mentioned or shared by Mike Orban and Bob Bach or their guests is strictly for purposes of bringing awareness to the veteran community and the services available. Please speak with a medical professional before taking any advice or starting any therapy or treatment discussed or shared on this podcast.
Jennifer Pankowski grew up in Milwaukee. She proudly served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard from 1992-1998, and was named Soldier of the Year for her battalion in 1994.
Angela Peacock, MSW served in the U.S. Army for seven years as a communications specialist. She deployed to Iraq in 2003 and was medically evacuated due to a non-combat, life-threatening illness. Angela Shares the years of profound life altering pain, loss of her marriage and other punishing reactions and effects of PTSD and withdrawal from psychiatric drugs. Angela shares how blind belief in medical treatment opened the door for much of what she experienced. She provides educational and valuable insights like informed consent and participating in our individual healthcare. After medical retirement and a long period of recovery, she earned her bachelor’s in science in psychology and master’s in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. Angela discusses her current work to plan and host community screenings of Medicating Normal across the world where members of the audience are invited to critically think about our modern mental health industry, informed consent, and psychiatric drug use and withdrawal. She is a mental health advocate, a writer, and YouTube creator who travels in her campervan across the United States with her service dog Raider, to improve the mental health care system for veterans and civilians alike. She can be found online @
I was born in Milwaukee and grew up on the northwest side. My childhood was like many others, hanging out with neighborhood friends and playing sports and getting into our mischief. I graduated from Milwaukee Madison HS in 1993, went to Carthage College, but at the time I was only worried about playing football and not engaging in class like I should’ve been. I worked for a couple years prior to enlisting in the Army as a medic, the best job I ever had. 
Arianna Cirincione is from La Crosse, WI, born and raised until leaving home at the age of 18 to join the Air Force. Arianna served on Active Duty as a Security Forces member from 2005 until 2018, until she was medically retired. Arianna began her career at Spangdahlem, Germany, followed by RAF Lakenheath, Fort Leonard Wood, MO and finished her career back up at Spangdahlem. Arianna deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 where she performed duties as a detainee operations cell guard. Arianna was also deployed to Al Udeid AB Qatar where she was a DBIDS operator. While deployed she sustained injuries sending her garrison where she began working as a military police investigator. Following her medical retirement, Arianna returned back to the La Crosse area where she began graduate school in Mental Health Counseling with a focus in working with individuals with addictions and is scheduled to graduate in December. Arianna aspires to continue working with veterans and military following graduation and also runs the Tactical Recovery Group, a recovery program for veterans and their family members. Arianna has been married to her husband Dominic since 2006 and they have one son together named Harrison.
Victor Kilpatrick was born in East Chicago Indiana. His parents were loving yet strict disciplined leaders providing good healthy structure. A good athlete his childhood was for the most part happy.
Episode 2 Returning to civilian life. Our Guest is Matt McDonell a former Airborne Infantryman with the 173rd IBCT having served primarily in Germany and Afghanistan. Matt took advantage of educational opportunities available in the military suited to his plans for post military life. Matt returned home enthusiastic and anxious to get on with life confident the woes that many veterans experienced in transition would not afflict him. A new home with his wife and his business starting strong verified his plans for transition were good ones.
Heidi Carlson’s father was a Marine, her family had a history of substance abuse and addiction. Her marriage to a Vietnam War veteran — scarred by abuse — ended in divorce. 
