Overcoming Don’t Ask Don’t Tell “Serving In Silence”
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Dawn Strobel grew up in Milwaukee and Cedarburg, WI. Her parents divorced when she was young. Dawns father is a Vietnam veteran who never spoke of his military experience and who Dawn did not have much interaction with while growing up. She would come to know him later in life. Dawn’s mother remarried and yet she and her mother did not have a close mother daughter relationship. With the normal expectations of honor and a place to fit in Dawn enlisted in the United States Army knowing she would have to hide that she was gay. No amount of written English can describe the profound devastation, dishonor and depression she would experience in both military and civilian careers for over thirteen years. “I was in such a suicidal state that I couldn’t live, but I couldn’t die because I had kids. I was stuck in between”.
Only in her own words can this be described and only in her voice can we hear this indomitable spirit that has taken Dawn back into her second career in the the military to so honorably and courageously work to complete what she endeavored to achieve over a decade ago. In addition Dawn has the love and support of her wife and children who she loves so much.
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.
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.
Jason Katchenago left his tribal home looking for hope, purpose and work. After joining the United States Army he went on to serve tours in reconnaissance both in Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving the military Jason would experience difficult and punishing challenges in readjustment to civilian life. Jason explains the healing methods that have significantly helped in his transition. He has now found purpose for life and puts that passion into his foundation OP Oshkosh. Through his foundation of tribal veteran peer support Jason helps other tribal veterans find meaning in helping others in their tribal communities. Join us and hear this powerful, valuable and inspirational message!
Nancy Smith-Watson is an actor, a trauma informed somatic bodyworker and co-founder/director of Feast of Crispian (FoC). Ms. Smith-Watson has a BA in Drama from the University of Washington and did her professional training at Circle in the Square professional conservatory in New York City. While working as a professional actor, Ms. Smith-Watson also trained in massage and somatic bodywork therapies. She has 30 years experience as a Hakomi Bodyworker, and is trained in Integrative Somatics. Ms. Smith-Watson taught the Introduction to Somatics at Big Sky Somatic Institute, in Helena, MT, 1997 – 2004. In 2013, she received director training from Shakespeare & Co. and returned home to Milwaukee to launch Feast of Crispian – Shakespeare with Veterans. FoC has created workshops, classes and full theatrical productions with veterans, inside and outside of the VA in Milwaukee, for over a decade, and has collaborated with many other veteran’s organizations and theatrical institutions in the Milwaukee community.
Scott Schultz is a Marine Corps veteran who lives on a small farm near Osseo — in west-central Wisconsin’s northern Driftless Area. He retired last year from a long career in print and broadcast journalism. Twenty-one years ago, Scott and his wife, Dee, founded the educational nonprofit organization, The Heartbeat Center for Writing, Literacy and the Arts. The Heartbeat Center’s initial primary mission was to help people use creativity to find connections with the land and better understand their places in the world. Being a veteran, however, a large part of The Heartbeat’s work has been in its Veterans Expressing Themselves project — helping veterans to use writing and the arts to heal. Being a writer, Scott focuses his VETs project work on writing, as over the years he’s seen writing open doors for healing within many veterans — including himself.
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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.
Dr. Michael Dailey is the co-founder of the Infectious Disease Society of Georgia and Co-President of the 
Randy Zemel calls himself a “D-minus” student who had no interest in college. After graduating from his Chicago area high school, he enlisted in the Marines in 1965. He served in Vietnam from 1966-’68 and left the service in 1969 as a sergeant.