Dora V., 23 year Army veteran, tour in Panama

As a PCVI student I was presented with the opportunity to share my story…I was in a safe zone. With each passing class my feeling of safety increased as we moved forward in studying the Greek tragedies…Antigone, the subject of a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles, is a threat to the status quo; she invokes divine law as defense of her actions. She sacrifices her life out of devotion to principles higher than human law. This young woman was calling me. She was giving me direction and purpose. Antigone was pulling on my emotions as she was pushing me to reflect on my military experience…With this woman by my side, I was able to reflect on my Army career with the many challenges I confronted on a regular basis. Through the direction of our PCVI instructors I was able to now view the humanities through a different set of lenses in relation to my military experiences. I was able to engage in healthy conversations with my tribe and let my voice be heard. In spite of our varied military experiences, gender and branches, we respected differing opinions that were shared throughout this program. I am grateful to PCVI and my fellow veterans for making this connection possible. I encourage all veterans to take advantage of this opportunity to feed your brain and soul. Each professor and each one of my fellow veterans brought something special to the table. Our tribe will forever hold a special place in my heart.