Defiance of Silence: Army Veteran Val Foglesong on Healing, Humor, and Finding Her Voice

Summary:

What does healing look like when years of silence finally break? In this episode of Dog Tag Diaries, Val Fogelsang shares the road that took her from a curious, outdoorsy homeschool kid in Texas to an Army combat medic, OR nurse, forensic nurse, and podcast host. Her story is honest, painful, funny, and deeply human. What started as a childhood dream of serving in the military became a life shaped by service, trauma, motherhood, faith, and the slow work of finding her voice again.

Val opens up about growing up in a hard home, joining the Army at 18, surviving sexual trauma, and carrying pain for years without the words to name it. She also shares how healing began, how she learned to stop hiding, and why she now helps others tell the truth through her podcast, Defiance of Silence. Her story is a strong reminder that pain may shape us, but it does not have to define us.

In this episode, we cover:

1. Growing up in Texas, homeschooling, and finding safety in nature and books
2. Early dreams of becoming an Army nurse
3. Childhood trauma, silence, and the weight of generational pain
4. Joining the Army after high school and starting over
5. Basic training, culture shock, and serving as a woman in uniform
6. Surviving military sexual trauma and keeping it buried for years
7. How nursing school helped bring hidden pain to the surface
8. The life-changing moment she unexpectedly saw her assailant again
9. Learning to ask for help during depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts
10. How healing led her to support survivors through Defiance of Silence

Notable Quotes & Moments:

1. “You were carrying things that were never yours to carry.” – Val Fogelsang [00:13:40]
2. “I am not well.” – Val Fogelsang [00:17:12]
3. “I never looked back.” – Val Fogelsang [00:23:01]
4. “You’re not alone.” – Val Fogelsang [00:43:07]
5. “What you don’t transform will transfer to your children.” – Val Fogelsang [00:46:15]

Timestamps:

1. 00:01:06 – Meet Val Fogelsang and hear a preview of her story
2. 00:03:47 – Childhood in Texas, homeschooling, and finding comfort outdoors
3. 00:08:09 – Dreaming of becoming an Army nurse
4. 00:10:26 – Childhood abuse, trauma, and learning to shut feelings down
5. 00:18:20 – Why Val joined the Army at 18
6. 00:23:43 – Basic training, medic school, and early military life
7. 00:27:02 – First duty station and surviving sexual assault
8. 00:30:23 – Nursing school and first hearing the term military sexual trauma
9. 00:36:03 – The moment she saw her assailant again in public
10. 00:41:49 – COVID, mental health struggles, and finding other veteran women
11. 00:43:13 – Creating Defiance of Silence and helping survivors speak
12. 00:46:15 – The lesson that changed how she sees healing and motherhood

Valerie “Val” Foglesong is a proud U.S. Army Veteran, Registered Nurse, and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. A trauma survivor turned healer, Val is dedicated to helping others rediscover their voice and self-worth through compassion, authenticity, and laughter. She’s the host of the Defiance of Silence Podcast, a show that gives survivors of sexual trauma a space to share their stories without shame. When she’s not in scrubs or behind the mic, Val can be found volunteering at a horse sanctuary, swapping dad jokes, or chasing her next wild adventure with her husband and two daughters in Texas.

Connect with Val:

Podcast: Defiance of Silence Podcast

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Learn more about the Reveille and Retreat Project:

reveilleandretreatproject.org

Instagram: @reveilleandretreatproject

Facebook: Reveille and Retreat Project

You aren’t alone.

If you’re thinking about hurting yourself or having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veteran crisis line: Dial 988 then press 1, chat online, or text 838255.