Did you know you can become a dentist in the military? Even better when you become a dentist in the military they will pay for your school. This can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars and you can jump-start your career working for the military. Check out this week’s episode with Corinne Devin who is a Commander in the US Navy.
Corinne was born overseas and lived on six different military bases while her father CDR (retired) Robert F. Devin served in the Dental Corps. Nine generations of a distinguished Naval family preceded Corinne and inspired her to pursue a career in the United States Navy. She deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009 with the United States Navy to Al Asad, Iraq, and has enjoyed her travel to over 50 countries in Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
Her naval career started at Naval Medical Center San Diego as a resident, followed by an operational tour with 13th Dental Company MCAS Miramar. From there she was an orthodontic resident at Lackland Air Force Base where upon graduation she transferred to USNH Yokosuka, Japan. She served as the division officer in orthodontics managing two practices on two islands and continued to Naval Medical Center San Diego as Chair of Orthodontics.
Her professional education consists of a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from St. Mary’s College, Doctorate of Dental Medicine from University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine, Advanced Education in General Dentistry, Master’s Degree in Oral Biology from Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Tri-Service Orthodontic Residency Program and board certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
CDR Devin is the Department Head of Dental Specialties and the sole orthodontic provider where she proudly serves the military active duty and their families at the United States Naval Hospital Sigonella. She currently lives in Catania, Sicily, Italy, and has a love for fitness, travel, and pageantry.
Devin’s personal awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (five awards), Fleet Marine Force Officer Insignia, and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (two awards) for her active involvement in the community.
Connect with Devin:
Facebook
Instagram
Youtube: Dr. Corinne Devin
Linkedin: Corinne Devin
Related Episodes:
A Muslim American in the Army - Episode 98
Being an Air Force Nurse - Episode 41
From the Navy to Entrepreneur - Episode 27
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Amanda Huffman 00:00
Welcome to Episode 103. A Women in the Military Podcast this week. My guest is Commander Corinne Devin. She was born overseas and lived in six different military bases while her father served in the Dental Corps. Nine generations of distinguished naval family proceeded Corinne and inspired her to pursue a career in the US Navy. She deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009, with the United States Navy to Alisad Iraq, and has enjoyed her travel to over 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It was really fun to get to talk to Corinne about her experience in the Navy, and I'm excited to share her story this week. So let's get started. You're listening to the Women of the Military Podcast where we share the stories of female servicemembers and how the military touch their lives. I'm Amanda Huffman. I'm an Air Force veteran, author of Women of the Military, and a collaborative author of Brave Women, Strong Faith. I am also a military spouse and Mom. I created the Women of the Military Podcast as a place to share stories of military women past and present with the goal of finding the heart of the story while uncovering the triumphs and challenges women face while serving in the military. If you want to be encouraged by the stories of military women and be inspired to change the world, keep tuned for this latest episode of Women of the Military. Welcome to the show green. I'm excited to have you here.
Corinne Devin 01:37
Oh my gosh, Amanda, thank you so much for having me. It's so nice to be in the company of another female veteran. So, thank you for your service, and also the Air Force. I love it.
Amanda Huffman 01:48
So, let's start with the first question of why did you decide to join the military?
Corinne Devin 01:52
Well, if you told my eight-year-old self, that I would be doing my father's job and deploying to the same part of the country that he was, which at the time was Operation Desert Storm, I would have told you that you were crazy. Well, guess what? That little eight-year-old girl decided to do exactly just that. When I was in college. My major was communications. And I would work with my dad on mobile dental events. And this one time I went on the band we actually treated second graders and why second graders? Well, that's when kids start getting their adult teeth. That's when they're starting to understand the difference between right and wrong. You can actually teach him something that sticks a little bit because let's be honest with kids, the cement isn't dry. And as I was working with him, I realized that this little girl that I can be such an impact on her life. And I realized I wanted to go to dental school, but I was thinking how am I going to pay for dental school is so expensive. I'm not sure if... Do you know how much dental school actually costs? Just out of curiosity, Amanda?
Amanda Huffman 02:46
No, no, I don't know.
Corinne Devin 02:48
So most people don't realize because they think dentists charge ones. But we actually go into debt just from dental school loans anywhere between 300 to $800,000. I know the shock, I know, the tongue gets dropped on the floor. I see it. I can see it from here. But the reality of it, it's really, really expensive. And you know, obviously, it depends if you go state, private, you know if you're going to school in New York versus California versus Alabama. And so I thought oh my gosh, my parents just helped me pay to go to an awesome private college for four years. You know, how am I gonna do this? Well, guess what the army, the Air Force as a Navy has a program called the health professions scholarship program. And they also have another one called the collegiate program. And they're very similar. But basically, the program that I was awarded a scholarship paid for dental school, so paid for three of my four years of dental school, and I returned, I gave them years to service. Now I'm going to tell everyone who's ever interested in doing this. If you are in college, talk to a recruiter and ask for this because they only get four-year options. I learned that from my friend, Lieutenant Kelly Hall. She is a talent acquisition officer in Los Angeles, and she's also the officer in charge. And what's great about this program is it doesn't matter how expensive your dental school is, it's they will cover you never see a bill. And then on top of that you get a monthly stipend. So having the Navy pay for my school, and swearing in my swimsuit, the day after I graduated was how I entered the Navy in 2007.
Amanda Huffman 04:12
That's such a great program. And I think so many people don't even know that option is out there, or how expensive dental school is. That's crazy. I never knew that. So that's awesome that they have that program that you can use.
Corinne Devin 04:24
Absolutely. And they have one for a medical school, pharmacy school, the physical therapy, nurses, it varies a little bit, but it is same with each of the branches. So I actually applied with both the Air Force and the Navy and the Navy got my bid.
Amanda Huffman 04:37
Awesome. That's really cool. Yeah, I had someone contact me a couple weeks ago and she was like, Well, I think I'm gonna go in and get my GI bill because I want to be a doctor and I was like, I think there's a way that you can not do it that it was like I think you can have a military pay for your school and she was like, Okay, and so then she started to talk to a recruiter. I need to follow up and see what she found out but I was like, I think there's a different way to do that. But that's a good example, the dental school. Do you have to have your degree already? Or how does that work if you're like in high school, and you want to be a dentist and serve in the military?
Corinne Devin 05:12
So there's a couple different options. I know for college, some of my colleagues were an ROTC before they got the scholarship, you actually, I believe you have to have your bachelor's degree before you go to dental school. But that's something I would verify with the recruiter just because, you know, I had dental school paid from paid for back in 2003, to 2007. So that was, like 17 years ago when I started. So the rules have might have changed a little bit, but I definitely know to go into the program, there is certain requirements. And it's just they call it the needs of the Navy. And I'm sure it's no different the Air Force and the army. But dentist is actually one of the things that you know, a lot of people do their four years or eight years, and they get out. So that's why it's a scholarship they offer. It wasn't offered when my dad came in the service, because they had so many dentists, they didn't need to learn people and by paying for their education.
Amanda Huffman 05:59
Yeah, that's a really great program. And I think it's another good example, that if you want to do something in the military, there's might be a way to do it. And they might even pay you to do it. So you always should do your research before you just charge in and say, I'm gonna just do it this way, because there might be another option. I totally agree.
Corinne Devin 06:18
Totally, totally agree.
Amanda Huffman 06:19
So after you graduated from dental school, is that when you went to boot camp, or how does that work when you go active duty? I guess what happened after you commission and you went to duty?
Corinne Devin 06:30
So I actually commissioned twice. I actually commissioned while I was in dental school as an incense. So 101, which I believe is the second lieutenant in the Air Force, if I'm not mistaken. And about halfway through dental school, I went to what was called officer and Doctor ration school, or it's now called officer development school. And it's a six week program in Newport, Rhode Island, where there is pretty much all of the staff community. So it's lawyers, doctors, dentists, nurses, a couple of new guys, nuclear submarine guys who basically go there and you, you learn how to wear a uniform, you learn that military etiquette, you have a bunch of Chiefs that are ordering your round, do a bunch of push ups, you get on a boat, where they feel like you're gonna drown, you know, gas chamber, I mean, all sorts of crazy stuff. But you do that and you graduate, and I did that halfway through dental school, some people do it after they graduate, and then you enter the Navy. So I did that in 2005. And then I actually entered the Navy, June 27 2007. But my actual date was May 12, the day after I graduated as a lieutenant and then after entering from that program, you have an option in the dental Corps, you can do a credential tour, you can do you could go to an egd, which is events, education in general dentistry or a graduate practice residency. So they're all very similar. It's kind of the Navy's way just to kind of calibrate, you maybe supplement maybe in dental school, you got to do a ton of extractions, but not a bunch of root canals. And you get a lot of mentors, the residency programs are a bit more focus and discipline, where the credential tours just are kind of rotating around, I definitely encourage your audience to do one of those programs, either a hospital based one or click one, just because it helps you start growing your network. Because let's be honest, the military is a corporation, it's probably one of the largest corporations in the world. And if you can start growing and building those relationships, you never know how one of those people may play a pivotal part in your career later on down the road.
Amanda Huffman 08:19
Yeah, that's so true. And that's any career field. And even just being a veteran is such a important tool in your toolbox, I guess you'd say like, I'm connected with so many veterans on LinkedIn, different branches, different career fields, and they give me guests to interview, they helped spread awareness, and they're always supporting me, and it can help you find a job. And it's so important to build up that network.
Corinne Devin 08:43
I couldn't agree more. But I mean, I could name person after person who's helped me get where I'm at today, because of those veterans and just the people who still serve. So yeah, big shout out to all of them big shout out to my army, my Navy, my Air Force tribe for that.
Amanda Huffman 08:57
And I was looking at your bio, and I saw that you deployed to Iraq, which you mentioned a little bit when you were talking about your dad. So you deployed to Iraq. What do you do when you deploy as a dentist to Iraq? were you doing dental work over in Iraq?
Corinne Devin 09:14
I actually was, believe it or not, I know most people, people always ask me like, how do you deploy? Well, guess what? When you finish your one year program, you have the choice of either going on a ship or going with the Marines or going overseas. Well, I wanted to go green side as we call it, blue skies consider ship so I decided to go with the Marines and I wanted to deploy so I got to my Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, I raised my hand I told my executive officer, I want to go and can I go down? So what are the requirements I just asked him is that if I could go with another female officer, just because let's be honest, in the military, only 18% of the entire US Armed Forces is made up of females. There's not a lot of us, believe it or not. And so knowing that I could be with another officer who we could bounce ideas off, share some things. I just think helps build camaraderie and it gives you kind of just that comfort going into a country where there's Uncharted minefields, and you kind of, you know, you live kind of by the seat of your pants, and you don't know what happens next. So in that fall, I started doing pre deployment training with the Marines, which actually meant me, you know, doing gas vest training me getting in marine physical shape, shooting guns going on, like big hubs with gear that if I stand up straight, I would fall back. But the Marines are so good, they take such good care of you. They, they call you Doc, I mean, these guys will catch bullets for you. I mean, I can't say how grateful I am to have them as I did my training with my corpsman and the other doctor that came with me, we left in February of 2009. And we went to we were in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and we flew into all Assad Iraq. So that was in the Al Anbar Province, it was a very active hot zone, some people called Al Assad camp cupcake because the food was so good. But it was a very large base, there was about 30,000 people there, Iraqi security force, the hodgepodge of military, which was great, so I got to really work with Army Air Force guys from Africa. And you know, over there, my mission was to get people out of pain, predominately the active duty, and also maybe help with readiness and what is readiness mean. So readiness means that if someone's due for a dental exam, I can do that right there on the spot. But that was our main focus. So we were part of a combat logistics battalion sent over there and I was there until mid September of 2009. And it's awesome one of the cool stories I have, so your listeners will be able to see this but you might be able to see this but if you look on your screen right here, I have a nice little scar on my shoulder and might be blinded by my light. But that is from an ak 47 in Iraq. And that's what I always tell my Marines to get myself three credit. Now I will tell you the full story that I did it to myself, which you give a bunch of doctors guns, empty ammunition in the middle of Iraq, you know, stuffs just gonna happen. Let me just put this way these were insurgent weapons and the back while the weapon just pulled my skin apart, and I begged and begged the medical officer to make it look pretty. And so that is my my battle scars.
Amanda Huffman 12:07
Oh, wow. What do you What were you doing with the weapon? Were you like trying to move them and then it like the recoil. And that's what caused it or what happened? Exactly,
Corinne Devin 12:15
Right. So when I was shooting this gun, the rangemaster centerfield he said, Hey, we recovered these weapons from insurgents. But we need to empty out the ammunition before we take it back to base because we were outside the wire. And so me and these other physicians that were in our team are like, Yeah, let's do it. What else in our life, are we going to get paid to like shoot a gun? Well, you have to keep in mind, these weapons came from a third world country, they did not go through the NRA. So it's like two pieces of metal and bubblegum at its finest, to be honest. So they told us one click, it was really fully automatic, not semi automatic. So literally, we are spraying the field. And as we're spraying the field, the back of the weapon is hitting my shoulder really, really hard to the point where it became bruised. So when I got back to base, it literally looked like I had a black eye. And as the swelling went down, and the bruising went down, you could look like someone just pulled my skin and just stretched it right there. So fortunately, the general medical officer was a dermatologist by trade. And so he sewed it up. And I've just learned to own it.
Amanda Huffman 13:16
Yeah, that makes sense. explaining it. Yeah. Because that's the only way to really describe it. It is a third world country, and people use what they have to make it work. So...
Corinne Devin 13:26
Exactly, exactly.
Amanda Huffman 13:28
So did you go off base a lot, because you said you were outside the wire.
Corinne Devin 13:32
I only went outside the wire three times, the entire time I was there, the Marines are very protective of their assets. And me being one of them. They didn't like us to go very far. So the three times I went out was one was just on a mission like that another time was actually to go to our local Iraqi camp, which was really quite a cultural awakening, because they are not used to seeing females in the military females of authority like that is a complete foreign concept. Now I was in the Marine kameez. So I'm fully covered, even though it's like 120 degrees. And also as a dentist, that is something that is foreign to them. So in their country, their culture, if it was a male, they would see a male dentist and the woman and the children could see a female or a male dentist, but knowing that I was American, they would want you know, my expertise, they would ask me questions. So that's why I went outside the wire that time and another time was just to just to work with my weapons just because let's be honest, if you if you don't shoot for while you kind of it's like riding a bike, you just need to kind of get back in the swing of it. But yeah, that was the only time my life revolved around a mile radius for for seven months, kind of like the pandemic except this is like our house, you know, except we have Netflix so we can go to sleep at night in our own beds. So it's a better deployment, I guess you could say,
Amanda Huffman 14:49
Yeah, the military is really all branches. I was Air Force and I knew a bunch of people who wanted to go on missions outside the wire and they were like, nope, you don't need to leave the base, so you can't leave the base. And my job was to leave the base. So I left the base all the time, but but depending on like, what your job is determines like where you're at and what your mission is, and that's cool, I you got to go and do that humanitarian mission to go to that Iraqi town, I'm losing the word, but you know, to go and see those people and like help them. And when you're talking about how, because I was in Afghanistan and Afghan culture is very similar to the Iraqis where they don't really see American women as like women, the way that they see the women that are the same culture as them, but like, they kind of told us, you're kind of like, a third sex because you're an engineer, and you're a woman. So that doesn't really compute with the women that we know, because they're not educated mainly, and they're like our wives. And so it makes sense that they kind of were like, well, you're a woman, but you're also a dentist. So we're gonna kind of like, ignore that I that was what the way that Africans explained it to us, because we were engineers, which is a similar type of thing. Whereas like, an important job in that country, and kind of they said it was kind of like being a doctor in America. So do the same thing as like a dentist.
Corinne Devin 16:10
Yeah. And the thing I would tell you is at first, you know, when I tell some my friends, sister, like, oh, didn't you feel violated? Didn't you feel upset the way they would treat you? And I said, Yeah, I mean, my very first patient was an Iraqi Security Force Colonel, and he told the interpreter who's this 13 year old daughter, of someone that's trying to work on me, I want the real doctor. And I told I told him, I said, well, my boss is female, too. So I don't know what he said, he opened his mouth, and let me treat on it. But then you also have to remember, like, that concept is so foreign to them. And so at least you're bringing those conversations that awareness to the table, because if that's all that they know, you can expect people just to change overnight. And if the one thing that I was able to do on my employment was to show people kindness, and generosity and thoughtfulness without any expectation in return, then I felt like I did what us Americans believed so much to do, because that idea does not exist to their culture. If you do something for someone, there's an expectation that you you owe them. And so it's it was definitely an eye opening experience. I told all my friends who are all about, you know, women, this and women that I'm like, y'all need to go to the Middle East. Y'all need to go other places the world trust me, like, I don't disagree. There's things in America, we can do better. But I'm telling you, there's other parts of rules that have not made nearly the progress that we've made here in the United States.
Amanda Huffman 17:24
That's true. Yeah, I think going to a third world country, and especially a war zone, it just opens your eyes to things that you can't understand until you like see it on a real level, it just changes how you view the world that's going to Afghanistan, I'm like, not the same person, because I saw things that I had never seen before. And I won't ever forget. So like how we give money, how we how we advocate for different programs, that all changed just based on that experience of deploying to another country. Absolutely.
Corinne Devin 17:54
I never knew I could be grateful for a toilet flush, or for real silverware, or the sound of a radio. I mean, I never got in a car for so long. And I remember, you know, coming back to Camp Pendleton, California up on the freeway, and just looking outside the window, like, Oh my gosh, because I hadn't experienced any of that for so long that you kind of forgot about it. So I definitely tell your listeners, you know, if you have any family members who do deploy, when people come back from deployment, they will experience reverse culture shock. And that is a real thing. So even though you see someone they get off the airplane, they get off the bus and you run over and get that give them a hug. I remembered as a child, we got so used to be my dad away that when he came back, not that we didn't want him to be back. But we like didn't know how to have a bat, you know, you have someone injured back into the home. And and there's definitely some adjustment. And if someone says, Oh, no, they came back and they're fine, I would actually be worried because you know, they may be bottling up something. And as a person who's now a service member who drank the kool aid, and comes back, I didn't realize how post deployment training would actually affect me. And the sense of, I was trying to get used to the fact that now like, what it's like to drive on the freeway in California, or now I have to do my laundry or now I have to prep my food and even certain foods my body hadn't eaten for so long, almost like a vegetarian who tries a piece of meat, there was just even a physical adjustment. So I definitely tell you know, anyone who goes through this, you know, you need you need a network, you need a tribe, an army of people just to kind of be there to support you and and utilize those services. I mean, they're there for a reason. So I remembered when I came back from deployment, my family we had some, like, just sit down sessions where we just talked things out and just in a safe place of like, what bothered us what was on our mind what our concerns were, so that everyone felt like they had a voice and it was heard. So I definitely recommend that to any audience. Even if you feel everything is hunky dory. And you know, in Candyland, still do it because you would be surprised just some of the feelings or things that people harbor because they had to be strong and they didn't feel that they could be confidently vulnerable and that allows us space to really have that and when you get home from deployments,
Amanda Huffman 20:01
Yeah, I got home from a deployment and my husband was going to school. And so he spent a lot of time studying. And I spent a lot of time by myself. And I feel like I slowly adjusted back. But we never talked about the deployment. So a lot of this stuff I just buried. And then years later, guess what it came back. And I finally had to get help and work through like my PTSD. But for a long time, I like buried it. And I was fine. And like people were like, but you deployed like eight years ago, and I'm like, yeah, that's what happens when you don't talk about it. And like, I knew what the right answers were when the military was asked to check if I was okay, I knew what the right answers were. And I don't know, I felt like there was a stigma for saying, like, the wrong thing. And one time I opened up to a nurse, and she said, You need to tell that to the doctor. And I was like, No, I just told it to you. I can't, I don't think I can do it again. And she, I was really frustrated, because she didn't tell the doctor and I was like, why did you ask me these questions if you weren't going to repeat it to the doctor, and then he was like, you're fine. And so because I didn't feel comfortable talking to a guy was the other thing. So yeah, I think trying to be open and honest, it's really hard.
Corinne Devin 21:11
The thing that I would tell to you know, anyone out there and again, you know, these are my views and not the views of the DOD when I you know, when I say all this, you know, ask for help until you get the help you need. And don't stop asking. Because, you know, I will tell you just with my job, there are certain protocols, certain procedures that I do here where I am stationed in Italy that are so different than what I did in California yet, I am still an orthodontist in both places, and I even I did my orthodontic training on Air Force Base, I did it at lackland Air Force Base, and working with the army, the Air Force and the Navy on, you know, on a deployment, operational platform, and an educational one, it's given me a greater appreciation about different things in the services there. There's definitely things that I love. And definitely things are like, I can't wait to get back into the Navy. But there's also things I wish I could bring into the Navy and having that safe place where you cannot avoid those things and having someone you feel comfortable go with. It's just priceless. So I definitely encourage you know, anyone who is going through that stuff, you know, ask for help. And if you don't like who's there to go to help find find some good resources, I tell that to my patients all the time. Hey, listen, you know, we you and I might just be alone vinegar, but hey, here's some, you know, here's some other people you know, to get opinion. And if you don't mind, let me know what they say. Because that's going to help me be a better provider for my for you or for the next person. Well, guess what? You are doing me a huge favor. So that's something I would definitely encourage anyone who's out there because it's hard to speak up. It takes courage to do so it really does.
Amanda Huffman 22:36
Yeah, the showing like how humble you are and how you really want to help people. And it's not about like your ego. It's about learning and being a better person. And I think that's so important.
Corinne Devin 22:46
Absolutely. I couldn't agree more.
Amanda Huffman 22:48
So is there anything else from your military experience that really stands out that you want to talk about?
Corinne Devin 22:53
A few things, um, one thing that I will mention is I actually got into residency with the military. So I just mentioned that briefly here. But one of the great things about the military is they have residency programs. And if you choose to go to a residency program in the military, if you own any time back to them, like I did for dental school, it counts concurrently because you are serving a military population. So some of my friends were oral surgeons who they are my heroes because they're the ones who got me into orthodontic they went to dental school for four years. Let's say they went to USC for four years. And then they went to belvo or Portsmouth for four years. They only have four years when they graduate. They don't know eight years of school so they were getting paid like a Navy Lieutenant, those were years and not a Korean student loan debt and still according towards time towards proposed promotion retirement. So I am definitely grateful for that. That's something I would definitely tell you know any of your listeners if you have any questions about going to orthodontics, and I'm happy to answer any of those, I'll definitely provide my social media handles and contact information at the end and into abanda as well. And then the other experience I would tell you is go overseas. So I am hailing from Italy. So I should say ciao, bella are going to Santa I've located in katanya, Italy, Sicily. And I've also done a tour in Japan as well as the Middle East and I'm actually getting ready to go back to Japan. And yes, being away from family is hard. I am nine hours ahead of my parents right now and I will be 18 hours ahead. When I moved to Japan, however, you get a great thing called Cola, which is extra money overseas, you get to live in awesome places I live out in town so I actually don't even live on base. So I have an Italian landlord, but it also comes with Italian appliances. So smile some days. Some days, you just you need to throw a rock at it to get it to work. But the travel is amazing. So before the pandemic I was going on average 15 countries a year and this was just the military encourages you to travel encourage you to do things when you're overseas. So right now, we are authorized to travel within Italy by our Admiral of six bleeds. So for Fourth of July. I'm going to spend it with my cousin in Venice. So we're going to go up to Verona for the weekend and What you do for a weekend, you I mean, it's just pennies on the dollar what you do in the state. So that's something I would definitely you know, don't be afraid to go somewhere and do something you may not ever get to do again, this is your time. And then my last plug, my third plug is also get involved in the community. And what I mean by that is, I will tell you, I'm only five foot three, I am not someone who would ever, ever graze a runway. But when I was a little girl, I always wanted a model. But I was too short to petite four eyes thick bottle top glasses, I was 95 pounds when I graduated from high school a very, very late late late bloomer. Well guess what here I come to Italy in my mid 30s, judging a fashion show with our Italian public affairs officer. And the next thing I know it right before the show starts, the director of the fashion Academy comes over with measuring tape looks at me, grabs me tells me in Italian, you know, on xeoma, which means let's go and I am in a dress with all these teenage girls walking down the streets of good Tanya, for the state of Agatha it's it's a state that they celebrate that she's a very well separated fashion show. So you never know where things will take you or the childhood dreams that you forgot about, they'll actually come true. So that's something that I would definitely you know, education you can get so much paid for, to the ability to travel, and three, the culture experiences that you will have that will shape and give you the memories that will last you a lifetime.
Amanda Huffman 26:23
I love that. And I love the getting involved in the community because I think sometimes we can get in our like military bubble and like cricket, or in this place, even we lived in four different places in this in the States. And they're also different and have like a different way of looking at things in a different way of doing things. And so getting to meet people from different parts of the country has helped expand my horizon and then traveling to different places. And so I think that's really an important reminder. And I love how the military brings, like so many different people all together. And then we have to work and like meet the mission. And so it's it's just been a cool experience to meet people and then like get to do different things. And I love that story of how something from your childhood came back and not even related to the military. But you were able to reach your dream and do something really cool. That's, that's awesome.
Corinne Devin 27:14
Well, thank you so much. Thank you so much, Amanda, I really do appreciate it was really, really cool. I just could barely walk in the dress, because I will tell you the streets of Italy are cobblestone. So walking in heels and a dress where I felt like I was this big Powder Puff, but I just was focusing ahead and just I felt like I was walking in cloud nine. So thank you.
Amanda Huffman 27:31
That's really fun. Have you experienced like any challenges with being in the military,
Corinne Devin 27:36
One of the things that can be an obstacle in the military as a female officer and someone who is a commander is there's not a lot of you in the US Navy, according to the 2016 demographics. Only .29% make the rank of commander and a lot of women it takes 20 years. And I did it in 11. And I'm proud of that. But I also tell people with that comes that you know, I'm not what they you know what some other male counterparts think of what an officer looks like with that ring. And it can be intimidating. And it can also people can judge a book by its cover. But what I will tell you about that is take that take that obstacle as a gift as an opportunity to learn, and also an opportunity to find out. So one of the things sometimes when I'm challenged on things like my leadership skills or leadership ability, I post a question back and I say okay, sir, Okay, ma'am, what are some of the things you are looking for? If you were me, what were the things that you would like me to do so that I can get to that next level, because I think when we can kind of check our pride at the door and divorce ourselves from the situation and any emotions, we really keep ourselves open. And we don't go on the defense. And I know that's so hard. Trust me, it is something I am constantly constantly working on. But I learned when you tell people, gosh, I didn't have an awareness about that. Or Gosh, I you know, I would love to read the instruction that you were quoting. So I can be better later for my people, you might be surprised that sometimes it's just something that they read 20 years ago that they don't know the newest and latest instruction out there. So that is something that's really, really helped me, what I would also tell you is that sometimes it is frustrated that if you take things up to a higher level, and people go against it, just remember that in the military, we all move we all transition. So if you don't like someplace or you don't like a certain leader, you guys, just no matter what, you guys just do not gel, it's not going to be there forever, you're going to move you're going to change and, you know, take it as an opportunity to be like okay, this is what I'm going to do. And this is what I'm not going to do in the future because I'm seeing it on the other side of the table.
Amanda Huffman 29:28
Yeah, that's great advice. That's one of the things that I think I love about the military is that you're not with the same boss and like you know that either they're moving or you're moving. And so it's not even like sometimes like my husband's job. They usually are at a job for two years and then they PCA so they move jobs but they don't actually move like to a new assignment. And so it's nothing's ever forever in the military, which is really nice.
Corinne Devin 29:55
Yeah, I totally agree. It is that is something very, very nice. So it's a blessing and Sometimes because if you love reward you love the people, you're like, No, I don't want to go, I don't want to go. So yeah, it's but you know, it teaches you a lot and it force us to be really resilient. And and for me, it's, it's taught me to how to be relentless, relentless in reinventing myself.
Amanda Huffman 30:16
Yeah, yeah, that's really good. I'm just like blown away by like all the things that you're doing. And it's really cool to get to hear about the program that you went through and the difference so much good advice for women who are either in the military right now and thinking about doing something new, or if you're about to join the military about all the different options available to you. But I want to ask you one last question before we wrap up, and it's gonna be what advice would you give young women who are considering joining the military?
Corinne Devin 30:46
Know your why. What is your reason that you want to join the military. Is it to get your education paid for it? Is it to be part of something bigger than yourself? Know that why and know that goal. And I want you to write it down and have it on a post and you look at your mirror every day, or maybe it's a vision board, it's certain word where it's challenged, conviction, capturing extraordinary have that so that when you have the good days, and also when you have the rough days, you have that thing to push you because I will be honest, the military will use you. But guess what it is your goddamn right to use them as well. And I would definitely tell you, I mean, I would be in so much student loan debt, I wouldn't have the experience. Yes. Is there things about the military that I don't like? Absolutely. But I would think that's true with any job in any profession. And any place you live, there is no perfect, but you know, at the end of the day, if there's if there's a if there's three things that you can be grateful for three things that your why, and you focus on that, guess what, you are going to move further, stronger and much farther and be a much better person along the way. Because your mind can only hold one type of thought and it might as well be positive.
Amanda Huffman 31:51
Oh, I really like that I'm working on a book to help women who are considering joining the military. And the first chapter is all about your why. And I was like, oh, what I wrote in the book is good, because you're saying the exact same thing. So that's awesome to hear.
Corinne Devin 32:05
We're great minds think alike. And I cannot wait to read your book once it comes out. Amanda, that is exciting.
Amanda Huffman 32:11
Thank you. So that's all I have question wise, is there anything else that I missed or that you want to say to end the interview?
Corinne Devin 32:19
First off, thank you so much for having me. And it's honored to be on your show. I've been following it for some time. And so a great that you got got some great national coverage with Fox News. And also thank you so much for your service, gosh, to be a service member, a mother, a wife, I mean, you've done roles that I have never done. So. Thank you for all that you do. Because underneath that shirt, I'm sure there's a superwoman symbol. That's, that's right there on the corner of your heart. If any of your audience has any questions, or you'd like to find me, I have a YouTube channel. Dr. Corinne Devin on Facebook, Dr. Corinne Devin or Instagram at Dr. Corrine Devin. And that's DR CORINNE DEVIN or email and thank you so much. I salute everyone out there who has served their country, whether you're the daughter, a wife, even if you weren't in the service yourself, guess what all the people that the spouses that really maintain that foundation, the home friend, I salute you, and thank you for what you do because you do a job that I don't think I couldn't do. So you are my heroes.
Amanda Huffman 33:21
Yeah. And I'll put all the links in the show notes. So if people didn't catch that they don't have to keep repeating, they can go down into the show notes and click a link and get to your YouTube channel and all your social media. And thank you so much. I've really enjoyed getting to talk to you and hear part of your story.
Corinne Devin 33:36
Thank you so much. Have a great rest of the day. Amanda,
Amanda Huffman 33:39
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