After eight years in the U.S. Army, Christina returned to school at 34, became a registered veterinary technician and showed her six children that it is never too late to pursue a dream.
Christina Dehart learned the meaning of resilience long before she entered a veterinary technology classroom.
During eight years in the U.S. Army, she adapted to demanding assignments, traveled around the world and pushed through stressful situations even when the path forward felt difficult. Years later, those lessons helped her balance college with raising six children and prepare for a career she had dreamed about since childhood.
Eight Years of Service
Christina enlisted in the Army immediately after high school. She wanted to travel, experience more of the world and eventually use her military education benefits to attend college.
During her first four years, Christina served as a cook. She later became a dietetic technician, working with a nutritionist to plan meals for hospital patients, schedule appointments and assist with a weight-management program.
Her service took her to Kansas, Georgia, Texas, California and Alaska, as well as Iraq and Korea. More importantly, it taught her how to remain focused through uncertainty.
“In my time in the military, I went through a lot of different stressful situations,” Christina said. “I learned to become stronger as a person and push through, even when it felt like I couldn’t.”
Christina left the Army in 2016 while nine months pregnant with her third child. As a single mother, she wanted to return home to the Toledo area and build a life closer to her support system.
She went on to work for the U.S. Postal Service for five years. After having her sixth child, Christina stepped away from work to spend more time with her family. She also realized it was finally time to use the education benefits she had earned.
Returning to a Childhood Dream
Christina had wanted to work with animals since she was young. In high school, she imagined becoming a veterinarian, but military service and family responsibilities took her life in another direction.
At 34, she decided that dream had waited long enough.
“I felt like if I was going back to college, I might as well go back for what I had always wanted to do,” she said. “I wanted to show my kids that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.”
After trying online classes, Christina realized she needed an in-person education with hands-on learning. She enrolled in Stautzenberger College’s Veterinary Technician program and received financial aid to help cover her college expenses. Her GI Bill® benefits helped her maintain financial stability at home while she completed her education.
Balancing school and six children—now ranging in age from three to 16—was not easy. There were nights when Christina had to study for a final while caring for her family and managing everything else that came with parenthood.
When she wondered how she would get through it, she relied on the resilience she had developed in the Army.
“I would just push right through,” she said.
Building a Career in Veterinary Medicine
At Stautzenberger, Christina gained practical experience in areas including surgical procedures and large-animal care. She also received help preparing her resume, securing an externship and preparing to pursue registration as a veterinary technician.
After graduating in 2026, Christina began working in a veterinary clinic. She now works as a registered veterinary technician with MedVet, where a weekend schedule allows her to continue her education during the week.
Christina is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in animal science with an emphasis in pre-veterinary studies at the University of Findlay.
“Being able to accomplish my veterinary technician license at Stautzenberger motivated me to continue,” she said.
She loves working with animals, but she also values the relationships she forms with people who care deeply about their pets.
Christina’s education did more than prepare her for a new profession. It gave her the confidence to imagine how much further she could go.
Take the First Step
Christina encourages other veterans to learn about the education benefits available to them and not to wait for the perfect time to begin.
“I put it on the back burner for so long, and finally I was just like, ‘Okay, I’m doing it,’” she said. “Once you start, it gets easier. You just have to take that first step forward.”
For Christina, that first step led to a credential, a career and the next stage of her education. It also gave her six children a powerful example of perseverance.
This Veterans Day, Christina’s journey reminds us that service can prepare veterans for many future missions—and that a dream delayed does not have to become a dream abandoned.
Inspired by Christina’s journey? Explore Stautzenberger College’s Veterinary Technician program to learn how you can turn your interest in animal care into a path toward a new career.