Episode 440 Jennifer Marshall Navy Veteran and Stranger Things Actress Shares Her Cancer Journey Transcript

This transcript is from episode 440 with guest Jennifer Marshall.

Scott DeLuzio: [00:00:00] Thanks for tuning in to the Drive On Podcast where we are focused on giving hope and strength to the entire military community. Whether you’re a veteran, active duty, guard, reserve, or a family member, this podcast will share inspirational stories and resources that are useful to you. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio, and now let’s get on with the show.

Hey everyone, welcome back to Drive On. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio, and today my guest is Jennifer Marshall. Jennifer is a Navy veteran, an actress known for her roles in Stranger Things, NCIS, and Hawaii 5 0, amongst others, a pinups for vets ambassador, a cancer survivor. And today we’re going to discuss her military service, her transition into acting and her work with pinups for vets and how her cancer diagnosis has shaped her outlook on life.

And so before we get into all that, Jennifer, uh, really, uh, glad to have you here. Want to welcome you to the show.[00:01:00]

Jennifer Marshall: Thank you so much, Scott. Um, I know your viewers do not know, but we actually talked 2 years ago, lost the email, didn’t return it. And then we were really lucky to connect at the Military Influencer Conference. And I’m just so, so happy that we did and that we can finally connect not only in person, but on for the podcast.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, absolutely. No, it was great meeting you at the conference as well. Uh, for the listeners, this episode is going to come out probably a couple of months from when we’re actually recording or not exactly when it’s coming out, but it’ll definitely be after we’re recording. But the Military Influencer Conference was, This week, as of the time of this recording, and we just happen to have some availability on our schedule at the end of the week, and so here we are recording.

So this is, this is pretty awesome. Glad to get this, uh, get this episode recorded with you. Um, so, Can you tell us a little bit about your background in military service and how, kind of what led you to joining the Navy and, and kind of how, how that all, [00:02:00] uh, played out?

Jennifer Marshall: So I served in the United States Navy for 5 years, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Uh, I was 17 when I joined. I basically just went to the recruiter’s office and the Navy was, uh, the most persistent. Um, I worked in aviation logistics and, uh, deployed in 2003.

And I, I really feel like my service just Kind of shaped who I am and it really set me up for success in the civilian world. Not to say that, you know, I don’t have issues resulting from my military service or everything was perfect, but I really just try to look at the silver lining and, and take the positive experiences out of it and roll with that.

Scott DeLuzio: I think that’s a good way to look at it because you know, there’s going to be good and bad in a whole lot of situations and that doesn’t matter what your career choice happened to be, whether you joined the military or you went into something else, um, there’s going to be good and bad in all of that.

And if you can take the [00:03:00] lessons and apply them and, you know, make those work for you as opposed to work against you and keep you, keep you down or whatever, I think that. Is, uh, you know, a great mindset, a great attitude to have towards, uh, all of that stuff. Um, so served in the Navy, um, and you Trent, I’m guessing you transitioned out, uh, of the Navy and then got into acting.

Is that? That kind of how that worked.

Jennifer Marshall: Yes, so I, I had done, um, theater in high school, but I went to a really small high school and my graduating class was 69 people. So, you know, it’s not like, uh, there was great competition for these musicals and plays. It was kind of just like, all right, if you, if you want to do it. You can do it, like almost anybody could be in the chorus, and I did love that because it was just this feeling of community and it wasn’t, um, a lot of like, well I’m gonna be this and you can’t be in this, it was just, you know, come one, come all, we welcome.

[00:04:00] Um, so I just did some Stuff in high school. And then I remember I was doing, uh, some community theater and there was a guy who had this commercial running and he was a retired Navy chief. And so I said, Hey, I said, how is that you on the TV? And he said, yeah. And I said, how do you do that? And he said, well, I took this class at this acting studio.

And so I went home and asked my husband at the time, do you think I should do this? And he’s like, how much is it? And I said, 400. And he said, well, if you get scammed, it’s a 400. And. Just try it, why not? So I started taking classes there and the first two weeks I was there I booked my first gig.

Scott DeLuzio: Awesome. That that’s pretty cool. And so, yeah, so, so you kind of just went in, not really knowing much about the whole field or career or anything like that, the career path, I should say, and you just kind of took a shot at it,

Jennifer Marshall: Yeah. Honestly, I didn’t know anything about it, and if you would have said to me as a young, poor, um, self [00:05:00] described, like, white trash, I grew up poor, and at times we didn’t have a car, we didn’t have a clothes dryer, we didn’t have a TV, we didn’t have a telephone. So, you know, I know people have different definitions of poor, but when you go to bed hungry, your electricity gets shut off.

Like, that’s That’s poor. Not the poorest of the poor, but it was definitely an experience that made me grow to who I am today, and I’m still very thrifty, and it’s helped me out a lot in my life. Yeah, if you would have told me I would have been an actor, I would have been like, that’s absolutely insane. I didn’t know anything about the business, I just knew that I had a lot of experiences from when I was a child and I had a lot of experiences from in the military that I could harness emotion.

And so it basically came down to, you know, I was dealing with a lot of stuff from an MST that I suffered when I was in and then I ended up having to get out after five years instead of doing 20 because I had gotten ill from the anthrax shots. [00:06:00] So I felt like the Navy I loved had kind of forced me out, and I didn’t really know what to do, so I had all these pent up emotions, and it was like, all right, you could go to the VA, get group therapy, sit there, be mocked, you know, by others, and say, well, you don’t have real PTS.

Real PTS is from combat. I have nothing but respect for combat veterans, and I understand that that’s a different sort of PTS. But I would never tell anyone, you know, this PTS is worse than this PTS, because you just don’t know until you’re in the shoes of someone else. And so it was like, you can go to the VA, sit in these group therapy, or you could go audition.

And you could use your emotions and when you book something, get paid. Now, my therapist said that’s a terrible, terrible way to deal with trauma. After the fact, she said, never recommend that to anyone. It’s terrible. But for me, it worked and I was able to work my trauma out and now I can recall emotion on set, but I’m not traumatized by it.

Um, and that’s how I, I pay my mortgage. So, you know, it worked [00:07:00] out.

Scott DeLuzio: Well, and it’s a productive way of. Working through things, uh, and, and to your point earlier, um, you’re right. No two, you can’t compare two traumas. Um, and I, I think that’s the thing that we should focus on is that the T in the PTSD is is for traumatic and it doesn’t matter whether it’s bullets flying over your head, whether it’s a car accident, it could be, uh, you know, sexual assault or something, you know, whatever along those lines, anything that’s traumatic could, you know, create those types of symptoms.

And I’ve said this before to other people, but if you have two people who are drowning, one is in 10 feet of water and the other is in 100 feet of water, it’s not like any one of them drowned worse than the other. They both, they both drowned, right? And that’s pretty terrible. And so, yeah, sure, maybe you can look at something and, and, you know, Make a comparison, but you don’t know where that [00:08:00] person was, you know, mentally at that time, what has happened to them in their past that may have made it more traumatic to them than it may have to other people.

You could have two people in the same exact situation, um, and they react totally differently to it. And so,

Jennifer Marshall: look at the guys in the Special Forces community. The, the rates of You know, the type of mindset that it takes to go into that. I don’t have that mindset. I, I, I admit that. Right? I don’t have that. And I have friends who are Navy Seals who experienced vast amounts of trauma, and their brain did not compute that the way that mine did.

And I have nothing but respect for them. But we really can’t control how our brain reacts to that situation, whatever situation it may be. We can only control how proactive we are after the fact to get mental health.

Scott DeLuzio: yeah, absolutely. And when you need the help, get the help. Um, and, and you may not need the help if you’ve, if you’ve gone through something that may, other people might consider traumatic, you might not need it, but a lot of times you [00:09:00] do and it’s okay, right? To,

Jennifer Marshall: Hell yeah. It’s absolutely okay. And I, and I feel like the strong people go and get help because people say, well, if I’m strong, I can deal with myself. No, strength is invulnerability. It’s okay. If you need help and you owe it, not only to your family and to your friends, but to yourself, get the help that you need.

It’s not a weak thing to do.

Scott DeLuzio: No, absolutely. And I know for myself, when I, the first time I picked up a phone to call to get help, um, I was pretty nervous. I had no idea what I was walking into when I walked into that appointment. I didn’t know if they’re going to put me in a straightjacket and throw me in a padded room or were they just going to sit me on a couch and talk with me?

I had, or anywhere in between. I had no idea, but I still went. Yeah, because I knew I needed it. And, um, and there was no straight jackets. There’s no padded rooms just for clarification. It wasn’t that,

Jennifer Marshall: That time, that time, Scott.

Scott DeLuzio: yes, that time. Yeah. The [00:10:00] next time that, that, then they really knew how bad I was. Um, but so in going back to your, your acting career, um, in several of your roles, you’ve acted as a service member or a veteran, which.

Clearly that, that does fit you. It’s not too far out of your wheelhouse, but how did your military service, I know you mentioned, uh, you, you kind of were able to recall some of the emotions. Um, how did your military service help you in those roles?

Jennifer Marshall: You know, it was a double edged sword, to be honest with you. Now, 15 years into my career, it’s like I’ve played military so many times that people are like, well, yeah, obviously. But when I first came to Hollywood, I would go in for auditions and, you know, veterans are sometimes brought in because they need, it takes two to three months to become, you know, an airman, a Marine, a Coast Guardsman, a sailor, a soldier.

You can teach actors that, but when you have like a one to five day stint on a show, you’re not going to teach someone [00:11:00] how that is effectively, right? Um, it’s just kind of ingrained in us, so I would go into auditions and they’d be like, That’s a great audition, but you don’t look like you’d be in the military.

And like, I didn’t go to these auditions, you know, dolled up with makeup and stuff. I’d have my hair back, you know, limited makeup on. Um, but they had, casting had this idea of what a veteran was or what military was. And you and I know, and the audience knows, microcosm of society. didn’t see that.

They’re like, Michelle Rodriguez, that’s the female veteran. Okay, but like sometimes, but not always. Or like somebody with a very strong jaw, that’s the veteran. It’s like that. Okay, so, I, I actually, you know, I got tired of this, and one day, uh, I came out of an audition, and they’re like, you just don’t look like a veteran, and so, I called my husband at the time, and I was upset, and I said, this, look at what they’re, they don’t care, they’re not taking this seriously, and He just said to me in the loving, you know, in a very loving but firm way, he said, Okay, what are you going to do about it?

Because you, you call [00:12:00] me all the time. What are you going to do about it? And I was like, what? He’s like, what are you going to do about it? And I was like, well, I mean, I don’t know. And I went home that day. I called some friends of mine. I said, I’m going to make a PSA of what a female veteran looks like. I tried to make one, I ended up making 32 over three years, and it was highlighting the service of female veterans because I wanted them to see, this is what a female veteran looks like.

I was so tired of hearing that. So, then the second thing I did was I wrote a scene with me as a public affairs officer in the Navy, and I shot it, and I was in uniform, and I had the ribbons exactly how it was supposed to be, not how, you know, sometimes wardrobes like, oh, it’s creative license, no, a uniform is not creative license, that’s not a thing.

And I went and I shot this, and it was amazing. A month later, I got an audition for Hawaii Five 0 as a, as a lieutenant colonel. And I really think it was because I had the initiative to shoot that, because they think that they can imagine you as something, but sometimes you need to spell it out. I booked Hawaii Five 0, I booked NCIS, [00:13:00] NCIS LA, Reacher.

It just kind of snowballed from there. But for a long time, it was like, you don’t look like a veteran, which is an infuriating, infuriating statement, because it really diminishes the, Whomever service you are referring to.

Scott DeLuzio: Right. And especially because you are, I mean, you can’t look any more like it if you actually are that, like, I don’t know, it doesn’t make sense,

Jennifer Marshall: God, I’m going to tell you something that I, I tell people in private, and I think it’s been long enough, this casting director’s not going to know. So I’m, I’m okay to tell the story. I went into a class, it was a person who was, uh, casting a very well known military show. It was not NCIS, I’ll say that because I’ve been In NCIS and that casting team’s amazing.

And I remember I did the scene and it was a Navy sailor and the guy in the class and he’s notorious for being like mean in class. And he looks back and he goes, don’t buy it. And I was like, I’m [00:14:00] sorry. I’m sorry. What? He’s like, I don’t buy that. And I was like, you don’t buy what? And he’s like, I would never cast you as military.

I don’t buy that. And I was like. Okay, I mean, I was in the military, and he’s like, don’t buy it, and I was just like, okay, you don’t buy that I was, because I really was, and he’s like, he’s like, it doesn’t matter, I would never do it, and then, and he’s like, this is how it should be done, and I’m thinking, You’re, you’re telling me, like, I was in the Navy, you’re telling me this is how, so I was just like, okay, cool, well, needless to say, the next class, half of the class showed up, because he just eviscerated everyone, but for me, the way that he eviscerated me was like, you, you can’t take away from my service, you can say that you don’t necessarily agree with that, but I’m telling you, I did it in real life, and, and just to have him say that, I mean, for once in my life, I was speechless, you don’t buy it?

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. That’s, that’s kind of a crappy way to put it, I think. Um, and [00:15:00] you know, you hear sometimes about female veterans who are, you know, they’re out, they have maybe have a, You know, bumper sticker or something like a veteran license plate or something along those lines. And, uh, they get the comments like, Oh, you must be driving your husband’s car or something along those lines.

Right. And I think that’s a bunch of crap too, because plenty of women serve and they. They’ve gone through, you know, all the training, they’ve gone through all the service, they deserve the same, you know, benefits and respect that the male veterans get, but oftentimes they aren’t seen as the veteran because they’re, they’re too feminine or too petite or too, what, you know, whatever the, uh, you know, the issue is people have, but I don’t know, like who cares about that?

Like if you served, you served and,

Jennifer Marshall: It’s just, it’s so weird to me, because 1950, I can get it, but 2024, like seriously? I pulled up to an event that I helped plan for World War II [00:16:00] veterans. I pull up to park and the parking attendant looks at me and he goes, this is for veterans only ma’am. And I turned to him and I said, uh, I am a veteran. A penis is not required anymore. I just had had it, and normally I’m not rude like that, but I had just had it, and he looked at me, and he, his eyes got real big, and I said, and I helped plan this event, and he said,

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah.

Jennifer Marshall: go ahead and park, and I hope that that stuck with him, I was rude for a millisecond, it just came out, you know, but I hope that stuck with him to where he asks people, because I always ask women, when I see them at the Legion, what branch did you serve, because if it’s a spouse, she’ll tell you, but to ask a woman, oh, you’re husband, just don’t, Just start with what branch were you.

If it’s a civilian, she’ll tell you.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, exactly. You know, and it, it, it doesn’t hurt to, you know, just [00:17:00] be able to, to assume that maybe that, that woman is a veteran. Like it’s not hurting anything, you know, if they’re pulling into a veterans only parking spot at, you know, a Walmart or a, you know, Home Depot or whatever, uh, wherever they have those like, okay, well she probably served, you know, she’s not, she’s not, you know, You

Jennifer Marshall: Yeah.

Scott DeLuzio: for other, other veterans who might be interested in getting into, uh, a career in entertainment acting, um, do you have any advice for them?

Like what, I know, I know you talked a little bit about your path to get into the industry, but, uh, any advice, uh, anything that you might’ve done differently or, or wish you, you could have done differently?

Jennifer Marshall: I would say run. Don’t do it. What are you thinking? Are you trying to be poor? Are you trying to be told no all the time? Are you trying to be degraded as a person? Um,

Scott DeLuzio: We’re used to that though, from being in the

Jennifer Marshall: Right? Right? Uh, Glutton for Punishment. Um, you know, had I known, in full transparency, had I known that like 95 percent of [00:18:00] actors are unemployed at any given time, I never would have done this.

I’m a numbers person, I’m a statistics person, I never would have done that. Um, it worked out for me, thankfully, but it’s a hard business. You have to have You have to know your worth. You have to know that, um, however you present yourself could be gold to somebody and garbage to somebody else. If I had a dollar for every time I was told, get a new nose job, get a boob job, lose weight, um, get big fat lips, uh, just, just crazy stuff, right?

Um, get lipo, uh, I let that affect my self esteem, I would be in a hard place. So I would say, you know, if you want to get into this, one, you have to realize, um, that other people’s opinion of you is none of your business. And if you are not feeding me, financing me, or the other F word, it doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter. Like, don’t take other people’s opinion, you know, [00:19:00] into account. You also just, um, you have to be willing to work, work, work, work, work. Because going into this, I knew I wasn’t the youngest, I wasn’t the prettiest, I certainly wasn’t the most well connected, I wasn’t the absolute best actor, right?

Like, I think we all know, Meryl Streep, come on now. Um, I knew these things. But I knew that because of my military service, I could outwork 95 percent of actors. actors are very artsy fartsy sort of people, right? They’re like, oh my god, I, you know, which is great. And obviously there’s a part of me that’s like that, but I, it’s show business, okay?

It’s not show art, it’s show business. And I think a lot of actors forget the business part. So for me, I was like, I know I can outwork people. I know that if I do a year of yes, where I say yes to every audition, and I did for an entire year, only one I did not go to because I thought it might’ve been real dangerous. I just freaking outworked a lot of people. There was one day I went to nine auditions. There were times I [00:20:00] slept in my car because I had an early audition the next morning and I had shot the night before. I hustled my ass. Um, I’m not saying that if everybody hustles their ass, that’s how it’s going to work out.

But I basically just, you know, there were people I started out with, they were like, I don’t want to do that. That’s, you know, that’s kind of beneath me. And I never saw anything as beneath me. Now, as I, you know, I certainly, I’m like, well that’s not, that doesn’t benefit my time, or that’s not something that You know, works with my schedule or, or works with my finances at the moment.

I’m not gonna, you know, do a job for 125 a day, but starting out I would, for sure. Um, so I would say, yeah, just you have to have unshakable faith in who you are. You cannot care about other people’s opinions and you have to know that it’s not a linear career path. You can do everything you’re supposed to do and not get anywhere.

And that’s the horrible thing about the business. What I did was I tried to put as many irons in the fire as possible. And hopefully, you know, something [00:21:00] worked out and, and, and it did.

Scott DeLuzio: it’s great. Uh, because like you said, when, when you work your ass off and you’re, you’re going out there, getting your name out there, auditioning for all the, all the roles, not thinking that something is beneath you, um, you’ll find the success because. Other people aren’t working that hard and you’re working that hard.

So the success will kind of follow you with that, you know, and, um, and I think that’s great. And, you know, like you said, for other folks who are interested in getting into acting and entertainment run, um,

Jennifer Marshall: Run fast, run far.

Scott DeLuzio: but, uh, to your point, it is a business and you’re, you’re selling your, uh, your abilities, your You know, your personality, your, your uniqueness, and if you have something that you can sell [00:22:00] that’s unique and that you think is going to benefit, uh, you know, some of the shows or films or whatever it is that you might be, uh, auditioning for, um, go for it, right?

I think that’s, that’s a good way to look at it. Um,

Jennifer Marshall: will do a small caveat for the, there’s a large number of veterans who have entered the industry and they’re in the process of doing audition tapes. I will give one tip for these audition tapes. You have to listen to it when you’re watching it back. Listen to it with the sound off. Does that look authentic?

Then you need to close your eyes and listen to how you’re talking. Does it sound authentic? You also need to do a 30 second video of you talking to a friend because you’ll see your mannerisms and if those mannerisms do not match the tape, you are acting and things are stiff. Nobody has a conversation and just eye fucks the person for three minutes, and that’s what I see a lot in tapes.

Um, That’s what I’d say are the main things when I look at [00:23:00] veteran tapes, um, it comes across as inauthentic. Those are the things that I see over and over again. So, that’s the little nuggets of advice I have for those who are currently auditioning.

Scott DeLuzio: That is good. That is good to know. Um, yeah. And yeah, listening with the sound off, listening with your eyes closed to kind of hear what it sounds like. I hate the sound of my own voice. So I guess that’s another thing is maybe get over it. Um, I think, I think most people probably hate the sound of their own voice and, uh, um, it just sounds different.

It’s weird. I don’t know. Like when I’m talking right now, it sounds fine. But, um, if I go and listen to this later, I’m going to be like, I sound like an idiot. So yeah,

Jennifer Marshall: had those days. I’ve had those days where I’m like, I either sound like a man or I sound like a hysterical woman. I probably don’t, but you know,

Scott DeLuzio: no, you, I don’t, I don’t think so anyways, but, um,

Jennifer Marshall: Just wait. Stay tuned.

Scott DeLuzio: I’ll get comments. No, just kidding.

Jennifer Marshall: Who’s this man on your [00:24:00] podcast named Jennifer? Who’s this man?

Scott DeLuzio: Um, I wanted to switch gears for a sec. Um, you are also an ambassador for Pinups for Vets. Um, I met a bunch of the ladies who are involved with, uh, that organization and for folks who aren’t. Familiar with that. Um, could you tell us a little bit about the organization and, uh, you know, what you guys do and, and why you decided to get involved?

Jennifer Marshall: Yes, so PINUPS4Gods is a congressionally recognized award winning non profit. We’ve been around for 19 years. Our founder, Gina Elise. She’s not military herself. She’s a very patriotic civilian. She started a fundraising calendar eight, uh, 19 years ago. And in the beginning it was her, she was trying to, um, she was in all 12 months and she was trying to raise money to buy, uh, rehab equipment for veterans who returned home, who were sick or injured.

And, um, eventually, you know, it, it grew and grew. I met her at the American Legion in Hollywood, where we were both members. I met her [00:25:00] about 10 years ago and, you know, She asked me if I would be interested in being in the calendar. And I was like, no, I don’t do any of that. Um, that’s not my thing. Like the thought of it was, um, I don’t know.

I, I was very shy to do that. And, and when I went home and asked my husband at the time, he said, actually, I didn’t ask him, I just said, I’m not comfortable with that. And he said, you know, that helps us and raises a lot of money. You should think about that. Cause that’s very important to you. And he said, if you can just get over your discomfort of being girly and being in dresses and stuff like that, um, Embrace that femininity and go with it.

And I did and I was in the 2015 calendar and then I was in subsequent calendars after that when we did group shots and ended up being in a poster and playing cards and a lot of things like that. But, um, the end goal is we help vets. We’re on it. We’re currently in a 50 state hospital tour. We visit veterans.

At their bedsides in nursing homes and hospitals, wounded Warrior attachments, and we just visited our 49th state. Uh, we’ve also been [00:26:00] to Germany as well, so we’re about to hit our 50th state next year, and it has just been an amazing organization to be a part of. Um, the Calendars fund our, our trip.

They’re all female veterans from every branch. And you can order a calendar or assorted merchandise at www.pinupsforvets.com.

Scott DeLuzio: Awesome. Yeah. And I got, like I said, I got to meet a bunch of the ladies who were involved and, um, you all were dressed and, uh, you had your makeup and your hair and everything. You guys all look fantastic. And, uh, and you went to visit. The, it was the Atlanta VA. Was that where you guys were,

Jennifer Marshall: yes, we, so the last day of the Military Influencer Conference, you know, we’re all there representing PENF Servettes, and, um, I was doing some emceeing as well, but, uh, we were sponsored through PENF Servettes, which I’m very grateful for. Uh, we, we went on a visit to the Atlanta VA, and the service was great.

The staff there was very welcoming, the residents and the patients [00:27:00] there were very happy to see us. We spent time with people, we went bed to bed, we went in the waiting rooms downstairs and everybody was very appreciative. One of our last visits before we left the hospital was with a female veteran who was there for surgery and that was just wonderful.

So, um, it was extra special because, you know, we see all sorts of vets and it’s great, but to see a female veteran around our own age, um, she said, you know, I’m the only female veteran on this entire floor and I’m just happy to see you guys. So it was a great, great experience. And honestly, uh, those visits that we go on, you know, we go on one every month, one every two months.

Um, I live for those visits. And it just makes my month. And when I’m not shooting, I try to go on as many as possible. And, um, it’s a, it’s a life changing organization. I can’t say enough good things about it.

Scott DeLuzio: You know, I was going to say it, it probably, it does lift the, the spirits of the morale of the veterans who are in the hospital. It’s got to do something for you guys as well, right?[00:28:00]

Jennifer Marshall: Absolutely. And, and, you know, I read something cause Gina and I, the founder, Gina Elise, we’re very similar. We’re, we’re kind of like the same brain and two bodies, um, entrepreneur wise and altruism wise. I, that’s always been important to me, giving back. And I read an article that said that altruism may be a gene.

There may be some sort of genetic link. And I was like, I absolutely believe that. Because for me, yes, I’m giving back. And yes, I’m visiting with my brothers and sisters. But I miss the camaraderie so much. And just to be able to talk to people. I’m such a people person. Let them know that, you know, their service is not forgotten.

They’re appreciated and they’re loved. And some of these vets don’t have visitors.

And I know when I was going through cancer and I was sitting in the chemo room alone, um, that sucks to put it lightly. So I couldn’t imagine being hospitalized for long periods of time and not having that interaction with anybody besides the staff. The staff does a great job. [00:29:00] Um, but sometimes it’s just nice to have those people come in wearing colorful dresses, laughing, joking, um, you know, and just focus on that veteran for that moment in time.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. And everybody that I met anyways, uh, was extremely easy to, to talk to. And, you know, they were, they were nice or friendly. They, they just. You know, made, made the whole conversation, uh, you know, seem, uh, just so much easier because it was, it wasn’t like, um, you know, that, that awkward, Hey, I just met you.

I don’t know what to say. And, you know, all that, it was just a nice, easy, casual flowing conversation, right, right from the very beginning. And so, you know, especially someone who, uh, is in the hospital, they clearly have other things on their minds. Uh, having, having folks like that who are able to just.

Start a conversation and just make them feel comfortable, feel welcome. Uh, it, it’s a, uh, great group of people. Um, you know, [00:30:00] can’t, can’t say enough about, uh, you and, and the rest of, of, uh, Your crew that you you travel around with. Um, and you, you did mention, um, you brought up the, uh, cancer, uh, treatments that you had to go through.

Um,

Jennifer Marshall: I’m

Scott DeLuzio: that had to be pretty, pretty difficult. Um, you know, I, I know personally I’ve had, uh, several friends that, that I knew. Um. through their military service developed cancer, and I don’t know specifically about your situation, but with them, they, they developed it specifically through, uh, their service through the burn pits and, and things like that.

And, uh, There’s a lot of other people out there who have developed, uh, cancers and, um, you know, from their, their service, uh, even outside of, it doesn’t, I don’t think it matters where, uh, the cancer dev developed. Um, it’s, it’s still a terrible thing to have to go through. Um, tell us about how that diagnosis kind of [00:31:00] affected you.

Kind of what, what happened and, um, you know, how that affect you, obviously personally, but maybe even professionally.

Jennifer Marshall: both, um, well, I’ll say that, you know, when I found my cancer, uh, I’ve been in remission now for 30 months. I battled cancer for 15 months. Um, I You know, it was rough. I was 39, probably in the best shape of my life outside of now. I was training for a triathlon. I felt great. There was no problems. I tried to get into the doctor in California.

It was, you know, COVID time. It was all 2020. I kept calling just because my hair was falling out. I work in TV. I can be a little vain about that. Who wants to have bald spots on TV? You know, um, tried to get into the doctor and they said, we’re only seeing cancer patients. I was trying to get in for a scalp biopsy, the dermatologist, they said, because of COVID restrictions.

And I kept calling, I kept calling and it was just no dice. So eventually, uh, you know, I ended up, Leaving at the end of 2020, moved to where I live now, and called immediately, got an [00:32:00] appointment, went in and you know, he said, uh, while you’re here, the dermatologist, he said, you’re a redhead. Let’s do a full body scan.

And I said, oh, no, no. I have 17 types of sunscreen. I never go in the sun. I have umbrellas, I have, you know, billion, a large, fabulous sunglasses. And, um, honestly, the reason that I agreed to it was, uh. You know, he’s, he’s very flamboyant and very like, come on, girl, like, let’s do it. And I was like, well, he’s not interested in anything I have to show.

So let me just whip these clothes off right now. And how did, you know, had it been like an older married straight doctor, I don’t know if I would have done that just to be completely honest. So, you know, whipped it off, standing there in my thong with my muffin top, like, all right, let’s do this. And, um, there was a spot on my foot and it looked like a bug bite and.

Didn’t look like anything on a poster. Everything on a poster, you’re like, obviously that’s skin cancer. Get that taken care of. Looked like a bug bite. He took a biopsy and, um, you know, he called me and I remember exactly where I was and I picked up the phone and it was him and not a tag and I knew it was [00:33:00] cancer and, uh, he said, okay, well, I need to send you to a surgeon.

It’s on a spot on the top of your foot. I can’t. Take care of sent me to the surgeon and I remember thinking like I don’t think this is stage one. I feel like this is stage three and it was just this voice in my head and the surgeon said, you know, the odds of it being stage three at your depth, 97 percent of patients are at stage one.

I couldn’t get it out of my head. Went in for surgery, had some lymph nodes removed in my groin as well, where, uh, they had kind of shown up on a scan. On the 10th day, he called me at 7pm, and obviously if a doctor’s calling at 7pm, it’s not good. Uh, told me it was stage 3. And I remember I said to him, um, You told me there was a 97 percent chance, and He got really quiet and he swallowed and he said, uh, Jennifer, I’m so sorry.

You’re my three percenter.

Scott DeLuzio: Hmm.

Jennifer Marshall: So, you know, then I, I had surgery. I, I went and had a [00:34:00] treatment in the chemo room. I didn’t have chemo. I had something called immunotherapy, which is what they do for my sort of cancer. Um, And it was hard. It was very, very hard. Changed my entire life. Uh, most people with my type of cancer, where they found it, there’s a 45 percent survival rate over five years.

I just passed 30 months. So my first, um, you know, milestone that I had to pass was two years. That was great. Um, most of the cancer will reoccur within two years, but I really have to hit that five year mark. And I’m still at an increased risk for developing a secondary cancer. So I’ve had all the fun things a young person should never have to have, upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, I’ve had, you know, like, you name it, because they’re trying to look for the cancer.

But I will say this, to other veterans who are listening, melanoma is the number one diagnosed cancer in post 911 veterans. If it is on the scalp, head, neck, foot, or ankle, your odds of surviving Greatly decrease. And I [00:35:00] suppose it’s because there’s not a lot of fat or muscle in those areas and it just goes straight down.

You need to get checked. There is a test. If you have been in the burn pits or deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, there is a test and you may need to call around, ask your primary care provider, nag the VA, or pay out of pocket. If you pay out of pocket, it’s 950. It is well worth it. It’s a simple blood test.

It’s called gallery or galary. It’s gallery with an I at the end. It’s made by a company called Grail, um, and it is the holy grail of blood tests. They draw your blood and they look and they say, Wow, here’s early degradation of these DNA cells. You may have non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It will not show up on a scan at that point, but it will show up in your DNA.

This is life changing. And I know that there’s vets listening thinking, I feel great. I’m okay. I’m okay. Bullshit, I felt great, I looked great, I was in great shape and I had stage 3 cancer in my [00:36:00] body throughout my lymphatic system. Get your damn test. Your family does not, your kids do not need to be an orphan.

Get your test. Melanoma is a, people say just cut it out. It metastasizes so quickly and it spreads through your body like wildfire. Get your damn blood test, if not for you, for your family or your spouse.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. You know, I, I think to your point, um,

getting that blood test, whether you got to nag the VA or pay out of pocket, whatever, however you get it, uh, is, is important. And um, Now that I have the name of this, I’m, I’m going to be reaching out to my doctor, um, and making sure that I get that test myself. Um, I don’t know how quickly they will turn around on that, but I will, I will make sure it happens.

Um, but You know, I, [00:37:00] I think, I think a lot of us just feel invincible, you know, we’re, we’re, we’re, I’m still young, you know, I’m in my 40s, but I still feel like I’m, in my head, I’m, I’m still, you know, a 18, 19, 20 year old, uh, guy that can Do anything. I’m invincible in my head. My body tells me, no, the hell you’re not.

But,

Jennifer Marshall: Right. Yeah.

Scott DeLuzio: We don’t, we don’t need to worry about that, you know? Um, but obviously that’s not the case. Um, I know several people, one who’s passed away, who was in his thirties.

And, um, you know, another one is. Fight in the good fight, I was telling about, about, um, about him, uh, the other day, uh, to you, yeah, at the conference, and, um, he, he’s, he’s still in his 30s as well, and[00:38:00]

Jennifer Marshall: hmm,

Scott DeLuzio: like, come on, you still have a whole lot of life to live. And, you know, if a simple blood test, like we’ve all gotten poked and prodded in the military, like you can get another blood test, um, if a simple blood test can help identify whether or not there’s going to be some sort of problem, um, especially like you said, if you deployed to a place where there are burn pits, Iraq, Afghanistan, uh, you know, all those places, um, I’m sure there’s others, um, get the test and, and get it, get it done.

Just make sure. I mean, I, I know I personally have been right and standing right near the burn pits, breathing in all the toxic junk that’s in there and we burned everything plastics, electronics, um, you know, stuff that definitely shouldn’t have been breathed in. Um, I was standing right there next to him with no face mask or anything like that.

Nothing protecting me. Um, And I’m sure if other people who are listening, if they think back, it’s [00:39:00] like, yeah, it probably was around some of that stuff too. Um,

Jennifer Marshall: something like, people think that melanoma is just from the sun, they think it’s from sunburns. What they’re seeing in post 911 veterans is also chemical absorption. We have yet to kind of link my service to cancer, but stupidly, I had a pair of boots that got JP5 on them when I was in. Jet fuel, didn’t think anything about it.

Every time I put it on, my left boot, which is where they found my cancer, Smell like jet fuel for years, literally, right? Um, put this on, and I remember when the cancer came out, my doctor was asking me, have you been around chemicals? I said, well, in the military, we all are. You know, I was on a carrier.

We’re all around chemicals, and chemical absorption is a cause of melanoma. And I bring it back to this pair of boots that I had, that I wore for years after getting out of the military. Years. Is that the contributing factor? I don’t know, but being a redhead, I’m not in the sun. I’m not in the sun, they [00:40:00] ran genetic tests, there’s no, they ran a castle test, there’s no genetic link for me, so I have to wonder, is it because of that?

All the chemicals that we experience in the military, most of them are carcinogens. So yes, we may feel invincible, but it’s so tiny, we don’t know.

Scott DeLuzio: and that, that’s a great point, especially if you’re working around, you know, jet fuel or other, you know, kind of fuels or, or things like that. I, I mean, I know we had to fill up our trucks, um, you know, with fuel and, you know, maybe it spilled, maybe it got on your clothes or, you know, and it just absorbed in, um, somehow.

I don’t

Jennifer Marshall: Even the bottled water that people drank in Iraq and Afghanistan that was sitting on pallets in the sun, that’s not BPA free. All of that, think of all of the chemicals, you’re doing blood tests now and they’re finding the PFAS chemicals, the forever chemicals, they’re finding them everywhere inside people’s bodies.

Everywhere. And, you know, what [00:41:00] the FDA allows, the FDA bans like 14 chemicals, uh, in makeup, which is something that’s put on your skin and absorbed, and the EU bans like 1300. You know, I’m, I agree with deregulation, I get it, capitalism, but not at the extent of poisoning people, poisoning our kids, and we have to be very careful, you know, cancer did used to be for quote unquote old people, that’s not the case anymore, we’re all susceptible.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, absolutely. And, and even radiation, um, you know, I know when I was deployed and people may not think about this, uh, you know, as an infantryman being around radiation, but one of the places that we. We worked at, there was this huge like x ray building that the Afghans would use to x ray these trucks that would come through to make sure they’re not carrying weapons, bombs, all that kind of stuff.

And I had walked into this building. I was inside this building and, uh, we, We did a test and we found if you [00:42:00] were not, if you were anywhere within like 50 meters of this building, you were being exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. And so like, yeah, that, that could be a huge problem too. Um,

Jennifer Marshall: know, the VA

Scott DeLuzio: not even think about it.

Jennifer Marshall: well, the VA will be the first to say, that’s not really service connected.

Scott DeLuzio: Right. Yeah. Well, you shouldn’t have been there. Well, don’t deploy me there.

Jennifer Marshall: Yeah, don’t deploy me there. Uh, it is service connected.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, knock on wood, that’s not going to be a problem for me, but you know, it’s, it’s something that You know, I, I don’t know. Am I, am I, I’m not glowing because of the radiation, hopefully.

Jennifer Marshall: Now it’s that skin care routine you’ve got.

Scott DeLuzio: Yes. Yes. That’s skincare routine that I don’t have. Um, so, um, other people obviously have gone through similar battles, maybe even going through something similar right now. Um, any words of advice or words of wisdom for someone who’s, [00:43:00] who’s been through it and, and came out on the other side, you know, seemingly, uh, so far so good.

Right.

Jennifer Marshall: So far so good. 30 months in remission. I would say be that asshole patient. Be that person. I would call and they’d say, well, we have a, we have a opening for an MRI two weeks from now. I would call every day in the morning and say, hi, I would get the person’s name. Are there any cancellations? I’m free to go within a hundred miles.

Because where I got my care, it’s connected, connecting hospitals. I didn’t go to the VA because, you know, I want to live, didn’t go there. I was lucky enough to have civilian health care. Um, yeah, all the VAs I’ve been to, terrible. I know there’s some VAs that are good. Um, mine, terrible. Just going to say it.

Uh, Plano, Texas, shame on you. Bonham, Texas, shame on you. Uh, West LA, shame on you. I’ll. Just leave it at that. My grandfather’s VA in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Amazing. Chef’s kiss. Lovely. Uh, Tucson, Arizona. Lovely. Um, so yeah, I [00:44:00] got mine through civilian healthcare. I would call, um, ask for last minute cancellations, get to know people.

When I could not get ahold of somebody, I walked my happy little ass in that door and I said, hi, I’m here to talk to somebody. And they said, well, the appointment scheduling is done offsite. Okay. Well, I’ll just stay here. If you could get ahold of them on the phone for me. I was relentless. I was my own best advocate and people are afraid.

I don’t want to be rude. I don’t want to be this. If you are not, you could die. So you better get rude real fast. Although it’s, you catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar. But if you need to be quote unquote rude and stand up for yourself, that’s what you need to do because your life depends on it.

So be that advocate. Do not be afraid. I went through treatment with a lot of people. I don’t want to do this because I’m afraid. I had a liver biopsy while awake. Lymph node biopsy while awake. Numerous MRIs, brain MRIs. You can be afraid. It’s okay to be afraid. Don’t let that fear not [00:45:00] Don’t let that fear stop you from getting the help that you need.

And if you are somebody who is supporting somebody going through this, Gina Elise, my best friend, the founder of Pin Ups for Vets, She knew it was so hard for me to do all of these things. So hard. She would, she would look up information, text it to me. When you’re going through cancer treatment, your brain doesn’t work the same way that it did.

And she was such an advocate for me. Be there for people, ask them, how can I help you and what can I do? And sometimes they don’t know. But help however you can, because it’s not a battle somebody wins alone.

Scott DeLuzio: You know, uh, to your point, you are quite literally fighting for your life, and if you take that, take that out of a medical context, put yourself on a battlefield,

Jennifer Marshall: Yes.

Scott DeLuzio: be a warrior, right? Go out, kick the door in, push through the objective, do what you need to do, be relentless, and [00:46:00] fight. Survive win. Um, don’t back down and, and Oh, geez, no.

You know, I don’t wanna be rude and I, you know, I’m not gonna kick this person’s door down because I don’t want to be rude about it. I’ll, I’ll just, you know, I’ll open the lock and, you know, you know, whatever. And then we’ll, we’ll open the door nice and neatly and, you know, no. That way they won’t be mad at us for, you know, kicking that door in and breaking their door down.

Jennifer Marshall: Be the warrior you were. Be the warrior you were. I, I, I, I don’t understand this, you know, tepidness with it. Um, when it comes to cancer, regardless of stage, you are fighting for your life.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. And I’m not suggesting kick the door down to the medical facility that you’re going to. So please don’t do that. Um,

Jennifer Marshall: in jail is not so great, folks. Let’s,

Scott DeLuzio: no, right. Exactly. So, but be relentless, use that warrior mindset, that relentless spirit that you had at one point. I’m sure if you’re listening to this, you [00:47:00] know what I’m talking about.

Um, don’t walk into the room and just accepting no for an answer or Or yeah, we’ll get you in, you know, a month from now. Okay. Well, like to your point, call every day, show up every day until maybe, maybe there’s something earlier and they’re, they’re, you’re not going to be on top of their mind that they’re going to call you to, but you know, hell, Hey, we had a cancellation.

Um, you, why don’t you come on in now? Because they don’t know that you want to get in earlier that you have an appointment that if you’re happy with that appointment, then take that appointment. Um,

Jennifer Marshall: have a good attitude about things too at the same time because I remember I went in for treatments and I’d sit in the chemo room and for Valentine’s Day I wore this headband with little hearts and you know for St. Patrick’s Day I dressed up and I’ll tell you I go back now for scans every three months. Phlebotomy remembers me. Nurses remember me. They have thousands of patients and they don’t know Jennifer Marshall because I never told them what I do for a living. My legal last [00:48:00] name is different than the name I use for business. They had no idea. It wasn’t, oh, well, this person’s on TV. And obviously when I was going through treatment, I didn’t look like I do on TV.

I looked terrible. Um, I looked absolutely terrible. So. I just always had a good attitude, a positive attitude, and, you know, I’ll walk into Phlebotomy and they’ll be like, Jennifer, Jennifer, and this has been 30 months since I was going every three weeks for treatment. And I think it’s because I made people feel valued, I appreciated them, and I always looked at the silver lining.

And I think that that attitude Made my oncology team even more ready to help me fight because they saw I was fighting and appreciative and so it energized them to do whatever they could for me and I’m eternally grateful to them for saving my life.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah, absolutely. And, and I, I think back as you’re, you’re saying that, I think back to, um, you know, as my, my kids were growing up and they would be struggling with something, whether it was something simple like [00:49:00] tying their shoes or, you know, whatever, um, learning how to do, do those types of things. If they just quit and gave up, I wasn’t going to help them.

But if I saw that they were trying and they were, they were putting in the effort and it just wasn’t working out, yeah, I’m going to go in and I’m going to help because I saw that they actually, that’s something that they actually wanted to do and they’re putting in the effort and okay, we all have trouble and difficulties with things all the time.

And if I can see that you’re putting in the effort, I’m going to help you. I’m going to have a lot more likely to help you if you’re putting in the effort than if you’re just sitting there whining and crying about. Oh, um, I, this is going to come off wrong, so I’m not going to say it. Oh, um, um, nevermind.

I’m, I’m just going to move, move gears, but you know, if, if you’re, if you’re not putting in that effort, people aren’t going to be as, as willing to go out of their way to help you and, um, you know, let you know of a cancellation and get you in earlier, or, you [00:50:00] know, any of that kind of stuff. They’re not going to go out of their way because if you’re, you’re not putting in that effort yourself, um, they’re, they’re, They don’t, they’re not going to care as much as you are ever.

So.

Jennifer Marshall: exactly.

Scott DeLuzio: Wonderful. Well, Jennifer, it’s been an absolute pleasure, uh, having you on the show today. Um, you know, chatting with you, uh, over the last couple of days at the Military Influencer Conference was, was amazing. And, uh, getting to know a little bit more about your story, uh, today has been wonderful as well.

I really do hope that the listeners, whether they are interested in, uh, getting into entertainment, um, if they aren’t runners and they don’t want to run away, um,

Jennifer Marshall: They don’t wanna run.

Scott DeLuzio: uh, if, you know, hopefully they, they got some, uh, valuable advice out of, uh, what you had to say there. But I think the most important, uh, thing that we covered today was, uh, what we were just talking about with your, your health diagnosis and just being relentless, fighting for [00:51:00] your life.

Not taking no for an answer, um, and, and being,

Jennifer Marshall: Um,

Scott DeLuzio: up for yourself, I should say. Um, I think those are super important things. If you think there’s anything wrong, if you have any inclination that there’s that, that spot that wasn’t always there and it’s now there.

And I’m, I’m kind of curious about that or that. My side kind of hurts or, you know, something that I didn’t, I didn’t pull a muscle. I didn’t, you know, I wasn’t doing anything crazy, but all of a sudden I’m starting to have these pains in different, different parts of my body. Um, yeah, get that checked out.

And, uh, you said it was the gallery, uh, blood test. Was that, yeah, with an eye at the end.

Jennifer Marshall: and I, and I will say, uh, those spots, we all need to go to the dermatologist every year. If there is a spot that is new and you’re like, and dermatology is like, it’s fine. The easy way to get a biopsy is just say, would you mind noting that in my medical record that you didn’t find it necessary to do the biopsy?

And out of fear of malpractice, they’ll say, oh. [00:52:00] No, no, no, we’ll just do it.

Scott DeLuzio: Excellent. Excellent. That is wonderful advice. Um, little manipulation tactic, but it works. It’s got to be effective. That’s awesome. Um, Excellent. Well, yes, do that. Um, again, that’s being relentless. You’re, you’re looking out for yourself. Um, you know, if that person is the one who messes up and they end up getting sued, that’s on them.

Um, but you’re looking out for yourself. And, and to our point earlier, nobody is going to care about As much about your health care as you are, um, as far as doctors and other staff like that goes, um, they’re, they’re not going to care as much as you do. So put the effort in and make sure that You get the, uh, the testing, the, and the, the results that you’re, you’re looking for.

Jennifer Marshall: Absolutely, and Scott, I just want to say it was such a pleasure to meet up with you [00:53:00] at the conference. Thank you for what you do for our community, giving people a voice, and I’m just so glad that we were able to connect after those two lost years in space, so, um, thank you very much and it’s, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you over the last couple of days.

Scott DeLuzio: absolutely. And thank you again for taking the time to come on, uh, for those interested in learning more, uh, about, uh, Jennifer and the work that she does, you can visit her website at jennifermarshall. com. Um, and is there anywhere else that you’d like people to go to, uh, reach out and connect, or is

Jennifer Marshall: I’d love to

Scott DeLuzio: to send people?

Jennifer Marshall: I’d love for them to go to pinupsforvets. com. And also, you know, I do motivational speaking. Um, so if you’d like to book me for speaking or an MC event, I would love to come down. I love doing veteran and military events. And, uh, there’s a contact me button at the bottom of my website.

Scott DeLuzio: Excellent. Well, and I’ll have links to all of that in the show notes for the listeners as well. So again, Jennifer, thank you so much for taking the time to come on. Appreciate

Jennifer Marshall: Thank you.

Scott DeLuzio: [00:54:00] Thanks for listening to the Drive On Podcast. If you want to support the show, please check out Scott’s book, Surviving Son on Amazon. All of the sales from that book go directly back into this podcast and work to help veterans in need. You can also follow the Drive On Podcast on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and wherever you listen to podcasts.