The Dingee Family

Michelle Dingee was born in Miami, Florida, into a family with a rich history of military service. She is the first female in her family to proudly embark on a career in the military. Enlisting in October 2000, Michelle trained as a medic at Sheppard and Scott Air Force Bases (AFB) before her first station at Keesler AFB in Mississippi. Her skills and expertise was constantly in high demand, from being selected for NASA Space Transportation System missions to humanitarian missions that provided ally nations with training on how to perform Expeditionary Medical Support. During her deployment to Ramstein, Germany in 2004, Michelle was assigned to an Aeromedical Staging Facility to provide care for military personnel who had been wounded on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. The facility would receive an average of three planes per week, containing around 70-100 wounded soldiers, with an aim to stabilize them so they could eventually be flown to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland for further treatment. Some were too severely wounded and many unfortunately did not make it. Being faced with the heartbreaking horrors of warfare was an experience that Michelle says still haunts her to this day. After further deployments in Turkey and the U.K. (where Michelle worked in Ambulance Services, Intensive Care and Medical-Surgical Units), it was during her final station in Goodfellow, Texas where she recognized the toll her military career had taken on her mental health and well-being. Despite the stigma associated with being a medical professional seeking mental health treatment, Michelle sought help and continues to battle with PTSD, depression, and anxiety that developed during her time in service. Having left the military in 2014, Michelle now works as a paralegal nurse and resides in Hollywood, Florida with her dog (Lily) and cat (Kicia). In her time spent at home, Michelle enjoys reading, home entertainment, exercise, and relaxing outdoors. Throughout her varied and eventful military career, Michelle has proven to be a highly adept professional, natural leader and selfless caregiver. Military Makeover is extremely fortunate to be able to offer our token of appreciation for her service by providing Michelle with a memorable home renovation.