August Dannehl

August Dannehl was born to a family that lived and breathed show business. With actors for parents, he spent much of his time backstage in New York and LA - so it's no surprise that he has a love for the big screen. But after 9/11, August felt that he had to give back to the city that he loved. Joining the Navy after high school, August became a Nuclear Reactor Electrician, serving out of Naval Station Norfolk. His time in the military was quieter than some of our other featured vets, but he feels it taught him to be the man he is today.

Outside of his love for the big screen, August has a passion for cooking, and works to create feasts that celebrate other vets. 

"In addition to developing and directing for the brand, August also hosts two cooking shows - so we have a lot in common! It was great to visit him in LA, where he took me to the LA Farmer's Market, and I got to join him in the kitchen. Together we prepared a meal for three close friends who were also vets: Bryan, Edith and Mike." ~Lidia Bastianich

Also featured in this clip are Edith Casas and Mike Dowling. Edith Casas served in the Navy for close to 10 years as an Aviation Boatswain First Class. During her tours she was stationed on the USS Nassau, an aircraft carrier traveling throughout Europe and the Middle East. Onboard the Nassau, Edith was responsible for the launching and recovery of naval aircraft. Edith is currently attending California State University, studying communications.

After graduating top of his Marine Military Police class, Mike Dowling met an animal that would change his life: a bomb-sniffing dog known as Sargent Rex. He and Rex served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004, an experience about which Mike has written a memoir: Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog. These days, Mike works closely with many veteran organizations, including the VFW and American Legion.

After being honorably discharged in 2010, August Dannehl pursued filmmaking with "The War at Home," a film about an Iraq veteran who witnesses the death of a childhood friend. August attended the Jon Stewart Veteran Immersion Program, which offers veterans job training in television and film.

Appreciation for the Navy's lessons in responsibility and maturity stayed with August through his post-Navy education. He now works for a company called We Are the Mighty, producing content for military families.