Snakes, Service and Staying Power

There’s a Honduran ghost milk snake named “Cookie” slithering somewhere in Michelle Kruschke-De Jesus’ home. It’s non-venomous, sporting pink, black and white bands. Luckily, Cookie is low-maintenance, happily dining on insects and making an excellent pet—despite  being cousin to the dangerous—and venomous—coral snake.

“I’ve always loved snakes,” Kruschke-De Jesus explains. “To me, they symbolize resilience and adaptability, qualities that I’ve tried to embody in my own life.”

For most, a wayward snake would be a cause for panic, but for this devoted herpetophile,  Army veteran, former educator and aspiring philanthropist, it’s just another day living amidst a menagerie of twenty-odd reptiles. Her comfort with cold-blooded companions stems from a lifelong fascination with reptiles—a passion she hopes to one day blend with her artistic and educational aspirations. Those aspirations took a big step—or slither—towards reality with her freshly minted master’s in Management from UW-Green Bay in 2024—and officially becoming the University’s 1000th master’s-level graduate in the process.

Life as a Battlefield

Reptiles aside, Kruschke-De Jesus began college life at the UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus fresh from high school in 1991. However, she soon felt drawn to a life of greater service and purpose, prompting her to leave school and enlist in the military. “My family has had someone serve in the military every generation going back to the Revolutionary War, so joining the Army felt like my way of continuing that legacy.”

That legacy, however, did not include any women joining the military. But Kruschke-De Jesus was determined to push back against the boundaries others had set for her—a life-long tendency she continues to embrace. Add to that a self-confessed acerbic sense of humor that has seen her through a life filled with challenges. As she recently posted on her Facebook page: “I am fluent in English, Sarcasm, and Sailor. I have a 154 IQ. My choice of language is no reflection of my intelligence, heart, or soul.”

A bookworm she definitely was not. “I told my parents that after I joined the military, I’d come back and go to school. But I majored in darts and pool.”

Kruschke-De Jesus poses for a poster recognizing women veterans. Submitted photo.

Basic training was conducted at Fort Leonard Wood, “Lost-in-the-Woods,” Missouri, during an era when the inclusion of women in certain military roles was still new and challenging. “When I was there, that was the second summer that they even had women. The women and men were segregated. We weren’t even supposed to talk to each other.”

Training continued in Maryland, where, again working against the stereotype, she specialized in fuel and electrical systems on heavy wheel and track vehicles. However, her time in the military was marred by severe challenges, including instances of sexual assault that left a lasting impact.

“I was raped. I reported it, which stigmatized me for the rest of my military career and caused a lot of trauma.”

Despite the challenges,  Kruschke-De Jesus continued her service, transitioning to the Army Reserve and returning to Wisconsin with the 377th Maintenance Company in Manitowoc. “I was the only woman in the motor pool for a long time,” she recalls. “There was a lot of harassment, and you learn how to push back.”

During one assignment, she encountered a typical scenario many women face in traditionally male roles: a superior who questioned her authority and competence simply because of her gender. When she asserted herself to complete her mission by the book, he challenged her, asking another officer if she could “talk to him that way.” The officer backed her up, making it clear that it was indeed her mission. Instances like these were part of her reality, where standing her ground was often the only way to earn respect.

Even amid the challenges of military life,  Kruschke-De Jesus remained committed to her education and her family. So why not be a soldier, mom and a student? This time she attended the now UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus, where she completed her associate’s degree while pregnant with her third child. She even brought her newborn to final exams.

“He was three or four days old when I took my final exams, and one of my instructors actually held him so I could finish the test.”

On the Rise

“By the time I got to that point, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. And I had wanted to be a teacher since I was a kid.” Encouraged by her success, she continued at  UW-Green Bay, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and Education in 2002, cum laude. Her teaching career began on the Menominee Reservation, where she taught sixth grade.

Still, the world of the military and being of service, despite the traumas and setbacks, was something Kruschke-De Jesus wouldn’t walk away from. Currently, she’s the commander of American Legion Post 539 in Green Bay—the first and only all-women’s American Legion Post north of Milwaukee—and only one of three or four in the country.

“Our post, which was chartered to honor women veterans’ service, has morphed into a safe place for women veterans to celebrate their military service and continue serving their community while developing social relationships with other women veterans who understand what happened.”

Where there’s a Will, there’s a Snake

Beyond her dedication to supporting fellow women veterans, Kruschke-De Jesus has also nurtured a unique relationship that is quite different from her military service—an affection and attachment to reptiles. It’s a relationship that has evolved to her establishment of ABC Reptiles, a venture dedicated to the care and education about reptiles. Her love for these creatures is evident in her commitment to their well-being and her efforts to share her knowledge with others.

“I’ve always been fascinated by reptiles. They are such misunderstood creatures, and through ABC Reptiles, I aim to educate people about them and promote proper care.”

Kruschke-De Jesus founded ABC Reptiles to share her love of reptiles with others.

Her first snake, Will, holds a special place in her heart. “After a relationship ended, I was living alone with my snake in an apartment, and some days Will was the only reason I got out of bed,” she shared. “I had to get up to turn his lights on in the morning. I had to get out of bed to turn his lights off at night. I had to feed him, clean his cage—he was what kept me going through a pretty dark period in my life.”

Will, a baby Ball Python, was a gift from a local pet store. Deemed “unsellable” due to suffering from apparent health issues, including a potential bowel obstruction due to misshapen ribs, Michelle felt a connection to the snake.

“When I saw this baby Ball Python, he had a lump in his belly, and it looked like part of his rib cage wasn’t quite formed right.” Despite the vet’s initial doubts about his survival, Kruschke-De Jesus adopted Will and nursed him back to health. “I thought he was going to live for a few months, he’s five years old now.” The name “Will” grew out of their relationship. “Will he eat? Will he die? Will he live? Will he poop? These are my therapy animals.”

Kruschke-De Jesus often engages with the community through educational programs and events, bringing her reptiles to schools and  veteran events to teach people about these often-misunderstood animals.

Now comes the next big challenge—combining all her passions into a focused cause. That’s where graduate school came in. “I had an idea for a nonprofit and for a different business,” she explained. “I decided if I was going to do that, I needed more education.” Her pursuit of a master’s degree in management provided her with valuable insights, particularly in nonprofit management and public policy.

“In the nonprofit classes, I learned about the importance of having multiple revenue sources,” she shared. “No money, no mission” was a lesson that resonated deeply with her vision for her future projects. She also gained a broader understanding of how municipal budgets operate and how to blend profit and nonprofit elements into a hybrid model for greater impact.

Armed with this knowledge, she set her sights on expanding her impact even further, focusing on providing support and resources for military veterans, combining her education and passion for service into meaningful action. “The idea is to create a safe space for veterans to connect, share their experiences, and access the support they need. There are so many veterans who feel isolated and unrecognized, and I want to change that.”

Kruschke-De Jesus’ vision for the nonprofit includes a range of services—from alternative therapies and counseling to support and guidance to help other veterans discover new personal missions. Her aim is to create a comprehensive support network that addresses the unique challenges faced by military veterans.

Kruschke-De Jesus receives her Master’s degree in May 2024.

“Women veterans often face significant barriers, both in terms of recognition and access to resources. My goal is to build a community where veterans feel valued and supported. All military veterans need to grieve their former career and find a new personal mission. I believe this is what will reduce veteran suicide”

And just to keep things interesting—to also blend her passions for art and animal therapy.

“I want to develop a nonprofit program that combines art therapy and animal therapy for veterans to supplement or augment traditional mental health programs like talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and those types of things. There are alternative therapies out there. I wanted to combine my love of art and my reptiles and other animal therapists into a center that veterans and EMS could go to for free and just experience these other types of therapies to help them with their challenges.”

Despite the unknowns—whether she is creating a nonprofit, fostering a community or educating others,  Kruschke-De Jesus blends her passions with purpose, finding new ways for service and creativity to walk, crawl, or slither hand in hand. “I know my future will always involve working with veterans.”

What gives you a “spark”?

“I just keep moving forward. That’s the biggest thing I learned in my life. I am enough. I’m good enough. I’m smart enough. I’m charitable enough.”

Why will you never stop learning?

“I’ve always had this drive to keep learning, to keep improving. Even when I’m not in school, I’m learning something somewhere. I want to continue growing, both personally and in what I can contribute to others.”

What was the last lesson life taught you?

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plan. Life doesn’t always go the way we expect, but I’ve learned that resilience is key. You just have to adapt and keep going.”

At UW-Green Bay, every person has the power to Rise. No matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you want to be. We invite you to read more Rise Stories about people from all walks of life who are blazing a brighter future for our region.