TAMPA, Fla. — After months of rehearsals, the Veteran Civilian Arts Ensemble is just days away from putting on its next performance. 

Made up of veterans and civilians, the group works to create understanding and connections in the community.

Navy veteran Tanya O’Brien is just one of performers who gets to shine.

“I came my first year just wanting to sing, and that’s it, not do anything else," she said. "I ended up with lines and now I’m dancing and writing poetry, and so it’s sort of evolved the last couple of years."

Coming to rehearsal with her service dog Charlie, this is the third year O’Brien has been part of the program. It didn’t take long before she fell in love with performing — she says this group is something she never thought she would be a part of. 

The years she spent in the Navy as a critical care nurse have shaped her life both in and out of the military.

With other veterans around her, she said no one has to feel isolated. 

“We start out the year in August,” she said. “Our first two meetings are discussions. We talk about what’s important to us. The veterans explain things to the civilians that they might have experienced, how they feel and civilians get to ask questions.”  

Fred Johnson, an associate artistic director with the group, said a big part of what they do is to make sure that there is a dialogue between those who served and those who didn’t. 

“It’s really an experience within the hope that people who come in and view it have an experience with us — will more fully understand the relationship between veterans and civilians,” he said.  

You can catch Veteran Civilian Arts Ensemble's first performance at 2 p.m. on June 7 at the Straz Center in Tampa.