07/01/2025
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 Veteran Spotlight: Dr. John Doerfer 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
🎵Tenor | Badger Chordhawks since 2019
💙Meet John Doerfer, a talented tenor, devoted physician, and proud veteran who’s been lending his voice to the Badger Chordhawks since 2019. His journey is one of deep service — to his country, his community, and his faith.
👨⚕️After graduating medical school in 1963, John served as a medical officer in the United States Coast Guard from 1969–1973, before continuing his service with the Indian Health Service. He was stationed in El Paso, TX, and later in Tuba City, AZ and Gallup, NM, where he worked closely with Navajo communities — an experience that shaped his worldview and prepared him for future service abroad in Ecuador.
🌍One of the most enduring lessons from his military career? The importance of empathy and cultural understanding. John learned to truly listen and to “be more measured” in how he sees others — a skill that’s served him well both in medicine and music.
🎶John’s musical roots stretch back to college, with formative years spent learning to sing in a church in Baltimore. Today, his favorite patriotic piece to perform is “The Folded Flag,” a song he loves for its rich harmony and moving message.
🎖️He sees performing patriotic music with the Chordhawks as something far more than entertainment — it’s a way of honoring sacrifice and stirring the soul:
“It’s the language of the soul… when we sing, we give people joy and a sense of value.”
❤️🔥John’s heart for veterans runs deep. Supporting Rock County Veterans’ Services is personal for him. He knows many veterans are still fighting battles and believes we must show up for them.
🙏At the core of it all is his quiet faith and commitment to serving others.
“Our lives are more fulfilled when we focus on serving others.”
✨We’re grateful to sing alongside John — a man whose voice carries not just melody, but meaning.
