The MisFitNation

What do you do with the years you were never promised? For Gaylen Wilson, that question became very real. After a lifetime of reinvention—from farmer to stockbroker, computer consultant, entrepreneur, and beyond—Gaylen faced battles that would reshape everything he thought he knew about survival, identity, and purpose. He battled alcoholism and ultimately built more than 20 years of sobriety. Then...

What happens after the uniform comes off? For many female Veterans, the answer is far more complicated than most civilians ever realize. In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, Susan L. Combs returns to share the story behind her new book, Wonder Women: The Untold Stories of Female Veterans—a collection built around the real voices and lived experiences of women who served across generations...

What if a feeling of loneliness had followed you your entire life—but you never knew where it came from? In this unforgettable episode of The MisFitNation, Rich LaMonica sits down with Laurie Kirk, author, screenwriter, actor, neurodivergent creative, and womb twin survivor, for a deeply personal conversation about loss, identity, grief, mediumship, creativity, and the unexplained. Laurie shares h...

What happens after a VA disability claim lands on a rating specialist’s desk? For The MisFitNation’s 700th episode, Jake and Stephen welcome U.S. Army veteran and retired VA Rating Specialist Dewayne Kimble to The Toosday Crüe. Dewayne takes listeners inside the claims process: how a rater reviews service records and medical evidence, what a C&P exam needs to address, and why a veteran’s lay state...

What happens when a Baptist pastor trades the pulpit for Quantico—and eventually becomes a 15-year FBI SWAT operator? On this episode of TheMisFitNation, former FBI Special Agent Eric Robinson joins Jake and Stephen for a wide-ranging conversation about his extraordinary journey from Christian ministry to 24 years inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Eric spent 12 years in ministry before e...

What would happen if war stopped being something happening somewhere else—and suddenly came directly to your family? In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, Rich LaMonica sits down with author and former television reporter Claudia Hinz, whose debut novel SAFEKEEPING imagines a near-future America where the military draft has returned. Set in 2027, SAFEKEEPING follows Tenley Ward, a wealthy...

What happens when the mission that defined your life suddenly ends? US Navy veteran, submariner, martial artist, and author Rob Robertson joins The Toosday Crüe for a powerful conversation about six years aboard the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Louisville, the pressure of earning his submarine dolphins, and the lessons that came from serving in an environment where trust, discipline, teamw...

What happens when life gives you no time to feel ready? For U.S. Army veteran Caressa Bell, that question became very real when she was a young soldier, a single mother to a four-month-old son, and received just one week’s notice to deploy. Fear was present. Uncertainty was real. But standing still wasn’t an option. On this episode of The MisFitNation, Caressa joins us for a powerful conversation...

A two-time Grammy-nominated music professional, retired firefighter/EMT, cancer survivor, author, and first responder advocate shares what happens when the helper becomes the one who needs help. Spotify / Apple Podcasts Description: What happens when a man who spent more than two decades running toward emergencies suddenly finds himself facing one of his own? On this episode of the ToosDay Crüe, w...

What happens when the military career you planned ends unexpectedly—and the civilian world tells you the experience you spent years building somehow “doesn’t count”? In this episode of The MisFitNation, U.S. Navy veteran Diana Ocasio shares her powerful journey from military service to entrepreneurship, identity rebuilding, and helping other veterans and military spouses recognize the value of the...

What happens when the power goes out, the roads are blocked, and 911 can’t get to you? For Patrick Thibeault, preparedness isn’t a theory. It was forged in places where hesitation, poor training, and bad decisions could cost lives. In this episode of The MisFitNation, Rich LaMonica sits down with Patrick — retired U.S. Army combat veteran, former combat medic, paratrooper and 160th Special Operati...

What happens when the military justice system gets it wrong—and where can a service member turn when the system meant to deliver justice refuses to reconsider the case? Arvis Owens returns to The MisFitNation for a powerful and challenging conversation about wrongful convictions, military justice, false accusations, due process, court-martials, UCMJ reform, and the lack of an independent system fo...

What does it really mean to become a strong man—and can you still change your life after decades of mistakes, setbacks, and hard lessons? On this episode of The MisFitNation, Rich LaMonica sits down with Victor Bretting, author of *The Man That I Would Become* and founder of Bretting Texan Ranch, for a powerful conversation about faith, perseverance, masculinity, servant leadership, conservation,...

The ToosDay Crüe, presented by The MisFitNation, welcomes legendary investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Cathy Scott for an unforgettable deep dive into some of America's most notorious true crime investigations. Known for her groundbreaking books on Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Robert Durst, Susan Berman, and true crime icon Ann Rule, Cathy shares decades of inves...

What happens when the mission ends—but the hardest battle is just beginning? In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, host Jake welcomes Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret.) Michael Carmichael, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret with 26 years of service, including 22 years in Special Forces and 10 combat deployments across Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and the Middle East. After retiring from one of Ameri...

What does it take to earn the trust of one of America's most respected communities when you have none of the traditional credentials? In this powerful episode of The ToosDay Crüe Show, Stephen and Jake sit down with Anna Redmond, Founder & CEO of Brav, to discuss her unlikely journey from Harvard and venture capital into the world of physical security, where she built a company trusted by veterans...

What happens when the mission ends, the uniform comes off, and the survival skills that once made you strong begin working against you? In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, host Rich LaMonica sits down with Sonya Achara, a United States Marine Corps veteran, former Gunnery Sergeant, author, speaker, and founder of the Human Potential Project. Sonya served 14 years in the Marine Corps, inc...

What happens when the career that helped define you ends—and life hands you an entirely different mission? U.S. Air Force EOD veteran Erin Willoby, founder of Buffalo Gals Company, joins The Toosday Crüe for a deeply personal conversation about military service, identity, marriage, caregiving, resilience and finding purpose after leaving the military. Erin entered the Air Force in 2002 and took on...

What does it take to transition from nearly 20 years as a U.S. Army Green Beret to becoming one of the newest voices in military thriller fiction? In this powerful episode of MisFitNation, host Stephen Box sits down with US Army Special Forces veteran and author Alex Dekker for an inspiring conversation about leadership, resilience, purpose, and life after military service. Alex shares his incredi...

Some of life's toughest battles aren't fought on the battlefield—they're fought within. In this unforgettable episode of The ToosDay Crüe, host Cagney welcomes Brandon Burton, a retired U.S. Army veteran whose 20-year military career included two deployments to Afghanistan, seven years as an instructor, and leading soldiers as a Company Commander. Brandon's experiences shaped more than his militar...

What happens when the institution you trusted to build you nearly breaks you? In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode of The MisFitNation Podcast, Navy veteran, podcaster, mentor, and mental health advocate Mr. Whiskey shares the difficult realities many service members experience but few openly discuss. Joining the U.S. Navy at just 17 years old, Mr. Whiskey expected purpose, brotherhood,...

What if one of the toughest battles a service member faces isn't on the battlefield—but within themselves? In this compelling episode of The MisFitNation Show, host Rich LaMonica sits down with Leah Stiles, retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief, Founder and CEO of SEA WAVES, to discuss the often-overlooked issue of eating disorders within the military community. For more than 20 years, Leah served her co...

What does over two decades of military leadership teach about war, leadership, service, and America's future? In this episode of **The MisFitNation**, we welcome **Lt. Col. Paul Darling**, a 23-year U.S. Army veteran, West Point graduate, combat leader, author of *Taliban Safari*, host of the **War 102 Podcast**, and advocate for veteran suicide prevention through **Real Plastic Heroes**. Paul sha...

What do you do when someone you love is spiraling into addiction or a mental health crisis—and they refuse help? This week on The ToosDay Crüe, a MisFitNation Production, Cagney welcomes nationally recognized attorney Mark Astor for one of our most important conversations yet. After more than three decades practicing law, Mark has become one of the country's leading advocates for families navigati...

What happens when history isn't learned from textbooks—but from your own family? In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, host Rich LaMonica sits down with author Heidi Langbein-Allen to discuss the remarkable true story behind her book, Save the Last Bullet: Memoir of a Boy Soldier in Hitler's Army. At just 13 years old, Heidi's father, Wilhelm Langbein, was taken from his family, indoctrina...