Drive On: Helping Veterans Navigate PTSD & Life After Military Service

The battlefield changes you, but the real fight might start when you get home. Ben Sykes went from web designer to Marine machine gunner during the invasion of Iraq, living through relentless firefights, surreal moments in Saddam's palaces, and the strange calm of enemy fire becoming routine. But nothing prepared him for the turbulence of reintegration. Restless nights, the crash of losing combat'...

After two deployments and a solid run in the Marine Corps, Susannah Stokes did what a lot of vets do-she took her leadership skills into the corporate world. But even with a great job at Facebook and everything looking good on paper, something still felt off. This episode talks about what happens when the structure goes away, and you're left trying to figure out who you are. Susannah opens up abou...

You served your country, endured physical pain, and now struggle to get the benefits you rightfully earned. If navigating the VA disability claims system feels like a second battle, this episode is your lifeline. Dr. Adam Weissman, an emergency physician turned veteran advocate, pulls back the curtain on the VA disability rating process. He shares insider knowledge to help you sidestep common pitf...

Chris Smith didn't plan to become the program director of a veteran fitness nonprofit. When he left the Army, his only goal was to stay afloat. But after facing down PTSD, relationship struggles, and a stretch of homelessness, he found himself on a new path-one focused on health, consistency, and community. In this episode, Chris talks about how Warrior Strong helped him rebuild his identity and g...

When the uniform comes off, many veterans feel like they've lost their team. And with it, their purpose. Michael "Sully" Sullivan knows that feeling firsthand, having spent 30 years in Special Forces. But instead of fading into isolation, he stepped into a new mission with Team RWB, helping veterans reconnect, rebuild accountability, and strengthen their health. In this conversation, Sully shares...

Joseph Fontenot gave up a rising career in music to enlist in the Army, only to be thrust into unexpected combat roles in Iraq and Afghanistan. He discusses his experiences while deployed, injuries that aren't always physical, and the challenge of finding direction and building a meaningful life after returning home. Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line : Dial 988, then press 1...

Transitioning out of the military brings challenges that don't end when the uniform comes off. Benefits, family readiness, and the search for a new purpose can all feel overwhelming. In this conversation, USAF Lt. Gen. (Ret) Brian Kelly, President and CEO of the Military Officers Association of America, shares how his decades of service have led him to focus on protecting what veterans and their f...

Cole Grace knows danger up close. In Iraq, he spent his days disarming IEDs and dodging sniper fire. But coming home wasn't the relief he'd expected. Instead, he found himself at war again, trapped in a loop of relentless perfectionism, unexplained chronic pain, and an addiction that crept up quietly, almost unnoticed. In this conversation, Cole opens up about the brutal reality of fighting battle...

If you're active duty or a veteran with kids, you already know the school system doesn't move with you. New duty station, new rules, new problems, and your kids pay the price. Natalie Mack has been homeschooling for over two decades while her family bounced from base to base, including overseas. She's not selling you sunshine and Pinterest-perfect school days. She breaks down exactly what it takes...

Veterans often return home to a world that feels muted. Mark Haddad, a former Army soldier and contractor, breaks down the reason why: our body-mind-soul system gets rewired by trauma and adrenaline, and everyday life just can't compete. This episode talks about the science behind why vets crave danger, sabotage stability, and feel disconnected from "normal." From surviving a parachute malfunction...

He gave the Army 20 years, 8 months, and 8 days, nearly all of it in special operations. From Ranger Regiment to Green Beret team sergeant, Joshua Daniel lived and breathed the mission. But when the wars ended, so did the mission, and he felt it in every bone, every memory, every unfinished story. Rather than fade out, he built something bigger than himself. In this episode, Joshua opens up about...

Kris Searles got blown out, broken down, and pushed out. The VA gave him pills. He gave them the finger. Instead of numbing out, he wrote a check, got stem cell therapy, fixed his back, got his life back, and started helping others do the same. Now, through Overwatch 6, he's funding treatments that work, no pills, no surgeries, no BS. He's also training vets to coach each other through trauma. No...

If life after the military feels like it's constantly on edge, you need tools that actually help you get your head straight. Dr. Barbara Thompson is an Army veteran and psychologist who worked directly with Special Operations and high-risk teams who didn't have the luxury of falling apart. She knows what high stress does to the brain and how to fix it before it burns you down. This episode is for...

What happens when music becomes a lifeline, capturing the stories and struggles veterans carry silently? Today's guests, Bronson Hetzer and Cody Doench, from The Filthy Heathens, take us on an emotional journey through their song "Cyril," a tribute to a fallen friend lost to suicide after combat. It's a gut-punching reminder of why staying connected matters and why reaching out could save lives. D...

A troubled past led one Marine to find redemption and purpose, turning adversity into a powerful mission. After struggling through his own difficult transition from military to civilian life, Logan Spiewak founded Boots to Health, a groundbreaking program dedicated to helping veterans and first responders reclaim their physical and mental health. Listen to hear how veterans are finding strength, h...

When the pills stop working and therapy feels like talking to a brick wall, where do you turn? Dr. Charlie Powell, a veteran and multi-board certified physician, opens up about a journey most in his shoes would never talk about, finding healing through psychedelic medicine after years of battling PTSD, depression, and emotional numbness. His new project, Healing Heroes, captures this radical, pers...

Military spouse Marla Ballard discusses her journey from a farm in Kentucky to navigating the challenges of being a military spouse in the bustling D.C. area. She shares her story of resilience and reinvention after her husband's severe injuries from an IED in Iraq that dramatically reshaped their lives. Marla faced her own internal struggles, questioning her worth and her future. Now, as the CEO...

After the service, feeling isolated can hit harder than expected. You move to a new place, start a new chapter, and suddenly realize that building real connections isn't easy anymore. That's where today's conversation lights a fire. Michael Chahinian opens up about his own post-Navy struggles with loneliness and the incredible journey that led him to create Krew Social. This tool helps veterans an...

Sometimes, the funniest stories are also the most revealing. Andy Dietrich takes us from his teenage years in Germany to the icy roads of Alaska and eventually into the structured chaos of the Marine Corps. His new book, Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes, is packed with personal stories. Some hilarious, others humbling, but all brutally honest. This episode digs into why he wrote it, what it me...

Losing the uniform doesn't mean losing your mission. That's the focus of this episode with Marine veteran Sean Abrusci and Warrior Strong founder Tom Tice. Warrior Strong has created a way for veterans to reconnect through fitness, support, and purpose-driven programs that meet people where they are. They dive into what it looks like to transition out of the military. The questions no one prepares...

Losing the uniform doesn't mean losing your mission. Daniel O'Dell opens up about the brutal reality of life after service. Physical limitations, mental health battles, and the crushing loss of identity. But when everything felt broken, he found healing in the most unexpected way: through his voice and a green-haired service dog named The Fluffy Poodle. Daniel shares how filming his daily routines...

You've heard the lie: "You'll do great after the military. Companies are lining up to hire vets." But what if that's exactly what's breaking us? Jason Anderson spent 20 years in the Air Force, leading international missions, and closing out his career at the Pentagon. He was ready for the civilian world, or so he thought. What followed was years of hidden anxiety, 3 a.m. panic, and strained family...

Morgan Lerette didn't grow up dreaming about being a private military contractor. Like a lot of veterans, one thing led to another. He got pulled into Blackwater during the height of the Iraq War, rolling through Baghdad with no real rules of engagement, no clear mission beyond keeping people alive, and making more money than he ever thought possible. In this episode, Morgan talks openly about wha...

Strength doesn't always look like what you think. For years, Adam Kasix wore the mask, the intense energy, the warrior mindset, the high-functioning chaos. But behind the scenes, his life was crumbling. Addiction. Divorce. Anger. PTSD. It all came crashing down. What changed? Adam stopped hiding behind the persona and started doing the real work. In this conversation, he talks about what it really...

What happens when the mission ends but the war inside you doesn't? Ryan Reichert opens up about life after nearly two decades in the Army, including leading troops in combat, battling chronic PTSD, and losing everything he thought defined him. After a hard fall from grace, broken marriage, lost job, and hitting rock bottom with addiction, Ryan chose a different path. He shares how he found faith,...