Some wounds don't come from the battlefield-they come from within the ranks. Brandon Caserta was strong. Disciplined. Determined. He had a dream to serve in the military, to push himself to the limits, to be part of something greater than himself. But when he faced toxic leadership, retaliation, and neglect from those meant to lead, the weight became unbearable. His parents, Terri and Patrick Caserta, were left with the unimaginable loss of their son. But instead of letting their grief consume them, they fought back-championing the Brandon Act, a law ensuring service members can confidentially seek mental health help without fear of retaliation. In this episode, we discuss:
- Brandon's story-the warning signs, the failures, and the tragic end
- The deep-seated issues of toxic leadership in the military
- How the Brandon Act is changing the way service members access mental health care
- What veterans and active-duty personnel can do to protect themselves and support their brothers and sisters in arms
Brandon should still be here. His story should have had a different ending. But because of his parents' fight, lives are being saved today. Listen in and share this episode-because no service member should feel alone in their struggle.
Timestamps
00:02:15 - Who Brandon Caserta was and the values he lived by 00:10:15 - The toxic leadership and broken culture within the Navy 00:29:00 - The events leading up to Brandon's death on the flight line 01:04:20 - How Terri and Patrick uncovered the truth and began their fight 01:32:10 - What the Brandon Act means for today's service members
Links & Resources
- Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1
- Website: https://www.thebrandonact.org
- Foundation: https://www.brandoncasertafoundation.org
- Follow The Brandon Act on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrandonact
- Follow The Brandon Act on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrandonact/
- Follow The Brandon Act on Twitter/X: https://x.com/ActBrandon
- Follow The Brandon Act on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-brandon-act-719821228/
Transcript
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com