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

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 i...

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, ...

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.

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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 a...

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 fi...

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...

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 parachut...

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...

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 th...

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.

Thi...

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 ...

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 findi...

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 ...

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...

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 help...

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 i...

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...

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 ...

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 s...