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

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 to confronting evil in Africa, ...

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 the pain of stepping away, th...

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 therapy jargon. Just guys wh...

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 the guy who's tried to muscl...

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. Discover how their music serves a...

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, hope, and a supportive brotherho...

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, personal transformation and the stor...

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 of YU2SHINE, Marla has pioneered...

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 and civilians alike build vibrant,...

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 means to own your story, and how m...

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 you for, the moments of doubt, ...

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 with his service dog led to na...

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 dynamics, all while climbing t...

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 what contracting was really like. D...

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 means to become a man, not just...

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, sobriety, and a renewed sen...

After getting out of the Marine Corps, Rob Bracero found himself stuck, detached from purpose, struggling with chronic pain, and missing the community that used to push him forward. He's not alone. A lot of veterans find that once the structure of military life disappears, it's easy to fall into isolation and let their physical and mental health slip.

That's where Warrior Strong comes in.

In this episode, Rob shares how Warri...

Blown up. Burned out. Ready to end it all.

That's where Sam Peterson found himself after his second deployment as an EOD tech. He nearly took his own life until one unexpected moment changed everything. What followed was a raw journey through trauma, healing, and finding purpose on the other side.

In this episode, Sam lays it all out. The silent epidemic of blast-induced brain trauma. The VA's broken model that tells you to...

Kijuan Amey had a plan. He was finishing school, building a business, and still serving in the Air Force Reserves. Then a motorcycle crash changed everything. He lost his sight, suffered major injuries, and had to figure out how to move forward in a world that suddenly looked very different.

In this conversation, we talk about what that recovery really looked like. Not just the surgeries or physical rehab, but the mental side t...