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

Military transition can strip away structure, identity, and the sense that your life is aimed at something that matters. This conversation follows what happened when that loss of purpose collided with anxiety, PTSD, and the frustration of trying to build a meaningful civilian life. The story moves from feeling disconnected after service to finding direction through advocacy, community involvement, and one of the most selfless decisions a person can make. Lindsay Gutierrez shares how she became part of the first living donor chain in VA history, what led her to donate a kidney, and why she later chose to donate part of her liver as well. She also explains the part most people never see: the recovery, the emotions after surgery, and the lack of long-term support donors can face once the procedure is over. This episode matters because it puts real language around purpose after service. It shows how service can continue in civilian life, how meaning can be rebuilt through action, and why healing often requires both sacrifice and support. It also brings attention to the policy and psychosocial gaps Lindsay is working to address through her doctoral research, so future donors are not left to navigate the aftermath alone. If you have ever left the military and felt unanchored, this conversation offers a clear message: purpose is not gone, but it may need to be rebuilt in a new form. Timestamps: 06:30: The identity hit after separation and the fight to redefine herself 12:30: The VA living donor chain milestone 21:05: Becoming a dual living donor 25:30: The emotional crash after donation 34:45: Transition advice Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.lindsaygutierrez.com/ Follow Lindsay Gutierrez on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingtoservethroughdonation/ Follow Lindsay Gutierrez on Instagram: https://instagram.com/linds_gutierrez Follow Lindsay Gutierrez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayngutierrez End Kidney Deaths Website: https://www.endkidneydeathsact.org/ Congressional link: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2687/text

PTSD does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like overthinking, staying busy, and trying to keep your mind from going places you do not want it to go. This conversation is about what happens when a veteran finds a healthier outlet and actually commits to it. Ken Webb talks about leaving the cycle of contract work behind, building a new life in Peru, and using writing to deal with fear, betrayal, and stress that did not disappear after service. He gets into the discipline it took to finish a novel, why he wrote the first draft by hand, and how reading and writing forced him to slow down and focus. He also shares how parts of his book were pulled from real experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the personal betrayal that pushed him to finally get the story out. This episode will connect with veterans who feel stuck in their own head, miss having a mission, or need a reminder that productive work can still be part of healing. It is honest, grounded, and useful. It also gives a clear look at how creative work can help someone process what happened without pretending the past never happened. Timestamps: 00:03:15 - He decides to stop waiting and start living 00:08:39 - The hard truth about PTSD and the past 00:11:15 - Why writing the villain was cathartic 00:21:30 - Ken talks honestly about fear in Iraq 00:30:31 - His advice for any veteran who wants to write Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.kenwebb69.com Follow Ken Webb on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574048104781 Follow Ken Webb on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/webbinator2000/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

A missed bus. A dead phone. Smoke over lower Manhattan. A life that should have ended at work that morning went in a completely different direction, and years later, it turned into a mission to help wounded warriors feel alive again. This conversation carries the weight of 9/11, the long shadow of war, and the hard truth that many veterans come home with pain nobody around them fully understands. It also brings something a lot of men need to hear. That healing does not always begin in a clinic or an office. Sometimes it starts when someone builds a place where veterans can breathe, move, and remember they still have a future. Lyubim Kogan shares how surviving the 9/11 attacks in New York City shaped the way he sees service and sacrifice, why the Red Cross became a major inspiration in his life, and how Wings 4 Heroes grew from a paragliding idea into a hands-on mission that includes physical therapy, community, and a deeper sense of purpose. Scott also opens up about grief after losing his brother in Afghanistan, the slow slide into anger and self-destruction, and the moment he finally reached for help. For veterans carrying loss, transition stress, survivor's guilt, or the feeling that nobody gets it, this episode might be what you were looking for. You will walk away with a stronger sense that recovery can take many forms, that support is out there even if you don't see it, and that one person taking action can change far more lives than you think. Timestamps: 00:07:52 - The missed bus that kept him out of the towers 00:29:06 - How the Red Cross changed the way he sees service 00:39:00 - Scott explains how grief wrecked his life after Afghanistan 00:47:07 - The veteran resources too many people still do not know about 00:53:21 - How paragliding and physical therapy became Wings 4 Heroes Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.wings4heroes.org Follow Wings 4 Heroes on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wings4heroes Follow Wings 4 Heroes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wings4heroes Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

The stress does not stay at work. It follows you into your sleep, your marriage, and your patience with your kids. Guest, Johnnie Gilpen, talks about a stretch in pediatric emergency medicine where he lost six kids in a short time and had to face a direct question from a colleague about how he was coping. He explains the three supports he relies on: faith, three people he can call without hesitation, and counseling plus honest conversation. He connects it to a simple military idea, the three-man foxhole, and shows how to set that up in civilian life so you are not isolated when things get heavy. He closes with writing and storytelling, including Warhorse Journal, and how putting events on paper can help your spouse understand what you have not been able to say out loud. Timestamps: 03:15: Losing six kids fast and the coping question 04:45: The three supports he uses every time 06:15: A Vietnam-era dad and the cost of staying silent 11:00: Building a three-person call list and using it early 28:30: Writing small stories that change home life Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.johnniegilpen.com Follow Johnnie Gilpen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnniegilpen/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

A civilian job can pay well and still leave a veteran feeling irritated and restless by the end of the day. Alan Brown breaks down the parts of military life that disappear first after retirement: the uniform, the PT, the daily contact with soldiers, and the built in group that understands the standard without a long explanation. He retired in January 2020 after 23 years in the Army, and he describes the mix of frustration and trial and error that followed while he searched for work that felt like it mattered. The conversation also gets practical. Alan explains how he uses writing as a focused way to slow down and sort out memories from active duty and the pressure of family life. He spent the summer of 2025 revising poems he wrote years earlier, then published a collection in September 2025 on Amazon titled When the Uniform No Longer Fits: Reflections on Military Service, Family, and Being a Veteran. Many of the poems are autobiographical and written for veterans, active duty service members, and family members who want a clearer view of what service leaves behind. Key moments are below. Timestamps: 01:30: Retired after 23 years and still sorting out the next job 08:12: The loss of camaraderie 16:30: Working at full speed while coworkers move slower and the anger that builds 17:00: Writing started in college and turned into a way to put thoughts on the page 35:52: When the Uniform No Longer Fits Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 When the Uniform No Longer Fits Book: https://www.amazon.com/When-Uniform-Longer-Fits-Reflections/dp/B0FSYTQ777/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Hospitals can strip you down fast, not just physically, but mentally. You walk in hurting, and the system can make you feel lucky to be there at all. Dr. Pamela Pyle trained inside a VA hospital where camaraderie filled open wards, and she has spent decades watching what helps people fight for better care, and what quietly breaks them. This conversation gets practical fast: why the first answer is often no, how to push past it, how to get a second opinion, and how to walk in with a plan so you do not leave feeling powerless. Then it turns personal and heavy in the best way, with the moment a dying patient gave her a phrase that changed everything: a good death is built by how you live right now. If you are carrying depression, PTSD, or that numb, isolated feeling where it takes everything just to make it to tomorrow, you will also hear real treatment hope, plus a peer-to-peer tool built for the moments when talking to your spouse or a clinician feels impossible. Timestamps: 14:30 - The "stripping" effect that steals your control the moment you enter the system 17:00 - Knowledge is power, the questions that change your care and your confidence 19:45 - A patient's final words that reshaped how to live with purpose now 31:30 - PTSD and depression treatment hope, including EMDR and newer options she's seeing 32:45 - White Flag App, peer support in your lane when you need an assist right away Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://drpamela.com Follow Pamela Pyle on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drpamelapyle Follow Pamela Pyle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drpamelapyle/ Follow Pamela Pyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-prince-pyle-48323028/ White Flag App: https://www.whiteflagapp.com/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Home should feel like the safe part. For many veterans, it is the opposite. The noise is gone, the mission is gone, and the people around you might not know how to read the signs when you are running low. That is where isolation starts, and isolation is where things can get dangerous fast. This conversation pulls you into the real stakes of suicide prevention through the eyes of someone who has lived the aftermath. You will hear why suicide loss hits far beyond one household, why "I do not want to say the wrong thing" keeps too many of us quiet, and how a simple, direct question can create enough space for a crisis to settle. Carla also shares how her own story began: a young Marine wife, pregnant, then suddenly a widow, trying to survive grief, trauma, and a community that did not know what to do with suicide loss. If you have ever worried about a buddy, a spouse, a coworker, or yourself, this gives you a grounded way to think about the next right move. You do not need a title or a uniform to help save a life. You need connection, a willingness to ask, and a plan to get to the next level of support. Timestamps: 07:45: One death, 135 people impacted, and why that number changes how you show up 17:30: Pregnant, widowed, and suddenly alone, how suicide loss cut her off from the community 26:30: "Are you thinking about suicide?" Why asking it out loud is the turning point 36:59: The myth that "nothing can stop it," and what actually helps in a crisis 52:39: The Military Mentor Program, purpose and connection for veterans who want to give back Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.TAPS.org Follow TAPS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAPSorg/ Follow TAPS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tapsorg Follow TAPS on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/tapsorg Follow TAPS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tragedy-assistance-program-for-survivors/ Follow TAPS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tapsorg Follow Carla Stumpf Patton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-stumpf-patton-edd-lmhc-1a242936 Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

A lot of veterans grind through blurry vision, eye strain, and overpriced frames because nobody ever told them the VA can cover eye exams and prescription glasses. This episode puts that benefit in plain language, straight from a fellow infantryman who now runs the operation that fills millions of prescriptions for veterans each year. You will hear how Sean Loosen moved from West Point to Iraq, felt the culture shock of civilian work, and eventually stepped into leading PDS Optical, a company built around Pride, Dignity, and Service. Then the conversation locks onto the practical stuff veterans actually need, including who qualifies for VA eye care, how the VA workflow moves from optometrist to optician, and why the process can be smoother and faster than most people expect. It closes with a look at what it means to serve beyond the job, including their Honor Flight sponsorship. Timestamps: 04:15 - The VA glasses benefit 06:09 - Civilian culture shock and finding purpose again 14:00 - Eligibility based on service-connected disability and the PACT Act ripple 22:15 - Fast turnaround times 26:15 - Honor Flight sponsorship and the emotion behind giving back Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://pdsoptical.com/ VA Vision Care Information: https://www.va.gov/health-care/about-va-health-benefits/vision-care/ Follow Sean Loosen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-loosen/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

The hardest part of transition is not always the job search. It is the moment you realize the mission feeling did not automatically follow you home. This conversation is a reset for that. You will hear a clear, practical way to turn veteran strengths into local impact without burning out, starting with the Four Ts of true changemaking: time, talent, treasure, and testimony. The examples are grounded and real, from mentoring to board service, from small civic habits to the kind of logistics thinking that can take a nonprofit line from a long wait to a quick, efficient flow. The episode also goes deeper than volunteering. It gets into values alignment, purpose beyond titles, and emotional intelligence as a resilience skill you can train. The finish is a simple 30-day approach that starts with awareness, moves into small action, then self-regulation, and finally connection with other people, so service becomes a steady habit. Timestamps: 03:17 - The Four Ts that make service possible again 05:28 - Why veterans quietly transform nonprofits with execution and logistics 15:00 - The volunteer crisis and the veteran-sized solution 31:33 - Emotional intelligence as a resilience skill you can build 45:00 - The 30-day changemaker plan from zero to momentum Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: http://www.meetsuzanne.com/ Follow Suzanne Smith on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocialImpactArchitects Follow Suzanne Smith on Instagram: https://instagram.com/socialtrendspot Follow Suzanne Smith on Twitter/X: https://x.com/snstexas & https://x.com/socialtrendspot Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Headache pain can look like a minor annoyance until it starts stealing whole days. For many veterans, it is not a random ache that fades with water and a nap. It can be a complex, repeating neurological problem that shows up after exposures, stress, disrupted sleep, or injuries that never fully healed. This episode walks through why headaches and migraines hit the veteran community so hard, why the root cause often gets missed, and how to stop walking into appointments empty-handed. You will hear how the National Headache Foundation built Operation Brainstorm to make resources easier to find and use, including stories from veterans who live with this every day. The takeaway from this episode is treat this like a mission. Track attacks, document patterns, identify triggers, and bring a clean record to a dedicated appointment that stays focused on headache care. The conversation also covers the differences between preventive and abortive meds, how to advocate for referrals when primary care reaches its limits, and why specialized care, like the VA Headache Centers of Excellence, matters, especially for the hardest cases. This is for anyone tired of powering through and ready to build a plan that respects work, family, and the reality of living with pain. Timestamps: 01:47 - One third of veterans live with headaches and migraines 06:15 - Hundreds of headache types and why the label matters 09:45 - Cluster headache severity and the hidden days before head pain 13:45 - Build a plan, track patterns, walk in prepared 34:45 - VA Headache Centers of Excellence and the access fight Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Websites: https://www.operationbrainstorm.org/ https://headaches.org/taking-charge/ Follow National Headache Foundation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalHeadacheFoundation Follow National Headache Foundation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalheadachefoundation/ Follow National Headache Foundation on Twitter: https://x.com/nhf Follow National Headache Foundation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-headache-foundation/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

One report can flip your whole world upside down, especially when the people who promised support start calculating what your truth costs their careers. Chelsey Woodard shares what it felt like to go from a strong first stretch of service to a back half defined by retaliation, bureaucracy, and leaders choosing self-protection over accountability. She breaks down the tactics she saw up close: being pushed into a corner, being watched, being baited into mistakes, and having paperwork used as a weapon to build a "problem" narrative. Chelsey explains the moves that helped her hold herself together when the pressure spiked: document every conversation, send follow-up emails, keep copies in multiple places, use leave as recovery time, and find a place that calms your body so your mind stays sharp. She also talks about why the Vet Center felt safer than on-base options, and what it was like to set a hard boundary during SkillBridge when a civilian workplace started echoing the same patterns she was trying to escape. Timestamps: 00:03:05: Reporting and realizing the system protects careers first 00:04:15: Expedited transfer and an IG conclusion that changed nothing 00:07:09: The survival playbook: document everything and control the paper trail 00:14:15: How the Vet Center provided breathing room 00:21:00: SkillBridge fell apart fast Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Sleep breaks down, pain turns constant, and the mind keeps running like it never got the memo that the mission is over. This conversation follows what it looks like to claw your way back when the body is hurting, the nights are loud, and isolation starts to feel normal. Rowdie McMahon shares her experience as an Air Force nurse deployed to Afghanistan, including the relentless pace and mass casualty reality, and how that pressure followed her home. She opens up about chronic pain, years on heavy medications, and the slow work of tapering off while staying engaged with mental health support. From there, the story shifts to what finally helped: Wounded Warrior Project programs, small steps back into community, and a surprising turning point through racing, building cars with other veterans, and putting 988 and the Veterans Crisis Line on the car as part of the mission. Timestamps: 00:02:15: Mass casualty chaos and zero time to process it all 00:09:00: Nightmares, sleep fights, and realizing it is time to get help 00:19:08: Not all wounds are visible, the call that opened the door to support 00:26:09: Pickleball, sunlight, and the first step back into community 00:53:03: Putting 988 on a race car and why racing saved her life Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Follow Rowdie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rowdie988/ Wounded Warrior Project: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Walking away from the uniform often means walking away from purpose, identity, and your tribe all at once. In this conversation, retired Marine Colonel Brian Gilman shares how his own unexpected orders to a Pentagon reintegration office opened his eyes to what veterans really need after service and eventually led him home to Montana to lead Warriors and Quiet Waters. He breaks down their nine-month Built For More program, in which post-9/11 combat veterans spend two-week immersions in the Montana backcountry, with fly fishing, hunting, or photography as "co-facilitators," and six months of guided work at home focused on purpose, community, and thriving. You will hear Brian explain what actually happens to your brain and body in nature, why light focus activities can trigger those shower epiphanies, and how journaling and small peer cohorts of eight vets give you space to finally process what happened and what comes next. He shares real-world outcome data, including significant gains in purpose, sleep, and connection, and explains why strong relationships beat money and status for long-term well-being. If you are a post-9/11 vet in a civilian job who misses the platoon more than you can explain and wants a roadmap for a life that feels worth getting up for, this one is dialed in for you. Timestamps: 01:12 - 27 years in the Marines 04:18 - About Warriors and Quiet Waters 09:32 - The science of nature and why your brain relaxes outside 14:05 - Inside the 9-month Built For More program 27:10 - Why strong relationships keep vets alive Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.warriorsandquietwaters.org/ Follow Warriors and Quiet Waters on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wqwMontana/timeline Follow Warriors and Quiet Waters on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warriorsandquietwaters/ Follow Brian Gilman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilmanbrian/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Pain meds after surgery were supposed to help her heal, not take over her life. Years of prescriptions following a C-section, miscarriages, and unresolved childhood sexual trauma quietly turned into addiction, shame, and a double life that looked perfect on the outside while crumbling on the inside. When everything finally imploded, Shannon said yes to help, went to The Meadows in Arizona, and started the hard work of sobriety, inner child healing, and facing what she had been trying to numb for years. In this conversation, Shannon talks with Scott about why addiction is a symptom, not an identity, and why shame and silence keep so many vets stuck. She shares how she supports veterans, including her own partner, who survived a suicide attempt, by creating judgment-free spaces, normalizing dark thoughts, and asking the real question: why would dying feel easier than speaking up. From powerful inner child work and self-forgiveness to psychedelic-assisted healing with iboga at Ayo Life Sciences in Mexico, Shannon explains how some veterans are reducing PTSD, TBI symptoms, and pill loads while rebuilding a new sense of purpose after the uniform. They close with simple daily practices like gratitude lists, reframing painful experiences, and finding new missions through retreats and coaching that help vets move from fight-or-flight into a life that actually feels worth staying in. Timestamps: 00:01:35 - When Shannon's perfect life implodes, and she finally says yes to help 00:06:02 - Miscarriages, childhood trauma, and how prescriptions became her coping strategy 00:08:20 - Addiction as a symptom and why she refuses to shame anyone for using it to cope 00:26:35 - Inner child work, protecting the little boy who never felt safe, and why vets struggle to see themselves as worthy of love 00:31:18 - Iboga plant medicine in Mexico, massive shifts for PTSD and TBI, and why preparation and safety matter so much Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.angelgoddesshealing.com Follow Shannon Curtis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angel.goddess.healing Follow Shannon Curtis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelgoddesshealing Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Coming home was supposed to be the safe part. For the 1st Battalion 17th Infantry, it did not work out that way. They lost 22 soldiers during their 2009 to 2010 Afghanistan deployment, then as many more after returning home. At one funeral, a soldier finally said what many were thinking: "When is someone going to do something about this?" That question pushed former platoon leader Adam Swift to start searching for an answer in the middle of the night, which led him to The Independence Fund and its unit retreat program, Operation Resilience. Scott sits down with Adam and Independence Fund Deputy Chief of Operations Steven Rozina to hear how Operation Resilience brings entire units back together for a long weekend. Flights are covered, the veteran pays nothing, and the schedule blends fun sober events like NASCAR and hockey with long, guided clinical sessions. Units literally map out their deployment, from pre-mob through the worst days downrange and into life back home, finally talking through firefights, IED blasts, and moral injuries they have carried alone for years. Adam shares what it was like to watch brothers he had not seen in 15 years walk out of the hotel elevators, and how The Independence Fund quietly recreated the teepee memorial from their FOB so the unit could honor their fallen around a final-night bonfire. You will also hear exactly how to get your own unit considered for Operation Resilience and why you do not need to be in command to step up and start the process. Timestamps: 00:03:30: The suicide funeral that sparked Operation Resilience and a hard decision to say no more 00:09:30: Adam realizes being home feels more dangerous than Afghanistan after losing 22 more brothers 00:15:15: Inside the marathon clinical session, where the unit spends eight hours walking through their deployment 00:17:45: Elevators open, brothers step out, and a battalion reconnects after 15 years apart 00:49:15: Scott's challenge to listeners to be the one who steps up and brings their unit to Operation Resilience Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 The Independence Fund Website: https://independencefund.org/ Operation Resilience: https://independencefund.org/pages/operation-resiliency Follow The Independence Fund on X: https://twitter.com/indyfund Follow The Independence Fund on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependenceFund/ Follow The Independence Fund on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independencefund/ Follow The Independence Fund on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-independence-fund/ Follow The Independence Fund on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUrXtHO1C7HiGNSoOfWlqwg Follow Adam Swift on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-swift-281a688b/ Follow Adam Swift on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adam.swift.940 17th Infantry Association: https://www.17thinfantry.org/ Transcript