This week on The MisFitNation, two extraordinary Veterans shared stories of trauma, survival, resilience, and the lasting impact of events that changed their lives forever.
🇺🇸 SUNDAY – KENT MCGOWEN | FROM AIR FORCE VETERAN TO A CONTROVERSIAL SHOOTING
Kent McGowen entered the U.S. Air Force at just 17 years old. After active duty, he continued serving in the Texas Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve before entering law enforcement.
He served with the Houston Police Department and later the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
On August 25, 1992, Kent was involved in a shooting that would change his life.
Kent maintains he acted in self-defense. Prosecutors and his superiors saw the incident differently.
What followed was a legal ordeal that Kent describes as costing him 20 years of his life.
We explored his experience, the competing accounts surrounding the shooting, and the resilience required to share his story decades later.
🇺🇸 THURSDAY –JENN MANGINI | OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING & THE INVISIBLE WOUNDS
U.S. Army combat medic and author Jenn Mangini joined us to discuss her memoir, A Shadow of Me.
In 1995, Jenn was called to assist after the Oklahoma City bombing.
For three harrowing days, she helped identify victims of one of America's deadliest acts of domestic terrorism.
The experience changed her life.
For years, Jenn believed she had spent TWO WEEKS there.
In reality, it was THREE DAYS.
That distortion of time revealed just how deeply the trauma had affected her.
For roughly 20 years, Jenn carried those experiences before beginning to find healing, support, and a community that understood.
🎙️ TWO INTERVIEWS. TWO LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS.
These conversations remind us that trauma doesn't always end when the event is over—and that telling our stories can help others feel less alone.
📖 Explore more stories on Substack and watch for the upcoming MisFitNation Report.
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Be humble. Stay hungry. Keep hustling!
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