What happens when life gives you no time to feel ready? For U.S. Army veteran Caressa Bell, that question became very real when she was a young soldier, a single mother to a four-month-old son, and received just one week’s notice to deploy. Fear was present. Uncertainty was real. But…
Caressa Bell grew up in a small community outside Chicago near Great Lakes Naval Base, where military life was always around her. By her junior year of high school, she had already made a decision that would change the direction of her life: she was joining the military. Caressa originally…
When someone has been inside the suicidal thought process, D. Paul Fleming says the conversation needs more empathy—and less judgment. In this clip from The MisFitNation, the U.S. Navy veteran and author of A Date With Suicide explains why he does not see suicide as simply a selfish act. Speaking…
In this clip from The MisFitNation, U.S. Navy veteran and author D. Paul Fleming challenges the way veteran suicide is often discussed—especially when the conversation becomes centered almost entirely on firearms. D. Paul argues that focusing too narrowly on one method can distract from the larger issue: why so many…
Retired Fire Lieutenant and EMT David Dachinger has one message every first responder needs to hear: You do not have to carry it alone. Firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, police officers, dispatchers, and veterans spend their lives helping everyone else—but that does not mean they should suffer in silence. In this powerful…
A two-time Grammy-nominated music professional, retired firefighter/EMT, cancer survivor, author, and first responder advocate shares what happens when the helper becomes the one who needs help. Spotify / Apple Podcasts Description: What happens when a man who spent more than two decades running toward emergencies suddenly finds himself facing one…
After surviving Stage IV cancer, retired Fire Lieutenant and EMT David Dachinger says his definition of a “bad day” completely changed. During cancer treatment, even something as simple as finding one food that tasted good became a victory. That experience recalibrated how he saw adversity, gratitude, time, and the value…
When a veteran finally opens up, don’t interrupt. Don’t immediately offer advice. Don’t listen just to prepare your response. U.S. Navy veteran and author D. Paul Fleming explains one of the simplest—and most important—ways families, friends, leaders, and fellow veterans can support someone carrying trauma: Just listen. As D. Paul…
🔥 SOME STORIES DESERVE A SECOND CHAPTER—AND THIS WEEK WE'VE GOT THREE GREAT ONES! From amplifying the voices of female Veterans, to surviving a heart transplant, to fighting for Veterans who don't know what benefits they've earned—there's a lot coming your way! 🇺🇸 SUNDAY – SUSAN L. COMBS RETURNS! This…
🔥 WHAT A WEEK ACROSS THE MISFITNATION! Recovery. Faith. FBI SWAT. Reinvention. Loss. Mediumship. Psychological horror. Yeah...we covered some ground this week! ⚓ SUNDAY – MATTHEW STATES Rich welcomed U.S. Navy Veteran Matthew States, founder of Divine Chosen Ones and Soul Shine Struggle. With more than 24 years of military…
Army veteran Cory Gold survived a parachute failure during Airborne School that left him with a broken back and traumatic brain injury—but one of the hardest parts of his story happened after he left the Army. For FOUR YEARS, Cory lived with physical and psychological pain without knowing that VA…
What do you do with years you were never guaranteed? On this episode of The Toosday Crüe, we welcome Gaylen Wilson, heart transplant survivor, 20-year sobriety veteran, Certified Thriving Relationship Coach, entrepreneur, and co-creator of The Monument Method. Gaylen’s life hasn’t been one comeback. It has been a lifetime of…
What does resilience really look like? And what does it take to rebuild your life after serving your country? Susan L. Combs returns to The MisFitNation for a powerful conversation about her new book, Wonder Women: The Untold Stories of Female Veterans—a collection that gives female Veterans the opportunity to…
Jason Murff never expected Sailor Jerry to come calling. Then the Grill Your Ass Off team received an email asking if they would create a BBQ sauce. Jason jumped on a call, heard the pitch, and said yes—but only on one condition: If they were going to build the product…
Social media can make entrepreneurship look like nonstop success. Jason Murff says the reality is very different. Some days you’re winning. Some days you’re getting crushed. The key is to keep moving, rely on your team, rebuild the kind of community you had in the military, and focus on the…
What happens when the military career you planned ends unexpectedly—and the civilian world tells you the experience you spent years building somehow “doesn’t count”? In this episode of The MisFitNation, U.S. Navy veteran Diana Ocasio shares her powerful journey from military service to entrepreneurship, identity rebuilding, and helping other veterans…
Veterans often leave the military thinking they have to start over. Diana Ocasio says that’s the wrong way to look at it. The skills you already built in uniform—leadership, organization, administration, logistics, communication, research, problem-solving, systems management, and more—can have real value in the civilian marketplace. Through Mission to Monetize,…
Her Military Transition Became a Nightmare Overnight From Navy Career to Single Mom & Jobless Veteran She Left the Navy—and Lost Everything at Once YOUTUBE SHORTS DESCRIPTION Diana Ocasio planned to spend 20 years in the U.S. Navy. Then everything changed. After nearly a decade of service, Diana was medically…
Jason Murff wanted to stay in the Army. But after ankle problems, surgery, and a medical situation that only got worse, he was faced with a decision he never expected: Change his MOS—or take a medical discharge. For Jason, that moment became a major turning point. The infantry career he…
If a combat medic had to choose the first two items for an emergency medical kit, what would make the cut? Patrick Thibeault’s answer: 🩸 #1 — Tourniquets 🩹 #2 — An Israeli/pressure dressing But Patrick adds something even more important: Don’t just buy them. Train with them. He recommends…
Patrick Thibeault was still a teenager when he experienced what he calls his first real taste of “blood, sweat, and tears” as a combat medic. During Desert Storm, Patrick found himself treating wounded soldiers in the back of a modified Black Hawk — suddenly putting his medical training to work…
Before Jason Murff ever put on an Army uniform, he was already learning entrepreneurship the hard way. At just 17, Jason bought a fireworks stand, helped a childhood friend get off house arrest by putting him to work, and eventually expanded into a fireworks business and diesel shop. His assessment…
What happens when the power goes out, the roads are blocked, and 911 can’t get to you? For Patrick Thibeault, preparedness isn’t a theory. It was forged in places where hesitation, poor training, and bad decisions could cost lives. In this episode of The MisFitNation, Rich LaMonica sits down with…
