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His Gun Misfired During His Suicide: Eric Donoho On Second Chances, Moral-Injury, & Purpose
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Today, I sit down with Eric Donoho, a retired infantryman, sniper-qualified airborne soldier, combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, author, speaker, and advocate who has turned his personal battles into a mission to save others. Mr. Donoho walks me through his unlikely entry into the Army at twenty-six, his deployment to Iraq, and the multiple IEDs, rocket attacks, and near-death events that led to both physical injury and deep emotional wounds. He shares the story of February 14th, 2007—the day he felt a prompting to combat-lock his Humvee door just minutes before a roadside bomb struck. That gut feeling, which he now recognizes as God, saved his life.
Our conversation moves into what happened after he came home. Mr. Donoho explains how he was moved into the Warrior Transition Unit due to repeated blast exposure and how years of weekly PTSD counseling failed to bring real relief. In December 2015, overwhelmed by hopelessness and convinced his family would be better off without him, he attempted suicide at his kitchen table. His Glock jammed. That moment became a turning point that forced him to confront a deeper truth—his suffering wasn’t just PTSD. It was moral injury.
Mr. Donoho breaks down the difference between PTSD and moral injury—the invisible wound caused by actions, inaction, or events that violate a person’s core moral beliefs. He explains how moral injury destroys faith, identity, relationships, and emotional stability, and why the Department of Defense and VA continue to ignore it despite its overwhelming presence among service members. He describes how moral injury shows up as hyper-control, emotional shutdown, fear-based living, resentment, and spiritual disconnection. Healing began when he placed trust not in himself, but first in his wife and eventually in God, allowing him to rebuild the moral foundation he had lost in war.
We also discuss his work in Washington, D.C., where he advocated for veteran mental health reform and supported the creation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Mr. Donoho explains how he trained veterans to speak with lawmakers, shared his own suicide attempt on Capitol Hill, and highlighted the uncomfortable truth that major veteran organizations refuse to acknowledge moral injury due to no-faith or anti-faith policies. Despite more than a decade of rising suicide numbers, the VA has funded zero programs and zero research initiatives dedicated to moral injury.
Before we wrap up, Mr. Donoho discusses his book Canyon of Hope and how his company, Hand Up LLC, helps fund advocacy efforts and support veteran nonprofits. He encourages veterans to seek healing that addresses every part of the human experience: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
https://ericdonoho.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopmWZQwjFa7q6y5TV1MsOMfaL2XiYVeW7TbMkkfnVFkn1A2clgH
Website: https://coupleonukes.com
Exodus, Honor Your Heart, & Nulu Knives: https://www.coupleonukes.com/affiliates/
Want to be a guest on Couple O' Nukes? Send me a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1726279485588093e83e0e007
Sign Up For A PodMatch Account: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/coupleonukes
*Couple O' Nukes LLC and Mr. Whiskey are not licensed medical entities, nor do they take responsibility for any advice or information put forth by guests. Take all advice at your own risk.
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Today, I sit down with Eric Donoho, a retired infantryman, sniper-qualified airborne soldier, combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, author, speaker, and advocate who has turned his personal battles into a mission to save others. Mr. Donoho walks me through his unlikely entry into the Army at twenty-six, his deployment to Iraq, and the multiple IEDs, rocket attacks, and near-death events that led to both physical injury and deep emotional wounds. He shares the story of February 14th, 2007—the day he felt a prompting to combat-lock his Humvee door just minutes before a roadside bomb struck. That gut feeling, which he now recognizes as God, saved his life.
Our conversation moves into what happened after he came home. Mr. Donoho explains how he was moved into the Warrior Transition Unit due to repeated blast exposure and how years of weekly PTSD counseling failed to bring real relief. In December 2015, overwhelmed by hopelessness and convinced his family would be better off without him, he attempted suicide at his kitchen table. His Glock jammed. That moment became a turning point that forced him to confront a deeper truth—his suffering wasn’t just PTSD. It was moral injury.
Mr. Donoho breaks down the difference between PTSD and moral injury—the invisible wound caused by actions, inaction, or events that violate a person’s core moral beliefs. He explains how moral injury destroys faith, identity, relationships, and emotional stability, and why the Department of Defense and VA continue to ignore it despite its overwhelming presence among service members. He describes how moral injury shows up as hyper-control, emotional shutdown, fear-based living, resentment, and spiritual disconnection. Healing began when he placed trust not in himself, but first in his wife and eventually in God, allowing him to rebuild the moral foundation he had lost in war.
We also discuss his work in Washington, D.C., where he advocated for veteran mental health reform and supported the creation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Mr. Donoho explains how he trained veterans to speak with lawmakers, shared his own suicide attempt on Capitol Hill, and highlighted the uncomfortable truth that major veteran organizations refuse to acknowledge moral injury due to no-faith or anti-faith policies. Despite more than a decade of rising suicide numbers, the VA has funded zero programs and zero research initiatives dedicated to moral injury.
Before we wrap up, Mr. Donoho discusses his book Canyon of Hope and how his company, Hand Up LLC, helps fund advocacy efforts and support veteran nonprofits. He encourages veterans to seek healing that addresses every part of the human experience: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
https://ericdonoho.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopmWZQwjFa7q6y5TV1MsOMfaL2XiYVeW7TbMkkfnVFkn1A2clgH
Website: https://coupleonukes.com
Exodus, Honor Your Heart, & Nulu Knives: https://www.coupleonukes.com/affiliates/
Want to be a guest on Couple O' Nukes? Send me a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1726279485588093e83e0e007
Sign Up For A PodMatch Account: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/coupleonukes
*Couple O' Nukes LLC and Mr. Whiskey are not licensed medical entities, nor do they take responsibility for any advice or information put forth by guests. Take all advice at your own risk.