The MisFitNation

Everyone knows you as the person who handles everything. Who do you turn to when you’re the one struggling?

For retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Amber Houghton, life after military service brought more than a career change. After 28 years in uniform, retirement, divorce, and changing relationships with her children challenged the identities she had built her life around.

On The MisFitNation Show, Amber joins Rich LaMonica to share what people couldn’t see behind the capable exterior: staying busy to avoid the quiet, pouring into others while running on empty, and struggling to ask for help.

Now a human performance strategist and founder of Elite Performance Strategies, Amber opens up about the ongoing work of discovering who she is beneath her rank, responsibilities, and other people’s expectations.

This conversation explores:

• Military transition and the identity questions a civilian résumé can’t answer

• How high performance can conceal emotional exhaustion

• The cost of compartmentalizing pain and carrying it into relationships

• Finding purpose and human connection after military retirement

• Changing the way you talk to yourself

• Accepting help when you’re used to being everyone else’s support system

• Leading with empathy, self-awareness, and better communication

Amber also shares a simple reflection exercise she used to begin exploring who she was beyond the uniform—and why finding purpose takes curiosity, honesty, and action.

Whether you’re preparing to leave the military, adjusting to retirement, navigating a major life change, or quietly exhausted from being “the strong one,” this episode offers an honest place to begin.

Your next chapter deserves the same attention you’ve given everyone else.

CONNECT WITH AMBER HOUGHTON

Website: https://www.amberhoughton.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElitePerformanceStrategies

CONNECT WITH THE MISFITNATION

Website: https://www.themisfitnation.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_MisFitNation

Follow The MisFitNation Show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and share this episode with someone figuring out what comes next.

Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Keep Hustling.

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You can leave the military with valuable skills, land a good job, and still feel lost. Jon Cole knows that feeling—and the toll it can take when you try to carry it alone.

In this episode of The MisFitNation’s ToosDay Crüe, Jake Holland and Stephen LaMonica sit down with retired U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jon Cole, host of The Bunkhouse Podcast. After 16 years of service and three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Jon’s medical retirement brought a challenge his résumé couldn’t solve: finding purpose and belonging beyond the Marines.

Jon speaks candidly about isolation, increased drinking, strain on his marriage, and the realization that he needed help. He shares how counseling, journaling, faith, and family helped him move forward—and how reconnecting with fellow veterans gave him a mission he cared about.

Along the way, the conversation explores the grief that follows you home, the family milestones missed during deployments, and the courage it takes to build new friendships when the old brotherhood feels distant.

You’ll hear:

• Why meaningful work and personal purpose don’t always arrive together

• How Jon began opening up and rebuilding his support system

• What he learned about putting counseling tools into practice

• Why helping someone feel heard starts with listening

• How The Bunkhouse evolved from an IT career podcast into a home for veteran mental health conversations

There’s humor, hard-earned perspective, and a challenge you can act on today: check on one person you haven’t heard from lately. You don’t need the perfect words to let someone know they matter.

“Be the light in someone’s dark.” — Jon Cole

Connect with Jon and The Bunkhouse Podcast:

https://linktr.ee/thebunkhouse

Explore The MisFitNation:

https://www.TheMisFitNation.com

Watch our interviews and join the conversation:

https://www.youtube.com/@The_MisFitNation

Follow The MisFitNation for more conversations about leadership, service, resilience, and the next chapter. Share this episode with someone navigating life after the military.

Need immediate support? Call 988. Veterans, press 1.

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She lost 100 pounds. Life still didn’t feel right.

For U.S. Navy Veteran Francine Juhlin, getting healthy revealed a deeper question: What actually makes me happy—and who am I beyond the work I’ve always done?

On The MisFitNation Show, Francine joins Rich LaMonica for an honest, uplifting conversation about military transition, identity, and finding purpose after service. Her journey spans 10 years in the Navy, Army National Guard service, an Iraq deployment, and decades supporting military aviation. But her next chapter took her somewhere unexpected: writing books and helping others discover their confidence.

Francine shares how she challenged beliefs she had carried since childhood, developed her six-step personal change process, and found her voice through Toastmasters and storytelling. She also opens up about imposter syndrome, the uncertainty of becoming an author, and the joy that now fuels her work.

Her mission reaches beyond veterans. Through her Camp Confidence children’s books and Personal Change Warriors resources, she helps people explore who they are, what matters to them, and what they want to do next.

You’ll hear:
• Why changing your circumstances may not change how you feel about yourself
• How to begin exploring a new purpose when you don’t know where to start
• What military leadership taught her—and what leading volunteers required her to learn
• How adults can nurture children’s confidence and creativity
• Why asking for help can open the door to your next chapter

Whether you’re leaving the military, approaching retirement, supporting a military family, or reconsidering your career, this episode invites you to ask a powerful question: What would a meaningful next chapter look like for you?

Connect with Francine and explore her free Clarity Starter Pack:
https://personalchangewarriors.com/

Discover more stories of leadership, service, and resilience:
https://www.themisfitnation.com/

Follow The MisFitNation Show and share this episode with someone searching for their next mission.

Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Keep Hustling.

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You trained to survive enemy fire. Who prepared you for the questions about your own?

Thousands of mortar rounds. Repeated breaching charges. Years around heavy weapons. For the warfighters behind those systems, the conversation about blast exposure doesn’t end when the firing stops.

U.S. Army combat veteran Timothy “Tim” Grossman joins Rich LaMonica and Jake Holland on The MisFitNation for a raw conversation about blast overpressure, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the invisible burdens veterans can carry into civilian life.

A former mortarman with the 101st Airborne Division’s Rakkasans and the 1st Infantry Division, Tim knows the gun line firsthand. After nearly two decades in veterans advocacy, including work with Disabled American Veterans and Wounded Warrior Project, he now leads the Cohort of Overpressured Warfighters Action Council (COWAC).

His message: veterans need information they can use while the larger fight for recognition continues.

This episode explores military occupational blast exposure through research, advocacy, and personal experience. Tim explains why repetitive low-level blast exposure during military training deserves attention, how he approaches the gaps in the science, and why an individual veteran’s exposure history matters.

Jake brings his own EOD experience into a candid discussion of memory difficulties, emotional changes, and the struggle to explain what life feels like after service.

Together, we examine:

• Blast overpressure exposure among mortarmen, artillery crews, breachers, EOD technicians, and special operations personnel.

• Brain fog, headaches, tinnitus, sleep difficulties, and other concerns raised in the conversation.

• Overlapping PTSD and TBI symptoms—and the importance of looking deeper.

• The distance between military brain-health research and VA disability recognition.

• Documenting military exposure and discussing it with a medical provider.

• The role of medical evidence, clinician opinions, and veterans service officers in service-connection claims.

• Why Tim created a reference to help clinicians and advocates understand blast exposure.

At the heart of this conversation is a question every American should hear: What responsibility do we carry when the weapons we ask service members to fire may leave injuries we cannot see?

If you served around heavy weapons, love someone who did, or work in veteran healthcare or disability advocacy, make time for this episode.

Listen. Follow The MisFitNation. Send this conversation to the battle buddy who keeps saying, “I haven’t felt like myself since I got home.”

Explore Tim’s educational resources and advocacy:

https://cowac.org/

More from The MisFitNation:

https://www.themisfitnation.com/

Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Keep Hustling.

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Casey Callister was preparing for life after the Army when a head-on collision changed his future. Paralyzed from the waist down, he faced more than learning to use a wheelchair. He had to rethink his independence, his identity, and how he would show up for his wife and two children.

Then his young son asked a question that stayed with him: “What do you do for work?”

Casey had always taught his children to work hard and take responsibility. That question challenged him to lead by example—and helped push him toward a new way to serve.

On The MisFitNation, host Rich LaMonica sits down with the U.S. Army veteran, former medic, and co-founder and president of Vet5 Foundation for a candid conversation about spinal cord injury, veteran mental health, accepting help, and finding purpose after a life-changing setback.

Casey shares how twenty years of reunions with his Army brothers became the foundation for helping other disabled veterans and their families reconnect with life. Through adaptive fishing, hunting, outdoor experiences, and accessible family retreats, Vet5 creates opportunities to rediscover confidence and build friendships that continue after the trip ends.

The details make this conversation powerful: inspecting hotel rooms to ensure accessibility, offering electric fishing reels, and helping an injured veteran shoulder a shotgun so he could enjoy shooting skeet again. Each story shows how thoughtful support can make something that feels impossible become possible.

Casey also speaks honestly about the help he still struggles to accept, why healing looks different for everyone, and the often overlooked weight carried by spouses and caregivers. His approach to nonprofit partnerships offers another lesson in leadership: cooperation expands what a community can accomplish.

For veterans, first responders, military families, caregivers, and anyone rebuilding after adversity, this episode offers a personal perspective on moving forward without having every answer.

Your next chapter may look different. It can still be meaningful.

Connect with Vet5 Foundation:
https://vet5.org/

Explore The MisFitNation:
https://www.themisfitnation.com

Watch the interview and subscribe on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@The_MisFitNation

Follow The MisFitNation on your favorite podcast app, share this episode with someone facing a difficult transition, and tell us: What helped you find your next mission?

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When Zachary Leyden left the Army after serving in Afghanistan, he expected civilian life to be his next adventure. Instead, he felt lost without the mission and the people beside him. After a DUI, a Vietnam veteran invited him to work with Mustangs. One horse, Kirby, would not let Zachary near him. Zachary spent days trying to earn his trust—until he stopped chasing, sat down in the pasture, and let Kirby come to him.

That moment changed how Zachary understood horses, himself, and the people he hoped to help.

On The MisFitNation, Zachary tells Rich LaMonica how he built Ocean View Stables near San Francisco, where veterans have been invited to ride free since day one. He shares why working with a horse begins with presence and clear communication, how people can unintentionally teach a rescue horse to fear them, and what “soft is strong” means when you are standing beside a 1,200-pound animal.

Their conversation also reaches beyond the barn: the challenge of asking for help after service, leadership without rank, the founding of Saved by the Saddle, and Soft Is Strong: The Art of Horsemanship, the book Zachary wrote with his wife, Kalea. When Rich asks him to set every title aside and name his mission now, Zachary’s answer is simple: to be a good father.

Connect with Zachary:
Ocean View Stables: https://www.oceanviewstables.com
Saved by the Saddle: https://www.savedbythesaddle.org
Leyden Horsemanship: https://www.leydenhorsemanship.com

Explore The MisFitNation: https://www.themisfitnation.com

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Before Ron “Toes” Cooper became an F-4 fighter pilot and squadron commander, he was a young man afraid to ask questions. Four people believed in him when he struggled to believe in himself. Their influence helped shape a 22-year Air Force career that included more than 300 combat missions—and the work he does with leaders today.

Ron joins Rich LaMonica on The MisFitNation for a conversation about what pressure reveals. In the cockpit, he learned to think ahead, prepare for what might go wrong, and adapt without losing sight of the mission. In organizations, he sees the same need for clear communication, genuine trust, and people willing to listen before they lead.

They also explore how a leader can rebuild trust after losing it, why a company’s everyday behavior matters more than its stated values, and how mentoring someone can change the direction of a life. Ron’s story is a reminder that confidence can grow—and that the people we believe in may carry that belief far beyond us.

Connect with Ron and The Cooper Culture: https://thecooperculture.com/
Explore The MisFitNation: https://www.themisfitnation.com/

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What if the thing you were meant to do took you 14 years to finally finish?

On this episode of The ToosDay Crüe, Stephen and Jake sit down with Chad R. Martin — author, professional wrestler, podcast host, entrepreneur, personal trainer, and lifelong storyteller — for a conversation about reinvention, persistence, and what happens when you stop putting your own dreams on hold.

Long before he became a published author, Chad was stepping into wrestling rings as Big Daddy Storm.

He started out as a shy introvert who was uncomfortable talking to people. Professional wrestling changed that.

It taught him how to read a room, connect with an audience, create emotion, think on his feet, communicate under pressure, and tell a story people could actually feel.

Those lessons followed him everywhere.

Into business.

Into podcasting.

And eventually, into writing.

Chad first began working on his novel Hale County years ago, but life kept getting in the way. Work, family, responsibilities, unfinished drafts, creative roadblocks, and the habit of putting everyone else's needs ahead of his own kept the book unfinished for more than a decade.

Then one person kept asking him the same question:

“Where’s the book?”

For 14 years.

That simple question eventually became the push he needed.

Once Chad finally discovered how the story ended, he outlined the rest of the novel and completed it in roughly 60 days.

After 14 years of waiting.

And once that door opened, the stories started pouring out.

This conversation goes far beyond writing.

Chad talks about the physical reality of professional wrestling, why wrestlers have to trust each other even when they don't like each other, the psychology of engaging an audience, why communication matters more than flashy moves, and why some of the hardest lessons in life come from failure.

He also opens up about why authenticity matters so much to him now.

His philosophy is simple:

Be yourself.

Stop trying to become the version of yourself you think other people want.

Make mistakes.

Fail.

Learn.

Adapt.

And keep moving.

Stephen, Jake, and Chad also get into science fiction, aliens, podcasting, management, audience connection, classic rock, Star Wars vs. Star Trek, DC vs. Marvel, wrestling stories, writing across multiple genres, and the kind of unpredictable rabbit holes that make The ToosDay Crüe what it is.

If you've ever had a dream sitting unfinished in the background of your life, this conversation is for you.

Because sometimes the dream didn't disappear.

You just haven't finished it yet.

Learn more about Chad R. Martin and his books:

https://chadrmartin.com/

Visit The Misfit Nation:

http://www.themisfitnation.com

In this episode: Chad Martin, Big Daddy Storm, Hale County, professional wrestling, indie authors, writing, storytelling, podcasting, personal growth, reinvention, perseverance, overcoming fear, creativity, entrepreneurship, communication, and learning from failure.

The ToosDay Crüe — real people, real conversations, and zero idea where the ride is going next.

Be humble. Stay hungry. Keep hustling.

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What happens when you survive war zones—but struggle to survive the life waiting for you when you come home?

In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, Rich sits down with award-winning journalist, former NPR Kabul correspondent, and author Sean Carberry for a deeply personal conversation about war, trauma, addiction, identity, and what happens when the adrenaline suddenly stops.

Sean spent more than 15 years reporting from some of the most dangerous places in the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Congo, and Yemen.

For years, danger was normal.

There was always another story. Another mission. Another place where the stakes were high and the people around him understood exactly what it meant to live on edge.

Then he came home.

And everything got quiet.

That silence became its own kind of battle.

Sean opens up about how PTSD showed up in ways he did not immediately recognize—hypervigilance, disconnection, restlessness, loss of purpose, and the inability to feel at home in ordinary life.

Then came gambling.

What started as entertainment turned into high-stakes video poker, massive wins, devastating losses, casino perks, and an increasingly dangerous cycle of chasing the next rush.

At one point, Sean could lose more than $10,000 in a day—then hit a jackpot moments later and convince himself he could keep going.

That cycle became the foundation for his new memoir:

Doubling Down: A Memoir of War, PTSD, and the Dangerous Bets We Make

But this conversation is about much more than gambling.

Sean and Rich dig into the psychology of coming home after living in high-intensity environments, the loss of identity that can follow military service, journalism, first-response work, and other mission-driven careers, and why people who appear successful on the outside can still be falling apart privately.

They also explore something rarely discussed:

What happens to journalists, contractors, humanitarian workers, and civilians who experience war-zone trauma but do not have the same support systems available to military veterans?

Sean explains why simply telling someone, “There’s a counselor you can call,” is not enough—and why organizations that send people into dangerous environments must take greater responsibility for what happens when those people come home.

You’ll also hear Sean talk candidly about destructive relationships, chasing danger long after leaving Afghanistan, the seductive power of casino culture, and the moment he began recognizing a recurring pattern in his life:

When the smarter decision was to walk away, he often chose to double down.

This episode is raw, thoughtful, sometimes funny, and deeply human.

It is a conversation about what trauma can look like when no one else can see it.

About why purpose can disappear overnight.

About the danger of replacing one adrenaline rush with another.

And about how rebuilding your life often begins with recognizing the patterns that keep pulling you back toward the edge.

Sean also shares one simple piece of advice that could matter more than we realize:

Check on the people you haven’t heard from in a while.

You do not always know who is struggling behind the version of themselves they show the world.

Listen to this episode through the end for an unforgettable conversation about war, PTSD, gambling addiction, recovery, purpose, connection, and what it really means to come home.

Learn more about Sean Carberry:

https://passport-stamps.com/

Learn more about The MisFitNation:

http://www.themisfitnation.com

If this conversation speaks to you, share it with someone who may need to hear it.

And if you are struggling, reach out to someone you trust. In the United States, you can call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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U.S. Army veteran Cory Gold thought his military career was just beginning.

Then a parachute malfunction during Airborne School changed everything.

The hard landing left Cory with a broken back, traumatic brain injury, and a future that looked nothing like the one he had planned. His time in the Army ended quickly, but the physical and psychological aftermath followed him home.

What Cory didn’t know was that help was available.

For nearly four years after leaving the military, he lived with pain, instability, and untreated challenges without realizing he could access VA disability benefits and other veteran resources. It wasn’t until another veteran he met at a dog park told him about the VA that Cory began the process of getting the support he had earned through his service.

That moment changed his life.

In this episode of The MisFitNation Show, host and U.S. Army veteran Rich LaMonica sits down with Cory to talk about his military experience, the parachute accident that ended his Army career, the long road to understanding his VA benefits, and the mission that grew out of everything he endured.

Today, Cory is the founder of Worth Their Weight, an organization focused on connecting veterans with the programs, services, and accredited support that fit their needs—at no cost to the veteran.

The conversation also explores why so many veterans never file for benefits, why some feel they don’t “deserve” support, the dangers of paying unnecessary fees for claims assistance, and why organizations may need to stop waiting for struggling veterans to walk through the door and ask for help.

Cory also shares what it took to build a nonprofit from the ground up, how Worth Their Weight reaches unsheltered and underserved veterans, and why something as simple as transportation, a phone, or one trusted connection can completely change someone’s path.

This episode covers:

• Surviving a parachute malfunction during Airborne School

• Living with a broken back and traumatic brain injury

• Spending four years without knowing VA benefits were available

• Navigating VA disability claims and ratings

• Why intent-to-file timing matters

• The role of VSOs and accredited veteran representatives

• Avoiding unnecessary fees and predatory claims services

• Supporting homeless and unsheltered veterans

• Post-service identity and purpose

• Family support, mental health, and recovery

• Building Worth Their Weight

• Connecting veterans with the right resources

• Why veterans should never assume they have to figure everything out alone

Cory’s story is about more than a failed parachute.

It’s about what happens when a veteran survives the injury—but doesn’t know where to turn afterward.

Learn more about Worth Their Weight:

https://worththeirweight.org/

Explore more episodes from The MisFitNation:

http://www.themisfitnation.com

If this episode resonates with you, share it with a veteran, military family, or someone who may not know what resources are available to them.

Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Keep Hustling.

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