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

Scott DeLuzio
  • 5.0 (93)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Are you a veteran struggling with PTSD, combat stress, or adjusting to civilian life? Tired of feeling isolated and unsure where to turn for support? You deserve solutions from mental health experts, veteran nonprofits, and fellow veterans who truly understand what you're facing. Each week, host Scott DeLuzio, an Army veteran and Gold Star Brother, shares interviews and practical steps to help you regain purpose, rebuild confidence, and thrive after military service. Find hope and take the next step forward.

  1. Scuba Therapy For Veterans

    1d ago

    Scuba Therapy For Veterans

    A hospital bed, a trach tube, and a doctor saying the water was gone from his future could have been the end of the story. Joe Gonzalez, a disabled Navy veteran, refused to let that be the final chapter. After years of surgeries, opioid addiction, anger, depression, and the heavy mental weight that comes with disability, he found a new mission through the ocean. This conversation goes into the mindset shift that helped Joe move from survival to purpose. He shares how Mother Ocean Fund supports ecological and humanitarian diving efforts, how Aquatic Tribe connects divers with dive shops while funding nonprofit work, and why adaptive scuba therapy can give veterans and others with disabilities a rare chance to feel free in their own bodies again. You will also hear the heart behind Joe's book, Love That Doesn't Sharpen Spoils, including his "landlord principle" for taking ownership of the thoughts, struggles, and old patterns that live in your head. For veterans dealing with physical limitations, addiction, transition stress, or the search for a new mission, this episode offers a grounded reminder that purpose can still be built from the wreckage. Timestamps: 00:05:09 - The fear of staying bedridden 00:13:46 - Building Mother Ocean Fund 00:21:50 - Why scuba can calm chaos 00:28:29 - Love That Doesn't Sharpen Spoils 00:37:32 - The landlord principle for mental battles Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.motheroceanfund.org Follow Mother Ocean Fund on Facebook: https://facebook.com/motheroceanfund Follow Mother Ocean Fund on Instagram: https://instagram.com/motheroceanfund Follow Mother Ocean Fund on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/motheroceanfund Follow Aquatic Tribe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquatictribe/ Follow Joe Gonzalez on Instagram: https://instagram.com/scubajoe11

    46 min
  2. Turning Combat Scars Into Stories

    May 26

    Turning Combat Scars Into Stories

    The hardest battles after service can happen in the quiet places, at home, at work, and inside your own head. Brendan T. Kelly spent 22 years in the Army before stepping into teaching, corporate life, and eventually writing. Along the way, he faced nightmares, PTSD, family strain, and the hard truth that leading troops in battle did not mean he could heal alone. This conversation follows the path from military structure to civilian uncertainty, from keeping pain boxed up to finally speaking it out loud, and from private writing to a published story built to reach others who feel stuck in the dark. Brendan shares how therapy, cognitive behavioral work, family support, and storytelling helped him rebuild his life and create The Echo of Silence, a fiction book shaped by combat, invisible wounds, forgiveness, survival, and the cost of staying silent. Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of why getting help is a strength, why healing takes real work, and how one veteran turned painful memories into a mission that may help someone else pick up the phone before they hit bottom. Timestamps: 00:03:57 - Losing the structure after Army retirement 00:09:13 - Hitting rock bottom and finally getting help 00:13:55 - Learning to give the past a voice 00:18:53 - Turning scars into stories 00:31:10 - Writing the combat scene that changed everything Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.brendantkelly.com Follow Brendan Kelly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendan_the_author/

    43 min
  3. When PTSD And Guilt Collide

    May 19

    When PTSD And Guilt Collide

    Some wounds keep you scanning every exit in the room. Others bury themselves deeper, showing up as guilt, shame, distance at home, and the fear that the people you love would see you differently if they knew the whole story. Larry Brant brings clarity to that hidden battle through his path from Helmand Province to a COVID ICU to the Aspire Center, where he saw how PTSD and moral injury can wreck a person's sense of safety, faith, and connection. He explains why moral injury can feel like it fractures your soul, why so many veterans pull away from family and faith, and how healing starts when someone finally feels heard without judgment. This conversation offers listeners clear language for what they may be carrying, practical tools like the two-way prayer journal, a better understanding of why group support matters, and real next steps through resources such as Building Spiritual Strength, REAL, Hunt Therapy, and Larry's book Restoring the Broken. Here are the moments that hit hardest. Timestamps: 00:10:36 - The difference between PTSD and moral injury finally gets a name 00:20:47 - The two-way prayer journal that helps break self-blame 00:36:34 - Twenty years of silence before one hard conversation at home 00:48:47 - The flashback that proved war had followed him home 00:55:29 - The three-part support system that makes healing more likely Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.restoring-the-broken.com Follow Larry Brant on Facebook: www.facebook.com/larry.brant.5?mibextid=wwXlfr&mibextid=wwXlfr Follow Larry Brant on Instagram: www.instagram.com/larrybrant Follow Larry Brant on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/larry-brant-09394544

    1h 2m
  4. Rebuild Your Identity Before it Snaps

    May 12

    Rebuild Your Identity Before it Snaps

    Life after service can look calm on the outside, while your nervous system stays stuck in alert mode. Ryan McDermott breaks down the chain reaction that can follow major stress: isolation, fractured sleep, anxiety spikes, and that familiar urge to grind harder instead of getting support. His story moves from leading troops early in the Iraq war to navigating a civilian career that suddenly turned uncertain, and how that kind of instability can wake up things you thought you packed away years ago. Along the way, Ryan shares why reconnecting with other veterans matters more than most people admit, how writing can slow the spin and help you process what your brain keeps trying to outrun, and what shifted when he stopped trying to carry it solo. At the center of this episode is a durable way to think about identity after transition. Not tied to a title or a paycheck, but rooted in the people you love, the community that understands you, and a purpose that still holds when life gets loud. Timestamps: 00:01:00 - A career shock that turned the volume up on combat stress 00:04:30 - The cost of family separation and staying mission-focused 00:12:45 - Reconnecting with the guys who lived it too 00:16:00 - Why writing can calm triggers and bring clarity 00:32:55 - The identity trap that wrecks vets after transition Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.downrivermemoir.com Follow Ryan McDermott on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574923281283 Follow Ryan McDermott on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warriorpoet2025/ Follow Ryan McDermott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-mcdermott-3560258/

    48 min
  5. Healing Moral Injury and Trauma in Veterans

    May 5

    Healing Moral Injury and Trauma in Veterans

    Some war stories do not stay in the past. They follow you into work, marriage, fatherhood, sleep, and the quiet moments when your mind starts replaying what happened and what it meant. This conversation goes straight at that weight by unpacking moral injury, the kind of wound that hits when combat collides with your deepest values. It gets into why so many veterans carry pain that standard conversations about PTSD do not fully explain, and why healing takes more than time. Dr. Edward Tick brings nearly five decades of work with veterans into a discussion about what war can do to the soul, the body, the family, and the community around the veteran. He explains why early support matters, why civilians need to stop relying on a Hollywood version of war, and why veterans often need a path to atonement, service, and reconciliation to move forward. You will hear powerful stories about returning to Vietnam, facing the damage left behind, building something good in response, and finding a way to live with dignity after events that still cut deep. This episode is for veterans who have ever felt trapped between what they had to do and who they believed they were. It is also for families, friends, and civilians who want to understand how to stand beside a veteran without turning away from the hard parts. Stay with this one through the stories about immediate healing, community rituals, and the kind of service that helps a man believe he can still be a force for good. Timestamps: 00:13:04 - What moral injury is and why it cuts so deep 00:20:40 - Why troops should be taught that killing hurts 00:25:49 - Healing journeys back to Vietnam and the role of atonement 00:36:34 - Marines don't kill children, and the moment that changed everything 00:47:00 - Why civilians must help take the war out of returning veterans Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.edwardtick.com/ Follow Edward Tick, PhD on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdwardTickAuthor/ Follow Edward Tick, PhD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentorthesoul.guide/ Follow Edward Tick, PhD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-tick-ph-d-59177111/

    1h 3m
  6. Rapid Fire Comedy For Troops

    Apr 28

    Rapid Fire Comedy For Troops

    Life after the uniform can feel disconnected, even when everything looks fine on paper. The routines change, the circle gets smaller, and the stress stacks up in ways that are hard to explain at home or at work. Michael D'Angelo lived that shift and found a way to push back through standup comedy. He shares how Marine Corps humor shaped him, why he walked onto an open mic anyway, and how the fear of bombing on stage became fuel rather than a stop sign. When the comedy scene tried to keep him on the outside, he took the initiative, as many veterans do: he created the opportunity himself. He wrote 400 letters to Marine units, offered shows, and kept going until it turned into the Rapid Fire Comedy Tour. The result is a traveling lineup that brings laughter to people carrying heavy weeks, plus a nonprofit model that aims to keep the mission going through donors and sponsors. Timestamps: 03:15: How Marine humor gets forged and why it sticks after the uniform 05:00: First open mic fear and choosing to stay on stage 08:45: Sending 400 letters and creating his own opportunities 13:30: Rapid Fire Comedy Tour feedback and what lands with the troops 26:45: Building a 501(c)(3) and chasing sponsors to pay comics and grow the mission Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.rapidfirecomedytour.org/ Follow Michael D'Angelo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rapidfirecomedytour/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

    39 min
  7. The Selfless Path To Healing

    Apr 21

    The Selfless Path To Healing

    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

    45 min
  8. Turning PTSD Into Creative Work

    Apr 14

    Turning PTSD Into Creative Work

    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.

    38 min
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5
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About

Are you a veteran struggling with PTSD, combat stress, or adjusting to civilian life? Tired of feeling isolated and unsure where to turn for support? You deserve solutions from mental health experts, veteran nonprofits, and fellow veterans who truly understand what you're facing. Each week, host Scott DeLuzio, an Army veteran and Gold Star Brother, shares interviews and practical steps to help you regain purpose, rebuild confidence, and thrive after military service. Find hope and take the next step forward.

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