The MisfitNation With Rchard LaMonica

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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do with the years you were never promised? For Gaylen Wilson, that question became very real. After a lifetime of reinvention—from farmer to stockbroker, computer consultant, entrepreneur, and beyond—Gaylen faced battles that would reshape everything he thought he knew about survival, identity, and purpose. He battled alcoholism and ultimately built more than 20 years of sobriety. Then, years later, a virus damaged his heart and began a three-and-a-half-year decline into severe heart failure. Eventually, the reality became unavoidable: without a heart transplant, he was going to die. Gaylen and his wife, Heather, had already begun preparing for the possibility that their time together was running out. Then the call came. A donor heart was available. The next morning, Gaylen received a new heart—and with it, a second chance at life. But survival created a new question: What do you do with the years you were never guaranteed? In this episode of The ToosDay Crüe, Gaylen joins the crew for a deeply personal conversation about sobriety, heart transplantation, masculinity, marriage, emotional safety, intimacy, erectile dysfunction, conflict, second chances, and the power of intentionally rebuilding your life. Gaylen shares how his own experiences eventually led him and Heather to become Certified Thriving Relationship Coaches and create The Monument Method—an approach centered on protecting the relationship instead of protecting the ego. He explains why so many arguments are really about threats to emotional connection, how fight-or-flight can take over a relationship, and why couples can do lasting damage when they focus on winning the argument instead of protecting the bond. You’ll also hear Gaylen break down the idea of using a shared “sacred word” to interrupt escalating conflict, turn toward each other, restore emotional safety, and prevent small disagreements from becoming deeper wounds. The conversation also goes into a subject many couples struggle to discuss openly: erectile dysfunction and intimacy. After years of working with men and women dealing with ED, Gaylen saw how quickly physical challenges can create shame, fear, emotional withdrawal, loss of affection, and mistrust inside a relationship. He explains why rebuilding intimacy often begins with emotional safety—not performance. Gaylen also shares what more than two decades of sobriety taught him about recovery, why purpose matters as we get older, and why he believes your later years do not have to be a slow fade into the background. Sometimes the third act becomes the most meaningful part of the story. In this episode: • Surviving alcoholism and maintaining more than 20 years of sobriety • Living through severe heart failure and receiving a heart transplant • Reinventing yourself after failure, addiction, loss, and major life changes • Why emotional safety matters in marriage • How fight-or-flight affects communication and conflict • Why “winning” an argument can still damage the relationship • The philosophy behind The Monument Method • Using a sacred word to interrupt destructive conflict • Rebuilding intimacy in long-term relationships • Erectile dysfunction, shame, connection, and communication • Becoming your partner’s refuge instead of another source of stress • Finding purpose after 50, 60, and beyond • Building a meaningful life with the years you still have Gaylen’s story is ultimately about more than getting a second chance. It is about deciding what to do with it. Learn more about Gaylen Wilson and The Monument Method Institute: https://www.monumentmethodinstitute.com/ Learn more about The MisFitNation and The ToosDay Crüe: https://www.themisfitnation.com If this episode connects with you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a rating or review on your favorite podcast platform. Be humble. Stay hungry. Keep hustling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices