The MisfitNation With Rchard LaMonica

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 and military spouses recognize the value of the skills they already have. Diana served nearly a decade in the Navy as a Yeoman Petty Officer Second Class and Command Career Counselor, helping sailors manage careers, records, personnel issues, and the complex systems behind military life. She planned to serve 20 years, but a medical discharge in 2016 abruptly changed that path. At nearly the same time, her marriage ended, leaving Diana navigating civilian life as a newly separated veteran, single mother of three, student, and job seeker. The transition was anything but easy. Diana describes years of feeling lost, struggling to translate her military experience into the civilian workforce, and hearing employers dismiss her background because it wasn’t earned in a traditional corporate environment. Instead of allowing those experiences to define her future, she began building a new one. Today, Diana is the founder of Mission Driven Digital, a veteran-owned business systems and growth studio that helps small businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, veterans, and military spouses build the backend systems they need to grow without creating more chaos. She is also the creator of Mission to Monetize, a program designed to help veterans and military spouses identify transferable military skills and turn those skills into potential income through freelancing, service-based businesses, digital products, content creation, and entrepreneurship. Diana and host Rich LaMonica explore the realities of military transition, veteran employment, entrepreneurship, identity after service, technology overwhelm, military spouse careers, and translating military skills into civilian value. They also discuss why Diana believes veterans should keep an open mind about what comes next. A traditional job is not the only option. The organization, leadership, communication, administration, problem-solving, personnel management, research, and operational skills developed during military service may already provide the foundation for a business, freelance career, or new professional mission. In this episode: Diana’s path from young mother to U.S. Navy sailor Making E-5 within her first two years of service Life as a Navy Yeoman and Command Career Counselor An unexpected medical discharge after nearly a decade of service Becoming a single mother and jobless veteran during transition Why leaving the military can create an identity crisis Being told military experience “doesn’t count” in the civilian workforce Challenges veterans face during the military-to-civilian transition Why veteran transition programs may not prepare everyone for entrepreneurship Translating military skills into civilian careers and income Building a veteran-owned business from the ground up How Mission Driven Digital helps entrepreneurs manage backend systems Why one working system can be better than five unfinished tools Overcoming technology overwhelm as a new business owner Helping veterans identify skills people will pay for Business opportunities for military spouses Why female veterans remain an underserved part of the veteran community Entrepreneurship, motherhood, identity, and rebuilding after service How listening to people’s problems can reveal business opportunities The value of continually adding new “tools to your toolbox” Finding purpose and creating a new mission after the uniform comes off Diana’s story is a reminder that leaving the military does not erase the experience, leadership, discipline, and skills built during service. Sometimes the next mission is not about starting over. It is about learning how to recognize the value you already carry. Connect with Diana Ocasio Visit MissionDrivenDigital.org to learn more about Mission Driven Digital, Mission to Monetize, business resources, templates, and tools for veterans, military spouses, and entrepreneurs. About The MisFitNation The MisFitNation features conversations with veterans, entrepreneurs, authors, leaders, and people who have faced adversity, rebuilt their lives, and continued moving forward. Follow or subscribe to The MisFitNation on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Patrick — retired U.S. Army combat veteran, former combat medic, paratrooper and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment flight medic, ICU registered nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, author, survivalist, and creator of the Total Preparedness Program. Patrick served during Desert Storm and Afghanistan, treated casualties under extreme conditions, and later carried those lessons into civilian medicine. Today, he teaches ordinary people how to become more capable when the systems they normally rely on suddenly aren’t available. And one message runs through this entire conversation: Buying emergency gear is not the same thing as being prepared. Patrick explains why skills, repetition, mindset, and knowing your limitations matter far more than filling a closet with survival equipment. You’ll hear why he believes one of the most important medical skills a family can learn is how to properly use a tourniquet, what belongs in a realistic trauma kit, why people need to actually practice with their equipment, and how staying calm can dramatically change the outcome of a high-pressure situation. Patrick also shares a powerful reminder that even experienced preppers get caught off guard. When severe storms hit his area, his solar backup failed, his generator developed a broken fuel line, his sump pump stopped working, and his basement flooded. Instead of hiding the failure, Patrick uses it as a lesson: You cannot prepare for everything — but you can learn from every failure. In this episode: The emergency medical skill Patrick believes every family should know Why you should own two tourniquets — one for emergencies and one for training What belongs in a practical trauma and medical kit Why skills matter more than expensive survival gear Staying calm when everyone around you is panicking Preparing when EMS or hospitals may be hours away Why children should learn age-appropriate emergency skills Ham radio, GMRS, CB radio, and backup communication Land navigation and survival training Why the “lone wolf” approach to preparedness can fail Building a network of people with complementary skills Food storage, gardening, freeze-drying, and long-term self-reliance Preparing for children, older adults, and family members with medical needs What combat taught Patrick about pressure, resilience, and decision-making His transition from an elite military environment to McDonald’s, CNA work, nursing, and becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner How veterans can rebuild identity and purpose after military service Why teaching preparedness has helped Patrick reclaim part of what combat took from him One of the most revealing moments comes when Patrick describes what combat can do to a person: It can take part of your soul. For Patrick, teaching others has become one way of putting some of that back. That turns this episode into something larger than a conversation about prepping. It’s about service, resilience, humility, competence, community, and becoming the person others can depend on when life goes sideways. Whether you're a veteran, parent, first responder, healthcare professional, prepper, survivalist, or simply want your family to be more prepared for the unexpected, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about what being “ready” actually means. Learn More About Patrick Thibeault Total Preparedness Program: https://tpp.suburbanprepper.com/ Patrick's Total Preparedness Program covers hundreds of lessons involving medical readiness, emergency planning, survival skills, communication, land navigation, food preparedness, gardening, city survival, self-reliance, and more. Search Suburban Prepper on YouTube for Patrick's additional preparedness content. A Question to Consider If the power went out tonight and emergency services couldn't reach your family for several hours… Would you have the skills to handle what happens next? Follow The MisFitNation for more conversations with veterans, leaders, survivors, entrepreneurs, authors, and people who have turned adversity into purpose. Be humble. Stay hungry. Keep hustling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when the military justice system gets it wrong—and where can a service member turn when the system meant to deliver justice refuses to reconsider the case? Arvis Owens returns to The MisFitNation for a powerful and challenging conversation about wrongful convictions, military justice, false accusations, due process, court-martials, UCMJ reform, and the lack of an independent system for reviewing disputed military convictions. A 1995 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Arvis served as a Supply Officer in the United States Navy and rose to the rank of Commander before being accused and convicted at a military court-martial—a conviction he maintains was wrongful. That experience changed the direction of his life. Today, Arvis advocates for service members, veterans, and military families who believe they have been falsely accused, wrongfully convicted, or denied meaningful due process. And his argument is not that legitimate victims should receive less protection. It is that true victims deserve justice—and the accused deserve a fair, evidence-based process too. In this episode, Arvis updates The MisFitNation on what has happened since his previous appearance, including his outreach to members of Congress, his efforts to bring greater attention to disputed military convictions, and his push for an independent civilian-led Conviction Integrity Unit or Innocence Project for military cases. Arvis argues that the existing military appeals process is not enough for service members who believe critical evidence was ignored, excluded, or never properly considered. The conversation also explores a lesser-known consequence of military investigations: according to Arvis, some service members can continue to face significant administrative and database consequences even when they were never convicted at court-martial—or were ultimately found not guilty. Arvis also discusses what he says is a growing shift from traditional court-martial proceedings toward administrative actions and nonjudicial processes, where different evidentiary standards may apply. Throughout the conversation, Rich and Arvis tackle difficult questions: Can someone be wrongfully convicted inside the military justice system? What options exist for a service member who believes their conviction was unjust? Why doesn't the military have the equivalent of a civilian Innocence Project or independent conviction integrity unit? What happens when potentially exculpatory evidence is excluded? Can a service member continue to experience consequences even after being found not guilty? How do we protect legitimate victims of sexual assault and domestic violence while also protecting the due process rights of the accused? And what would meaningful military justice reform actually look like? For Arvis, the answer begins with something simple but fundamental: Follow the evidence. He believes an independent civilian body should have the authority to review disputed military convictions, identify potential miscarriages of justice, and recommend corrective action when warranted. Arvis says his advocacy has now connected him with hundreds of service members and military families seeking guidance, and he continues to hear from people who believe the system failed them. Some cases, he says, have evidence supporting claims of innocence. Others do not. And Arvis is clear that advocacy should not mean automatically believing everyone who says they were wrongfully accused. He argues that evidence must remain the standard on both sides. This episode of The MisFitNation is a difficult, provocative, and necessary examination of a part of the American justice system most civilians rarely see. If you are active duty, a veteran, part of a military family, an attorney, an advocate for victims, a supporter of due process, or someone interested in criminal justice reform, this conversation raises questions that deserve serious discussion. Because justice cannot simply mean securing a conviction. Justice must also mean having the courage to correct one when the evidence shows something went wrong. Listen now to Wrongly Convicted in the Military: Arvis Owens Is Fighting to Change the System on The MisFitNation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to become a strong man—and can you still change your life after decades of mistakes, setbacks, and hard lessons? On this episode of The MisFitNation, Rich LaMonica sits down with Victor Bretting, author of *The Man That I Would Become* and founder of Bretting Texan Ranch, for a powerful conversation about faith, perseverance, masculinity, servant leadership, conservation, and the legacy we leave behind. Victor grew up without a father, watching his single mother work 60-hour weeks to provide for their family. Coaches became father figures, sports taught him discipline, and after losing his opportunity to continue college, a tough lesson from his mother sent him searching for his next chapter. That journey eventually became a nearly 50-year career in construction, where Victor built companies, led people, made mistakes, and discovered that leadership requires far more than being the toughest person in the room. For much of his life, Victor believed strength meant carrying the pressure, pushing forward, providing for his family, and never showing weakness. It took failed relationships, hard-earned perspective, and eventually writing his memoir to recognize something was missing: empathy. Today, his definition of strength looks very different. Victor talks candidly about why men need permission to communicate, feel, ask for help, and admit when they don't have all the answers. He also addresses the devastating suicide rate within the construction industry and why creating spaces where men can actually talk matters. His transformation didn't stop with business. What began as a retirement dream became Bretting Texan Ranch in North Texas—a family-centered operation with a mission of conservation, mentorship, service, and giving back. The ranch has donated dozens of hunts and experiences to combat veterans, terminally ill children, and faith-based youth organizations. Victor also takes us inside his life as an international sportsman, from hunting more than 140 species across six continents to tracking Cape buffalo in Mozambique and participating in rhino conservation efforts in Africa. He explains why responsible hunters and ranchers can play an important role in wildlife conservation and protecting species for future generations. But perhaps the most powerful part of Victor's story is when he found his greater mission. It wasn't at 25. It wasn't at 40. It came in his 60s. For anyone who believes they've wasted too many years, made too many mistakes, or missed their opportunity to become someone different, Victor has a message: It's not too late. Believe in yourself. Get off the couch. Keep moving forward. And persevere until you find the light at the end of the tunnel. In this episode: • Growing up without a father and finding mentors through sports • The lesson from Victor's mother that changed his life • Nearly 50 years of leadership lessons from construction • Why strength without empathy can become a weakness • Men, mental health, and learning to ask for help • Faith and perseverance during difficult seasons • Servant leadership and what it means to lead from the front • Learning from mistakes instead of being defined by them • Hunting, conservation, and protecting endangered species • Giving back to combat veterans and youth through Bretting Texan Ranch • Why Victor wrote *The Man That I Would Become* • Redefining success, purpose, and legacy later in life • Three things you can start doing tomorrow to become better Learn more about Victor Bretting, his book, and Bretting Texan Ranch: https://brettingtexanranch.com/ Follow The MisFitNation for more conversations with veterans, leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, and people who have been tested by life and turned those experiences into something that can impact others: https://www.themisfitnation.com/ If this conversation resonates with you, follow The MisFitNation on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear Victor's message. Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Keep Hustling. We are The MisFitNation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ToosDay Crüe, presented by The MisFitNation, welcomes legendary investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Cathy Scott for an unforgettable deep dive into some of America's most notorious true crime investigations. Known for her groundbreaking books on Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Robert Durst, Susan Berman, and true crime icon Ann Rule, Cathy shares decades of investigative reporting and the real stories behind the headlines. In this episode, you'll hear: • Why Cathy believes the Tupac murder case was always solvable • Her firsthand reporting on the investigations into Tupac and Biggie • The Robert Durst case and the murder of Susan Berman • Behind-the-scenes stories from writing about Ann Rule • What television gets wrong about investigative journalism • Las Vegas organized crime and mob history • Cold cases that continue to haunt her • Audience questions covering journalism, murder investigations, and unsolved mysteries Whether you're a true crime fanatic, an aspiring journalist, or simply fascinated by the pursuit of truth, this conversation delivers an inside look at how major investigations unfold and what it really takes to uncover the facts. About Cathy Scott Cathy Scott is a New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestselling author and award-winning investigative journalist. Her books include The Killing of Tupac Shakur, The Murder of Biggie Smalls, and The First Lady of True Crime: Ann Rule. She has appeared as a crime expert on CNN, Dateline NBC, A&E, Investigation Discovery, and numerous national media outlets. Connect with The MisFitNation 🌐 Website: https://www.themisfitnation.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_MisFitNation 📧 Contact: info@themisfitnation.com Stephen@themisfitnation.com Jake@themisfitnation.com Presented by The MisFitNation Where powerful stories, veteran voices, authors, creators, entrepreneurs, musicians, and leaders come together to inspire, educate, and build community. Subscribe for new episodes of The ToosDay Crüe every week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices