Combat trauma recovery, military to civilian transition, and PTSD vs moral injury take center stage in this episode featuring Army veteran Eric Donahoe 🎖️🇺🇸, a former scout in a sniper platoon, Purple Heart recipient, and author of "Canyon of Hope."
Eric shares his raw journey through enlistment at 26, four deployments, including dangerous missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, surviving multiple IEDs and an EFP blast, and grappling with the loss of his infant son just as he deployed.
His transition from military life into civilian entrepreneurship highlights the reality of purpose, identity loss, and the spiritual injuries that many veterans face, not just PTSD, but moral injury that often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Hear how Eric turned his pain into purpose, pouring his efforts into veteran advocacy, faith-based healing, and mobility access for children in Nepal through wheelchair donations.
This episode offers an unfiltered look at what it truly means to pick yourself up after war, personal loss, and failed transition support, making it a must-listen for anyone facing or supporting life after service.
🎯 CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Introduction & Eric's Background
2:22 - Joining the Army at 26 with Purpose
5:04 - Infantry Choice and Family Military Legacy
8:45 - Iraq Deployments & Getting Blown Up
13:58 - First IEDs and the Purple Heart Story
20:24 - Body Armor, EFPs & Under-Equipped War
26:05 - PTSD, TBI & VA Shortcomings
33:10 - Transition Struggles & Identity Loss
39:48 - Moral Injury vs PTSD Explained
48:02 - Business & GI Bill Failings
58:12 - Eric’s Nonprofit Impact & Wheelchairs to Nepal
1:03:45 - Suicide, Grief, and Finding God Again
1:10:30 - Final Reflections & Ways to Connect
đź“Ś KEY DISCUSSION POINTS:
• How war injuries and trauma shaped Eric’s life after service
• Veteran suicide and the ignored crisis of moral injury
• Failings of the VA, ACAP, and GI Bill for transitioning vets
• The power of faith and ayahuasca in healing from trauma
• Building a purpose-driven life through entrepreneurship
• Real stories of combat, loss, and recovery
đź’Ľ EXPERTISE / CIVILIAN SUCCESS:
• Author of “Canyon of Hope: From Darkness to Dawn”
• Founder of Hand Up LLC – veteran transition and advocacy platform
• Veterans’ policy contributor in Washington DC; testified and advised on suicide prevention legislation
• Humanitarian: Led over 1,000 wheelchair donations to disadvantaged children globally
#VeteranTransition #MilitaryToCivilian #MoralInjury #PTSDRecovery #StrategicVeteran
