Episode #16: It's Okay to Not Be Okay: David McCleery on Surviving the Road Alone, Breaking the Stigma, and Turning Pain into Purpose
David McCleery gave 14 years to the Navy. When his contract expired due to medical reasons, the military handed him his paperwork and pointed him toward the door. No real transition support. No guidance. Just a pill for his PTSD and a civilian world he had no idea how to navigate. What followed was seven years of silence. Panic attacks alone behind the wheel of a semi-truck. Isolation in the middle of farm country with no base, no community, and no one to call. In 2023, it all came to a head in a moment so dark he called his wife and begged her to help him. That phone call saved his life. Today, David serves as Executive Director of Buddy Check 22 and works alongside Project Headspace and Timing, devoting his life to making sure no veteran has to white-knuckle their way through the darkness alone. His message is simple: it is okay to not be okay, and that phone call could save a life. If you have ever felt like the door closed behind you and no one was on the other side, this conversation is for you. If you or a veteran you know is struggling, reach out to the Veterans Crisis Line: call or text 988, then press 1. Be the light in someone’s dark.
David McCleery served 14 years in the Navy as a heavy equipment operator, saw every continent but Antarctica, and gave everything he had to his service. Then, when his contract expired due to medical reasons, the military handed him his paperwork and pointed him toward the door. No real transition support. No follow-up. Just a pill, a handshake, and a new life he had no idea how to navigate.
What followed was seven years of silence, panic attacks alone behind the wheel of a semi-truck, two failed marriages, and a growing darkness that nearly cost him everything. David's rock bottom came in 2023, a moment so dark he called his wife and begged her to help him. That phone call saved his life.
In this episode, David joins Jon to talk about what those seven years of isolation really looked like, why the culture of "suck it up" nearly killed him, and how he rebuilt himself into one of the most active veterans serving his community today. As Executive Director of Buddy Check 22 and a partner with Project Headspace and Timing, David now devotes his life to the mission of making sure no veteran has to white-knuckle their way through the darkness alone.
This one is raw, honest, and important.
In this episode, you will hear:
- What it felt like to be pushed out after 14 years with no real transition support
- Panic attacks on the open road and what it means to be truly alone in your own head
- Why asking for help felt like weakness and what changed that
- The 2023 breakdown that became the turning point
- How David redefined strength as whole body health, not physical performance
- The mission of Buddy Check 22, Project Headspace and Timing, and the free resources available to veterans and their families right now
Connect with David McCleery and his organizations:
Buddy Check 22 (free counseling for veterans and families, mental health first aid classes, suicide awareness)
Website: bc22psa.com
Facebook: Buddy Check 22
Project Headspace and Timing (crisis response, peer support, outdoor activities, spouse groups)
Website: projectheadspaceandtiming.org
Facebook: Project Headspace and Timing
Executive Director
David McCleery is a 50-year-old, disabled veteran from Kankakee IL. He is married to the love of his life, Rebecca. He is the father of four children and grandfather to six wonderful grandkids. David served in the NAVY Seabees as an EO1 (equipment operator fist class petty officer) for 14 years before being honorably discharged. He comes from a Veteran and first responder family. David is the Executive Director of Buddy Check 22 Veteran Suicide Awareness. He is also a Board Member, Lead Trainer, Squad leader and Crisis Responder for Project Headspace and Timing, Board Member with Project Sun and the Chair of the Kankakee Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition, and the Sr. Vice Commander for Bradley American Legion Post 766. David is a Nationally licensed EMT and graduated from Liberty University with his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a specialty in Military Resilience and a Peer Support Specialist and mentor. David is a trainer for Mental Health First Aid, NAMI Connections, AFSP Talk saves lives: Supporting our Veterans, counseling on access to lethal means(CALM). When he is not helping other veterans and first responders with their mental health, he enjoys spending time with his service dog Diesel that he trained with AVSDA. He also enjoys fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities. Fishing, hunting, and outdoor activities are more than just hobbies for him, they make up the foundation of who he is. He takes veterans and first responders out to introduce them to the outdoors to help them find their peace with their mental health. He uses his passion for the … Read More
