David McCleery gave 14 years to the Navy as a heavy equipment operator. 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.
In this episode, David and Jon 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.
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 free resources available to veterans and their families right now
Connect with David and his organizations:
Buddy Check 22: bc22psa.com
Project Headspace and Timing: projectheadspaceandtiming.org
If you or a veteran you know is struggling, please reach out to the Veterans Crisis Line: call or text 988, then press 1.
Be the light in someone's dark
