Derek’s journey, from a 12-year Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard veteran with multiple deployments to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, to a national advocate for mental health accountability, is a powerful example of what service looks like beyond the battlefield. In this episode, Derek breaks down what he’s uncovered over the last two years while leading the fight against the veteran overprescribing crisis: the VA’s heavy reliance on psychiatric drugs, resistance to reform, and the push for informed consent and safer treatment practices. He also shares how WarCry for Change summits have brought together families, lawmakers, and medical experts to confront the realities behind veteran suicides and demand change.

Grunt Style Foundation aims to address this issue head-on through the launch of its latest initiative: The War Cry for Change: A Revolution to Reclaim Veteran Mental Health. In partnership, Mad in America and Grunt Style Foundation have launched the Veteran Storytelling Campaign as part of GSF’s War Cry for Change and MIA’s Veteran and Military Family Initiative. Our goal is to help veterans, military families, and survivors share their experiences within the American mental health system and their encounters with being prescribed psychotropic medications.