EPISODE 0353 | Veterans Are Being Misdiagnosed: Chad Robichaux Exposes the VA
THESE NOTES ACCOMPANY EPISODE 0353
What happens when the strength that carried you through war is no longer enough to carry you through life? In this powerful conversation, Pastor Nate and Pastor Rob sit down with Marine Force Recon veteran and former professional MMA fighter Chad Robichaux. Chad shares the story behind the résumé—from childhood tragedy and elite special operations to PTSD, a collapsing marriage, and a moment when he nearly ended his life. But his story didn’t end there. Through his wife’s faithfulness, surrender to Jesus, and intentional discipleship, Chad found restoration, purpose, and eventually a calling that became the Mighty Oaks Foundation. It’s a raw conversation about identity, trauma, marriage, brotherhood, and what can happen when a man finally decides to get back in the fight.
Main Topics Covered
🟩 Chad Robichaux’s journey from a difficult childhood and the loss of his brother to becoming a Marine, Force Recon operator, and member of the special operations community.
🟩 How years of combat and putting his faith “on a shelf” left Chad battling PTSD, debilitating panic attacks, anger, isolation, and a growing darkness he couldn’t overcome through strength alone.
🟩 The danger of building your identity around success, career, status, or achievement—and what happened when Chad suddenly lost the mission that had defined his life.
🟩 How Chad’s marriage reached the breaking point, his battle with suicidal hopelessness, and the role his wife Kathy played in fighting for him when he had stopped fighting for himself.
🟩 How surrendering his life to Jesus and being intentionally discipled led to restoration, hope, and purpose—and ultimately became the foundation for Mighty Oaks and its mission to serve veterans and their families.
Main Takeaways
Strength, success, and achievement can never carry the weight of an identity that was meant to be rooted in Christ.
Healing began when Chad stopped justifying what was happening in his life, took ownership, and became willing to get back in the fight.
A relationship with Jesus is transformational, but discipleship, biblical community, accountability, and learning to live out that faith matter deeply.
Sometimes God uses another person’s faithfulness to reach us when we no longer have the strength to fight for ourselves.
God can redeem even the darkest parts of our story, turning pain into purpose and restoration into a mission that brings hope to others.
Key Scriptures
📖 Romans 13:1–4
God establishes governing authority to restrain evil and administer justice, providing a biblical framework for understanding the role of warriors and those called to protect others.
📖 Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron,” we need relationships, accountability, and people willing to challenge us toward greater faithfulness.
📖 Galatians 2:20
Following Jesus means surrendering the old life and allowing Christ to become the foundation of our identity.
📖 Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
We were never designed to fight life’s battles alone; when one falls, another can help him back up.
📖 2 Corinthians 5:17
In Christ, we are made new—our failures and past do not have to determine who we become.
📖 Ephesians 2:10
God can redeem our story and give purpose to our lives, using what He has restored in us to serve and impact others.
Resources
The Better Planner™ is a personal planner designed by Pastor Stephen to help you map out all the different aspects of success and personal growth on your way to better.
The foundation of the Better Planner™ is the practice of defining and reaching your personal vision. The other principles for growth all integrate with and flow out of this essential step. As you develop and record the insights you receive from God and His design for your life, the Better Planner™ will lead you through a step-by-step process to become better.
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