What happens when the damage to your brain isn't visible on a standard MRI, but it’s destroying your life?
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On this episode of Beyond the Frontline, Donna talks with Will Person, a former 9-year Team USA bobsled athlete turned advocate. Will’s story is a wake-up call for anyone in the high-impact world—from elite athletes to military veterans and domestic violence survivors.
Inside the Episode:
- The "Sled Head" Reality: Will discusses the extreme G-forces (up to 84.5 Gs!) and the crashes that led to a wave of suicides, strokes, and Parkinson’s among his teammates.
- The Invisible Injury: Why symptoms of CTE and TBI often don't surface until a decade after the trauma, and why talk therapy isn't enough when the brain is physically damaged.
- The Military Parallel: The striking similarities between bobsledders and artillery units—soldiers who may never see a "combat zone" but return with severe TBI symptoms from repeated blast exposure.
- A Path to Healing: How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and advanced imaging changed Will’s life, and his mission to make this treatment 100% free for those who need it most.
Resources & Support:
🔗 Learn More: TreatNow.org – Advocacy for veteran access to HBOT. 🔗 Follow Will: TikTok @OneManWithTheChamber for CTE and treatment insights. 🔗 Donate: Support the mission to provide free HBOT at Will’s GoFundMe .
Beyond The Frontline
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Beyond the Frontline is a podcast focused on one of the most critical and overlooked missions in military life: the transition from the Frontline to the Homefront. Hosted by retired Air Force nurse and seasoned transition mentor Donna Hoffmeyer, this show offers real conversations, practical guidance, and expert insights for service members, Veterans, and their families as they navigate life beyond uniform.
With over two decades of military service including roles in nursing, flight medicine, education, and policy. Donna brings firsthand knowledge and deep compassion to every episode. She holds a master’s degree in Sport Science, is co-author of Warrior to Patriot Citizen, and runs REBel LLC, a company dedicated to Veteran mentorship, consulting, and publishing.
Through interviews and shared experiences, Beyond the Frontline dives into the emotional, logistical, and cultural aspects of transition, from preparing early to finding purpose after service. Donna also draws from her blog Taking Off The Armor, offering thoughtful commentary on the challenges and growth that come before, during, and after military retirement.
If you're ready to turn experience into empowerment and uncertainty into a plan, this podcast is your next step.
Subscribe to Beyond the Frontline—where preparation meets purpose.
Donna is a 21-year retired Air Force nurse; with a career that spanned from nursing, flight nursing, education, training, readiness, and policy. Donna has a master’s degree in Sport Science and has co-authored her first book, Warrior to Patriot Citizen; focusing on ensuring service members are prepared for transition well before transition occurs. She also has her own blog, Taking Off The Armor, focused on all issues before, during and after transition and after retirement, as well as, a multifaceted business, REBel LLC, focused on veteran transition mentorship, consulting, and publishing her own work.