⚡ Fighting cancer is hard enough. You shouldn’t have to fight the healthcare system at the same time.

After nearly 30 years in the Army, Patrick Naughton knew how to plan operations, lead soldiers, and adapt under pressure. Then a colonoscopy revealed a mass roughly the size of a baseball, leading to a stage III colorectal cancer diagnosis—and a second battle Patrick never expected: navigating TRICARE while fighting for his health.

What makes this conversation different is what Patrick learned the hard way. From getting a TRICARE case manager to controlling your own medical records, planning for the active-duty-to-retiree healthcare gap, and building a “medical go bag,” Patrick gives service members and veterans practical lessons he wishes someone had given him on day one.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Take action after a serious diagnosis by asking your military treatment facility about a referral for a TRICARE case manager who can help navigate referrals, denials, and coordination of care.

• Become the “control tower” for your healthcare by maintaining access to your records, labs, procedures, specialist portals, and treatment information instead of assuming every provider is communicating with the others.

• Prepare for the transition from active duty to veteran healthcare by planning ahead for medications, appointments, records, and treatment needed to bridge potential gaps in continuity of care.

• Build a medical go bag with a notepad, documented conversations, calendar, medical records, medications, and a system for tracking who owns the next step in your care.

• Recognize that asking for help is part of the fight. Patrick kept his diagnosis largely private during treatment and describes the loneliness that followed. His message now: you do not have to go through it alone.

About Patrick Naughton:

Patrick Naughton served nearly 30 years in the U.S. Army, beginning as an enlisted infantryman in 1996 before becoming an NCO and later commissioning through ROTC. His career included deployments, leadership positions, and teaching at the Command and General Staff College.

Now medically retired, Patrick describes himself not as a cancer survivor but as a “cancer warrior” because continued labs, CT scans, colonoscopies, and monitoring remain part of his life. He is also an author and uses his experience to help others navigating cancer, military healthcare, writing, and publishing.

Connect with Patrick:
patnaught.com

⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS

05:51 - Patrick’s 30-Year Army Story
07:27 - The Colonoscopy That Changed Everything
10:25 - Using Military Planning to Fight Cancer
16:23 - When TRICARE Became the Second Battle
18:12 - What to Do After a Serious Diagnosis
20:49 - The TRICARE Resource Patrick Learned About Too Late
26:29 - Become the Control Tower for Your Medical Records
31:26 - Transitioning Out While Still Fighting Cancer
38:45 - Your Family Is Fighting the Battle Too
47:28 - “You Are Not Alone”
50:21 - Admitting You’re Scared and Asking for Help
54:44 - Who Takes Care of the Warrior?
1:00:50 - When the Battlefield Changes, Change With It
1:04:57 - Building Your Medical Go Bag
1:10:00 - Lifeline Message: Let Others Fight Beside You

🎧 Explore the Full VET S.O.S. Network:

▶ VET S.O.S. — Flagship Show
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Operation Startup
▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Learning Lifeline
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▶ VET S.O.S. Presents: Testimony Strong

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