Live Life to the Fittest! Army spouse conquered booze, trains for Shields and Stripes

About this episode

Maddie Smith shares her journey of overcoming alcoholism and her partnership with veteran support program Shields and Stripes, alongside Steve Nisbet.

After Maddie Smith quit drinking, she just didn’t know what to do with her hands ... until she discovered Cross Fit and built her epic physique! Now she’s a top contender for “Ms. Health and Fitness 2026”, and she’s doing it all for a veteran nonprofit. We talked about how she overcame alcoholism, an eating disorder, and endured recovery groups that didn’t understand her trauma. Now, in peak physical condition she shared advice on conquering addictions and helping veterans through a partnership with Shields and Stripes, a veteran support program founded by Steve Nisbet, fellow athlete and Air Force Pararescue Specialist veteran. Nisbet described the life of an elite “PJ”, conducting casualty evac missions in combat zones, the tragic death of a fellow PJ, the Army's betrayal and the emotional toll of his service. But he powered through the pain and used his physical training expertise to create the acclaimed Shields and Stripes veteran support program. The program draws from the type of sports therapy used by pro athletes and Special Operations teams and combines it with customized nutrition plans and therapy from experienced psychologists. Nisbet described the incredible results…

People in this episode

Host: CBS News

Guests: Maddie Smith, Steve Nisbet

Topics covered

• addiction recovery
• veteran support
• fitness
• Cross Fit
• mental health
• personal transformation

Keywords

• alcoholism
• fitness
• veterans
• Cross Fit
• mental health
• Shields and Stripes
• Ms. Health and Fitness
• recovery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Shields and Stripes

Places: Arizona, Florida

More episodes of Eye on Veterans

• Memorial Day Tribute and Miracles: Lt. General recalls battlefield triage at the Pentagon · May 19, 2026 · 33 min
• Combat veteran and TV celebrity JR Martinez host Medal of Honor podcast · May 8, 2026 · 41 min
• White House Greenlights Psychedelics: SEAL veteran Marcus Capone shares what comes next on this long legal trip · April 24, 2026 · 54 min
• Remembering Pat Tillman: Ranger, NFL Star, and the legacy that continues to inspire · April 21, 2026 · 42 min
• Conquering Mountains: Augusta Army vet, adaptive sports athlete Dr. Lisa Maddox · April 10, 2026 · 41 min
• Command Your Cash: Learn and earn college credits with free finance course · April 2, 2026 · 23 min