Beyond the Dispatch

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch , we sit down with Dr. Carrie Steiner , a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of First Responders Wellness Center . Carrie spent 13 years with the Chicago Police Department , where she experienced the realities of policing firsthand, including a police-involved shooting and the loss of her partner while off duty . After leaving law enforcement, she tra...

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch, we sit down with Mario Elias, a retired law enforcement veteran with 30 years of service at the Elgin Police Department. For 20 of those years, Mario served as a Task Force Officer (TFO) with the Drug Enforcement Administration, operating deep undercover across the globe. His work took him from California and Chicago to Spain and beyond, embedded in high-lev...

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch , we sit down with Chris Bingham , the handler and partner of retired explosive detection K9 Tambo . Chris shares what it truly means to work alongside a K9 at the federal level — the trust, the pressure, and the bond that forms when your partner is responsible for keeping people alive. We talk about Tambo’s years of service in explosive detection, what life...

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch , Dom’s mom, Connie , joins us for one of the most personal conversations we’ve ever had on the show. We talk about Dom’s childhood, his decision to join the U.S. Coast Guard, and eventually law enforcement — and what it’s really like watching your child choose a career built around danger and service. Connie opens up about the constant worry, the silent fear...

In this episode of Beyond The Dispatch , we sit down with Linnea Lones , co-owner of Just Lift Fitness , a personal training studio in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, built around long-term health, performance, and sustainability. Linnea breaks down what originally pulled her into the fitness world and how her work at Just Lift Fitness evolved beyond just workouts and aesthetics. We talk in depth about...

Firefighter. Cop. Survivor. Dennis Pishock has carried the weight of two uniforms and the scars that come with them. From 18 years in the fire service to his current role in law enforcement, he knows the toll of PTSD, trauma, and suicide — and why peer support can save lives. In this raw conversation, Pishock shares lessons from his book Demons & Angels, the brotherhood of martial arts, and wh...

Retired DEA Group Supervisor Pat Bagley spent 28 years inside the world of federal drug enforcement — a career that took him from New York during 9/11, to the streets of Chicago, and deep into international operations in Bangkok, Thailand. This episode walks through the reality of long-term federal service: the pressure, the responsibility, and the unseen toll that comes with operating at the high...

Before the VA ever failed him… before the mindfulness training… before the mental clarity that helped him survive that flight… Marine infantry combat veteran Matt Spaid suffered a total psychological collapse that nearly ended everything. After two deployments with the Corps, years of blast exposure, a traumatic brain injury no one recognized, and nonstop trauma in the fire service, Matt’s life fi...

They’re not just visiting sick kids. They’re helping them live better—sometimes until their final day. Kurt DeGroot created Project Fire Buddies to connect firefighters with children battling life-threatening illnesses. It started small—one crew, one family, one moment of joy. Now it’s a national movement built on heart, humanity, and the kind of strength you can’t fake.🎧 Subscribe for weekly epi...

The people who save everyone else rarely have anyone saving them. Today, the therapist trusted by firefighters, police officers, and medics sits down and exposes what our first responders are really carrying behind the uniform. Melissa — owner of Sugar Grove Wellness and a licensed clinical social worker of 23 years — opens up about the childhood trauma that shaped her, the suicides that still hau...

Mike Rusnak opens up about his battle with alcohol addiction and how it nearly cost him everything. From hitting rock bottom to rebuilding his life through recovery, fitness, and faith, Mike’s story is one of resilience and redemption. We talk about the importance of buying in to recovery, the mental battles of IVF, and the emotional rollercoaster of becoming a father — only to learn his son was b...

He called his wife to say goodbye — certain he’d never make it home. Atlanta Police Detective Patrick Apoian was crushed beneath a suspect’s car during a violent takedown. His body broke. His radio went dead. And as he lay bleeding on the asphalt, he made one last call to tell his wife and seven-year-old son he loved them. But he didn’t die. He fought his way back — through broken bones, corrupt p...

He called his wife to say goodbye — certain he’d never make it home. Atlanta Police Detective Patrick Apoian was crushed beneath a suspect’s car during a violent takedown. His body broke. His radio went dead. And as he lay bleeding on the asphalt, he made one last call to tell his wife and seven-year-old son he loved them. But he didn’t die. He fought his way back — through broken bones, corrupt p...

He’s spent 26 years walking through blood, fire, and heartbreak — and he’s still standing. Deputy Chief Dan Jungles of the Will County Sheriff’s Office opens up about the calls that scarred him, the mental toll of leadership, and why he’s running for Will County Sheriff . From the chaos of murder scenes and overdoses to the fight for transparency, accountability, and officer wellness — this episod...

America’s waking up again. In this episode of Table Talk , Cary and Dom go deep on the rising tension with Venezuela, China’s latest trade threats, and the mission to bring discipline and pride back to America’s military. From Coast Guard drug busts to Eisenhower’s warning about the war machine, this is raw firehouse talk about leadership, corruption, and the fight to rebuild the warrior class our...

Federal agents surrounded. A city’s leadership silent. And CPD told to stand down . In this Truth Bombs & Tear Gas segment, Dom and Cary are joined by retired Romeoville Police Commander Matt Bejgrowicz to dissect the October 2nd Chicago incident — when CBP and ICE agents called for help, and CPD command told their own to walk away. They break down what really happened that morning, how politi...

Every responder learns to carry a physical toolbox on the job. But what about the mental one? In this episode, McKenzie, founder of Mind Medic Counseling, takes us inside the world of first responder mental health. Drawing on her perspective as both a spouse and a clinician, she lays out the tools for the toolbox — practical ways responders can manage trauma, break through stigma, and finally get...

He circled above one of the deadliest battles of the war. CMSgt Rob Harrison was on board Grim-32 , the AC-130 gunship that witnessed the tragedy of Roberts Ridge unfold in real time. From the sky, he watched John Chapman’s last stand, the desperate fight for survival, and the chaos that would become one of the most controversial battles in Special Operations history. In this episode, Rob relives...

John Chapman didn’t become a hero the day he died — he lived like one every day before that. In Part 1 of our interview with Lori Chapman Longfritz, we trace John’s journey from a soft-spoken, fiercely loyal kid to one of the most lethal and respected warriors in the U.S. military. We talk about his early life, the moment he nearly washed out of CCT training, and how he clawed his way into the 24t...

Two Nevada cops who got tired of staying silent — and built a platform to tell the truth. Matt and Austin, better known as Tone Alert , open up about life on the job, the calls that stick with them, and what it’s like to balance being cops, fathers, and voices for their brothers and sisters in blue. From dark humor to heavy moments, this episode shows how they turned trauma and burnout into connec...

He’s carried a badge for nearly four decades — from the streets of Illinois to working DEA cases. Deputy Chief Jeff Werniak opens up about a lifetime in law enforcement: the calls that scar, the shootings that change you, and the quiet demons that follow you home. From chasing down dope in federal task forces to leading a department through crisis, Jeff’s story is one of survival, scars, and broth...

Dennis Pishock has lived the weight that first responders carry — from 18 years as a firefighter to his current role in law enforcement . In this episode, he opens up about the hidden toll of the job: PTSD, suicide, trauma, and the daily battles that come with wearing the badge. Drawing from his book Demons & Angels , Pishock shares how peer support, training, and honest conversations can save...

RELOADED** In this powerful episode of Beyond the Dispatch , we sit down with a remarkable guest—a former U.S. Army intelligence specialist and current Denver Police Officer—whose life changed in an instant. While on duty, she was hit in her patrol vehicle, suffering a catastrophic DAI Grade 3 brain injury—one of the most severe forms of traumatic brain trauma. Her journey from military service to...

He called in airstrikes. Survived a four-hour firefight. Earned two Bronze Stars. But the war that almost killed him came after. Eric Lionheart is a former Air Force Combat Controller who went from elite missions in Afghanistan with ODA's… to a dark spiral of guilt, pills, and suicidal depression. In this raw, soul-baring episode, Eric opens up about the ceremony that cracked him wide open — a...

This isn’t a goodbye — it’s a reload. Beyond the Dispatch is taking a short tactical pause. Not because we’re burned out — but because we’re growing fast and it’s time to reorganize, rearm, and re-engage. In this 17-minute update, Dom and Cary break down why we're taking a 2-week break, what’s coming next, and how Beyond the Dispatch is evolving behind the scenes: — New gear drops and giveaways —...