Behind The Shield

Dr. Cordle is a retired Navy captain with 30 years of service and a human factors engineer. In this second conversation, we discuss his family's generational combat service, the current crisis in Iran, the financial cost of forced sleep deprivation, servant leadership, technical competence and his latest book "Letters to Myself". John was the 2018 Proceedings Author of the Year, Surface Navy Assoc...

K. L. Sadler is a retired U.S. Diplomat and Supervisory Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Over a 26-year career as a sworn law enforcement officer and federal agent, she served in high-threat assignments across Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda, Mexico, and El Salvador, where she received multiple Superior Honor Awards for leadership and crisis response. She be...

Brian Brush is a 30 year veteran of the fire service, instructor and the training chief for the Midwest City (OK) Fire Department. We discuss his journey into the volunteer fire service, wildland firefighting, firefighter fitness, putting family first, his near career ending medical event, mentorship and so much more. Brian's background spans several states from rural volunteer to metro-sized depa...

RJ Casey has held numerous roles including as an Army Special Forces Medic, Air Force Pararescueman, Physician's Assistant and Stuntman. We discuss his journey into the military, trauma medicine, education, realism in training, working with Mel Gibson and so much more. RJ has 30+ years of Special Operations experience with the Department of Defense and other government agencies. He has multiple co...

Dr Ken Ford is a Navy veteran, former NASA computer scientist and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer Emeritus of the Florida Insitute for Human and Machine Cognition. We discuss his journey into the military, living in Guantanamo Bay, the genesis of computers in the military, the moon landing, exploring Mars, Tier One operators, the firefighter workweek, exoskeletons, sleep for performance an...

Mike Wynn is the Director of The Quell Foundation’s First Responder Resilience Project (FRRP), where he leads the development and execution of strategic programming focused on supporting the mental health and well-being of first responders nationwide. A former Chief of Police for the Pittsfield (MA) Police Department, Mike brings nearly 30 years of leadership experience in law enforcement, trainin...

Leah Pells is a three time Olympian in athletics, published author of “Not about the medal” and registered clinical counsellor. Leah and runs her own private practice where she mainly works with firefighters. We discuss her own turbulent childhood, catharsis through running, compassionate coaching, burnout in youth athletes, her journey to mental health counseling, sleep deprivation, EMDR and so m...

Dan John is an elite athlete, author and revered strength and conditioning coach. We discuss the impact of war on his family, training the youth athlete, physical education, gut biome, rehabilitating the tactical professions and so much more. Dan has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also compe...

JD Madden is a retired Deputy Fire Chief, USAR Task Force Leader and Board Member of the SIREN Project. We discuss his journey into the fire service, Hurricane Katrina rescues, the importance of proactive preparedness, recruitment, his powerful mental health story, saving lives with psychedelics and so much more. https://www.thesirenproject.org/

Rob Sweetman is a former Navy SEAL turned sleep scientist, dedicated to optimizing human performance through the science of sleep. With firsthand experience in high-stakes, sleep-deprived environments, Rob transitioned from special operations to research, earning his MBA and becoming a leading advocate for sleep as a cornerstone of health and readiness. In this second conversation we discuss his p...

Brian McGinnis is a combat Marine, veteran firefighter and politician. In this second conversation we discuss the back story of his vocal protest, the atrocities endured by the Iranian people, government overreach, the importance of moral courage, the dangers of blind nationalism, the West Bank and so much more. Brian graduated from Quincy Senior High School in Illinois in 2000 and left for Marine...

Dr Michael Donato is a podiatrist, athlete and member of O2X. We discuss the evolution of footwear, the affect of improper shoes on the body, barefoot training, tactical footwear and much more. Mike, co-owner of Rappahannock Foot & Ankle Specialists joined the practice in 2002. He obtained his A.B. in Economics from Princeton University in 1986. He graduated as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine f...

Chief John Moon was one of America's first pararmedics with Pittsburgh's Freedom House, ultimately retiring as the Assistant Chief of Pittsburg EMS. We discuss the tragedies that peppered his childhood, the origin story of the Freedom House, the tragedy behind modern CPR, systemic racism, organisational betray, the power of mentorship and so much more. John Moon began his EMS career in 1972 with F...

Gregory Menvielle is an IT Veteran and co-founder of the mental wellness platform Okaya. We discuss his childhood in France, the evolution of the internet, the global mental health crisis, using AI to proactively assess mental health, forging performance, firefighter health, wearables and so much more. Greg Menvielle is CEO of Okaya (SmartTec Inc.), an AI-powered readiness platform whose AI, Sanor...

John P. East Jr. is a Critical Care Flight Paramedic and the Co-Founder and Chief of Staff of The Incomologists, a firm focused on protecting the income and families of clinicians, EMS, and fire service professionals. Raised in Homestead, Florida, by a nurse and a firefighter/boat mechanic, John’s childhood was steeped in adventure - exploring the Florida Everglades, fishing, surfing, and life out...

Craig Davidson is a Hawaiian lifeguard, waterman and stuntman. We discuss his journey into lifeguarding, rescues and losses, the importance of humility, fitness, entering the stunt world, set safety, rigging and much more.

This is one of the most powerful conversations I've recorded to date! In 1997, police officer Tom Morgan was shot in the head by eighteen year old gang member Jason Samuel. What followed was an incredible journey of post traumatic growth and forgiveness that will move you to tears. We discuss Toms' journey into law enforcement, SWAT operations, his rehabilitation after the shooting, Jason's parole...

Rob Jones lost both legs after an IED explosion whilst serving as an Engineer with the Marines. Refusing to let his injuries define him, Rob became an elite athlete competing as a rower in the Paralympics. Rob's latest adventure saw him completing 31 marathons in 31 days. We talk about adaptive athletics, mental trauma, his charitable ventures and much more. Rob Jones is a retired US Marine, comba...

Dr. Pamela Kryskow is the medical lead for the Roots To Thrive Program. She is a founding board member of the Psychedelic Association of Canada and the medical chair of the Vancouver Island University Post Graduate Certificate in Psychedelic Medicine assisted Therapy. Pam is also a a clinical instructor at UBC and adjunct professor at VIU. Dr Kryskow is actively involved in research related to psi...

Chad Robichaux is a former police office, Recon Marine and the Author of "Saving Aziz". Azizullah Aziz is an Afghani interpreter assigned to Chad as part of a unique JSOC Task Force team. We discuss their respective childhoods, fleeing the Taliban as a young man, Chad's career call as a police officer, some of the heroism from our Afghan allies, the travesty that was the Afghan withdrawal, how Cha...

A renowned speaker, and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress and childhood development. Rather than offering quick-fix solutions to these complex issues, Dr. Maté weaves together scientific research, case histories, and his own insights and experience to present a broad perspective that enlightens and empowers...

Morgan Englund's life has been nothing short of a wild ride. He first gained widespread recognition as an actor for his portrayal of Dylan Lewis on CBS's Guiding Light. But, his passion for serving others led him to become a firefighter/paramedic for the city of Los Angeles, a role in which he served with distinction. Since leaving the fire department, Morgan has embarked on a new journey, choosin...

Tim Spradlin is the director and EAGALA Certified Equine Specialist for Finally Home Farm, a 501c3 nonprofit charity providing equine therapies to veterans and first responders with emotional wounds near Xenia, Ohio. He and his wife Susan provide support services to wounded warriors at no charge. Tim is retired from a 40 plus year civilian career as a firefighter, paramedic and law enforcement off...

Jennifer Eskew is a former Virginia State Trooper, a retired ATF Senior Special Agent, Author, and subject matter expert in undercover operations, fire and explosion origin and cause determinations and criminal investigations involving the violent crimes of arson and bombings, armed career criminals, and financial fraud. We discuss her journey into Law Enforcement, joining the ATF, the worldwide c...

Jason Khalipa is a former Crossfit Games champion, author and the founder of NCFIT. We discuss Sandlot Jax, jiujitsu and fitness, his journey into Crossfit, overcoming distractions, training the tactical athlete, his daughter's powerful cancer story and so much more.