Post-Op Reflections

Chris Cassidy has done what almost no American has ever done. He served ten years as a U.S. Navy SEAL — deploying to Afghanistan in the earliest weeks after 9/11 as a Ground Assault Force Commander, earning two Bronze Stars, one with "V" for valor, and a Presidential Unit Citation. Then NASA selected him. He flew three missions to the International Space Station, spent 378 days in space,...

Sheriff Bill Waybourn has given more than 40 years to public safety — from his start as an 18-year-old in the U.S. Air Force, to becoming Texas's youngest police chief at age 26, to serving 31 years in that chair, to now leading the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, which serves more than 2.1 million Texans. In this raw, honest conversation with host Neil Noakes and guest co-host Dr. Heathe...

Shane Cartwright gave more than three decades to service — eight years as a U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and Senior Drill Instructor, followed by 25 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety as a trooper, narcotics sergeant, and criminal investigations lieutenant. He answered the call statewide: major cases, natural disasters, civil unrest, and hundreds of days on the southern border. I...

Brad Ortiz — former law enforcement officer with over a decade in patrol, street crimes, gang investigations, and fugitive apprehension — joins Neil Noakes and Reuben Ramirez for a raw, honest conversation on the unseen costs of the job. From the cumulative trauma of loss-of-life calls (including the ones that still haunt him years later) to battles with anxiety, depression, identity tied to the b...

From the battlefield to a Christ-centered marriage—Sergeant Major Daniel Kaster and Sergeant First Class Ruth Kaster share their powerful journey of faith, healing, and hope on the newest episode of Post-Op Reflections. After decades of service, multiple deployments, moral injury, childhood trauma, and personal battles, this warrior couple found each other as friends first, then built a marriage r...

Veteran SWAT operators Brandon Hernandez and Aaron Krause join Will Spencer and Neil Noakes for a powerful discussion on moral injury, officer shootings, justice system failures, and the role of faith in modern policing. A faith-anchored conversation about courage, leadership, and healing the soul of our nation.

In this powerful episode of Post-Op Reflections, host Neil Noakes sits down with Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and co-host Dr. Heather Twedell, forensic psychologist and Dallas Cowboys team psychologist. Mayor Parker reveals how the R3 Program is transforming first responder wellness while sharing how her small-town roots shaped her leadership approach. Dr. Twedell offers expert insights on addre...

In this episode of Post-Op Reflections, Brad Hunstable courageously shares the heartbreaking story of losing his son Hayden to suicide, offering raw insights into grief and the path to renewed purpose. Joined by Forth Worth Fire Department Chaplain Cliff Weaver, who reflects on the traumatic calls that tested his resilience and faith.

Reuben G. Ramirez spent nearly 30 years wearing a Dallas Police badge, rising to Assistant Chief and leading some of the department’s most demanding bureaus. He was there for the worst days—the critical incidents, the 7/7 ambush that changed the department forever, and the quiet, unseen toll those moments took on his people. After decades of watching too many officers struggle in silence—and some...

In this Veterans Day special of Post-Op Reflections, hosts Will Spencer(Retired Navy SEAL) and Neil Noakes(Retired Police Chief) sit down with Dr. Ben Carson and country music legend Craig Morgan for a powerful, faith-driven conversation about healing, courage, and the fight for America’s soul.

This Veterans Day, the American Warrior Association launches Post-Op Reflections , a faith-driven video podcast amplifying the resilient stories of service members, veterans, first responders, and their families as they heal from moral injury—a silent crisis affecting 46% of post-9/11 veterans—and rediscover purpose in mind, body, and soul. Get a 60-second glimpse into our powerful 3-hour premiere...