Beyond the Dispatch

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 —...

Matt Cubbler never planned to investigate SEAL corruption, but when Cmdr. Job Price was found dead—allegedly by suicide—Job's father asked him to review the case. Matt uncovered a web of lies, suppressed evidence, and a disturbing cover-up reaching the highest military levels. In this intense episode, Matt reveals startling forensic evidence, hidden crime-scene tampering, and the truth behind a re...

He looked in the mirror and made peace with death. Then he swallowed every pill he had. Treavor is a communications sergeant with 19th Special Forces Group. In this gripping episode, he opens up about the trauma of losing his son, the unbearable shame that followed, and the night he tried to end everything while away at training. But something stopped him — and what came next was a transformation...

23 years in Special Forces. 30 years in uniform. A new mission that still serves others. Michael “Sully” Sullivan is a retired Green Beret Colonel who spent three decades in Army Special Operations, including six combat tours in Afghanistan and a command role in Lebanon. But Sully’s greatest impact may be happening right now. As CEO of Team RWB , he’s helping veterans reclaim identity and connecti...

His mother left him and his twin in China at age 4. Came back years later — not to love them, but to relocate them. Abandoned at four, Kevin's fight for survival began long before he joined the Marines. In this raw, emotional episode of Beyond the Dispatch , Kevin shares his harrowing experiences as a grunt with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines in Afghanistan's deadly Helmand Province during...

He’s not just fighting fires. He’s fighting for kids who may not live to see another birthday. Kurt DeGroot is a firefighter and the founder of Project Fire Buddies , a nationwide nonprofit connecting firefighters with children battling serious illnesses—especially terminal ones. These aren’t just meet-and-greets. They’re life-changing moments. Some of these kids have days left to live. Others jus...

Nine firefighters died in a furniture store fire. David Griffin was pumping water at the panel when it happened. This episode goes deep with Assistant Chief David Griffin of the Charleston Fire Department — a man who lived through one of the deadliest days in American fire service history. From rookie years to command, from trauma to transformation, Griffin walks us through the 2007 Super Sofa Fir...

He earned two Bronze Stars, called in airstrikes under fire, and lost brothers to suicide. But his hardest fight came after the war. Combat Controller Eric Lionheart didn’t just see combat — he lived through four-hour firefights, called in F-15s under fire, and carried the weight of survivor’s guilt when he came home alone. He opens up about the loss of his teammates, the battle to stay alive afte...

They left him behind on a snowy mountain in Afghanistan. Then they lied about how he died. In Part Two of our interview with Lori Chapman Longfritz, we walk through the aftermath of John Chapman’s death—and the betrayal that followed. From the night her family was notified, to the battle over his Medal of Honor, to the disgraceful way he’s been treated in the Medal of Honor Museum, this episode is...