Behind The Shield

Brandon Holder, BS, CSCS, is the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator of the a NE County Police Department. He has diverse coaching experience in the private sector, along with stops in the collegiate setting, working with everyone from elite, youth, and tactical athletes to everyday individuals. Along with his coaching experience, Brandon has previously competed in powerlifting and Strongman com...

Peter Bitwinski spent a full career working for the New York Port Authority. He was present during the 1993 bombing and carried a disabled coworker from the 69th floor on 9/11. We discuss his journey into accounting, what it was like to work in the North Tower, the safety changes after the first attack, the heroism of New York's first responders and civilians, continuing their legacy through story...

Dr João Goulão is Portugal's Director of Addiction Intervention and one of the men who spearheaded the decriminalization of all drug use. We discuss how Portugal had one of the worst drug problems in Europe, how the people pushed the decision to make users patients instead of criminals and the incredible success they have had. João Goulão, M.D., is the Director-General of The General-Directorate f...

Logan Brogberg is a devoted husband, proud father, 10 year firefighter, smoke diver and the founder of Rogue Firemanship Training. We discuss his journey into the fire service, firefighter fitness, training in gear, the recruitment crisis, the importance of fitness standards, the smoke diver crucible and so much more. https://roguefiremanship.com/

Beth Bowersox is a former firefighter and resident of Paradise CA who was on duty as a dispatcher when the Camp Fire destroyed her community. We discuss her journey into the fire service, physical fitness, sleep deprivation, guilt from the inability to save, mental heath in dispatchers and so much more.

Jon Dalton is a Chief Warrant Officer Four SEAL (Retired) and the President of the Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicines. Jon’s twenty-three-year career as a Navy Seal has been fundamentally grounded on the highest level of personal and team performance. His uniquely demanding job requirements necessitated continual learning, adaptation, and execution in one of the most elite military organiz...

Dr Ron Rufo is a 22 year veteran of Chicago PD, mental health advocate and the author of multiple books. We discuss his journey into policing at the age of forty, proactive crime prevention, drug prohibition, the recruitment crisis, first responder mental health, sexual predators and much more. "I recently retired as a highly decorated Chicago Police Officer with over 22 years of service that incl...

Jason Villeggiante and Christina Dizon are career firefighters and founders of Tactical Sleep Rescue. We discuss their respective journeys into the fire service, the impact of sleep deprivation on acute and chronic health, yoga, breathwork, the firefighter work week, their programme and so much more. Christina is the founder of Biohacked Firefighter and the developer of Tactical Sleep Rescue. She...

Tai Geering is a student athlete, JROTC alumn and my son. I couldn't think of a better person to commemorate this thousanth episode. I know this conversation will be of value to children and parents alike. We discuss being part of a firefighter family, the impact of divorce, the importance of sports, lego, academics, the pressures of graduation, the impact of the pandemic, the ripple affect of an...

Joshua A. Strom is a seasoned emergency responder and Director of First Responder Lifeline, a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting First Responders in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. With an extensive background in firefighting, search-and-rescue, and wilderness medicine, Joshua co-founded First Responder Lifeline with his wife, Jessica H. Strom. Together, they address the men...

Joshua Rose and Dr Gerad Troutman are part of the Global Medical Response team. We discuss how to reduce EMS responses to low acuity calls, addressing ER overcrowding, proving inexpensive alternatives to EMS transport, creating a three tier 911 system, the GMR response to Hurricane Helene and so much more. Nurse Navigation program provides quick and accurate patient assessments for life- threating...

Jonathan Mark intially entered NYPD as a recruit but it was his gift as a psychic medium that pulled him back into the world of law enforcement. He was called upon in the Gabby Petito case, the Long Island Serial Killer case and many more. We discussed discovering his gift as a child, bringing closure to those who have lost loved ones, the power of meditation and so much more. Jonathan is a highly...

Diane Cotter is a firefighter spouse and the woman who revealed the PFAS manufacturers were using in firefighter turnout gear. We discuss her early life, the Cold Storage Fire in Worcester, her husband's cancer diagnosis, her forever chemicals discovery, the resistance she encountered from trusted corporations and organizations, what needs to change and so much more. Diane Cotter is a self-taught...

.Monty Bynum is a Marine veteran, former LEO, DEA and GBI, and the founder of The Wealthy Servant. We discuss his journey into law enforcement, the war on drugs, leadership, entrepreneurship and so much more.

After eight years interviewing, Dustin's story still remains one of the most powerful I've ever heard. This has been a terrible week for the first responder community so it seems fitting that I repost this episode with the hope that it might reach someone who needs to hear it. Dustin Hawkins has been to hell and back both physically and mentally. We talk about his critical injuries, PTSD, near sui...

Dr. Anders Hansen is a Swedish psychiatrist, speaker and international bestselling author with his own TV series exploring the human brain. Dr. Hansen’s books have sold millions of copies globally and topped bestseller lists around the world. He is the winner of the book of the year Big Health Award 2017 and 2019, and Sweden’s Mensa Prize in 2018. We discuss his childhood in Sweden, the importance...

Jay Dawes, PhD, CSCS, *D, NSCA-CPT, TSAC-F, FNSCA, is a professor of applied exercise science in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation at OSU. Dr. Dawes has worked as a university athletic performance coordinator, strength/performance coach, personal trainer and educator for over 20 years. His primary research interests is focused on improving the health, fitness and human perfo...

Michael McColgan is an Army Veteran, Firefighter, founding member of Dropkick Murphys and the lead vocalist of Street Dogs. We discuss his journey into music, the Invasion of Iraq, his powerful sobriety story, Celtic rock, entering the fire service, some notable calls, becoming part of the mental health solution in Boston and so much more.

Larry Doyle is a Vietnam veteran and one of the most respected journalists of his era. We discuss his journey into journalism, interviewing Nelson Mandela, his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, the devolution of American journalism, veteran mental health and so much more.

The moment CHP Officer Kevin Briggs responded to Kevin Berthia's suicide attempt became a picture that touched the world. I have interviewed both of these men independantly but in this episode they joined me together to discuss all things mental health. Kevin Briggs entered the US Army in 1981. In 1987, he became a correctional officer and worked at Soledad and San Quentin State Prisons. In 1990,...

Guy Miles was wrongly convicted of a robbery after eyewitnesses wrongly identified him. The three true perpetrators ultimately admitted to committing the crime and they exculpated Guy Miles in the process. On a day in June 1998, at a Fidelity Financial Institution in Fullerton, California, Trina Gomez and Max Patlan faced a horrifying incident. As they were closing up, two men, Jason Steward and H...

Siento was born from the personal experiences of its CEO, Andrew Douglas, who spent years on the front lines as a firefighter/paramedic and union leader. After confronting his own battles with PTSD and a suicide attempt, Andrew felt compelled to create the solution he wished he had during his darkest times. Understanding the intense pressures and unique challenges faced by those in high-stress pro...

Andy Puddicombe is the creator of the meditation app Headspace. We discuss his childhood trauma, becoming a monk in India, the many benefits of mindfulness and meditation, mental resilience and much more. Andy is a meditation and mindfulness expert. An accomplished presenter and writer, Andy is the voice of all things Headspace. In his early twenties, midway through a university degree in Sports S...

Danny Long is a US Army Veteran, 22 year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, 8 year member of the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Founder of the Oklahoma First Responder Division. We discuss his journey into the military, entering law enforcement, contracting, weapons training, his multiple officer involved shootings, his powerful mental health journey, creating a wellness solution in...

Ian "Mongoose" Jones is a BJJ Black Belt, Muay Thai champion and World Catch Wrestling champion. We discuss his turbulent childhood, his journey into the combat sports, striking, head trauma, martial arts for law enforcement grappling, addressing the 'grey area' with catch wrestling and so much more.