Behind The Shield

Nimsdai is a former Ghurka, member of the British SBS, record breaking mountaineer and author. We discuss his powerful journey into the special forces, Project Possible, mountain rescues, his new book "Beyond Possible",, environmentalism, forging an indomitable spirit and so much more.Born in Nepal, Nims had a distinguished 16-year military career, of which he spent 6 years as a Ghurka and 10 years with the UK Special Forces (SBS). He has since become a truly historic mountaineer, accumulating an ever-growing list of record-breaking summits alongside many high-altitude rescue missions.Humble beginningsAstonishingly, Nims didn’t grow up in the shadow of the Himalayas, in fact he was born in the Dhaulagiri region of Nepal and raised in Chitwan, in the country’s flatlands. He performed well at school, but at that time there was no yearning to climb mountains instead he had another focus, to become a Gurkha in the British military like his father and brothers before him. In 2003 that dream became a reality when h

Christine Collins is a decorated veteran, having served as a U.S. Air Force Captain and trauma nurse during a pivotal deployment to Afghanistan in 2009. Stationed at Bagram Air Base, she found herself at the epicenter of the conflict, tirelessly working to save the lives of American troops, Afghan civilians caught in the crossfire, and even enemy fighters.Through her raw and poignant memoir, Christine unveils the physical and emotional toll of war, not just on those fighting but also on the medical personnel tasked with picking up the pieces. Her vivid accounts transport readers to the heart of the conflict, revealing both the horrors and the glimmers of hope that sustained her. After returning to the U.S., Christine grappled with the invisible wounds of war, finding solace in writing as a means to process her experiences and to shed light on the often overlooked challenges faced by veterans.As a wife and mother of three daughters, Christine's journey of healing and self-discovery is a testament to the resili

John Vargas is a Los Angeles firefighter, mental health advocate and the man behind the Grab Lives Podcast. We discuss gang culture, the power of mentorship, traumatic brain injury, mindfulness, spirituality, psychedelics, firefighting and so much more.

Dave Castro is a Navy SEAL veteran and the former CEO of Crossfit. We discuss his journey into the military, finding Crossfit, transitioning out of the Navy, tactical athlete fitness testing, law enforcement weapons training, the obesity epidemic, reading, competitive shooting, hunting and much more.

Jason Bitzer is a veteran ocean lifeguard, author and the founder of "Never Off Duty". In this third conversation, we discuss his son's pediatric cancer battle, water safety in schools, the prevelance of shark attacks, fitness standards, bleeding control kits and much more.Jason has been a lifeguard on the beach since 1999--working the last 10 years on Oahu's dangerous North Shore where he was awarded the Mayoral award for lifesaving merit in aiding in the rescue of professional surfer, Evan Geiselman, at the world-famous pipeline. He cut his teeth writing as a contributor to Vice Sports as well as writing feature scripts, such as 'In Deep, ' which made finals of various screenplay competitions such as the California Film awards.Never Off Duty: https://neveroffduty.org/Transcend: https://transcendcompany.com/schedule-a-consultation/?ls=BehindtheShieldKinder: https://www.amazon.com/Kinder-James-Geering/dp/1735586838?ref_=ast_author_dp

MSgt (Ret.) Miguel Zeran, aka Z, is a former USMC Force Recon Marine who holds a BS in Health & Wellness, an MS in Kinesiology, and is in his third year of doctoral pursuits in Human & Sport Performance. He is a CSCS, CPT, SFG1, and trained Health Coach who is sitting for the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC) board exam this year.He has spent over 14 years teaching, coaching, and training military and first responder populations in USMC Reconnaissance, USARNG, Naval Special Warfare – Armada de Chile, Wildland Fire (BLM & USFS), and Municipal/Structure Fire, and Law Enforcement. His operational experience across multiple countries and conflicts, alongside his educational pursuits and training, has afforded him a unique perspective on what it takes to gain and maintain health, wellness, and fitness sufficient to succeed in any clime and place.

This week I welcome back two of the most respected first responder Psychologists to upack all things mental health. We discuss psychological recruitment testing, the educational requirements of the different mental health practitioners, the pros and cons of EAP programmes, what a counseling session should look like, how to find a culturally competent clinician, provider red flags, overcoming financial barriers and so much more. Dr Brooke Bartlett: “I am a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY33545) in California with specific expertise in trauma-, anxiety-, and stressor-related disorders and symptoms. I have trained at some of the nation’s most renowned institutions for PTSD and anxiety and am one of few psychologists with extensive experience and training in working with first responders and military veterans. I absolutely love what I do for a living and make the most out of my training and education by being as versatile within the field of psychology as I can be; I am a consultant, professor, and clinician-

Stephen Davis is a former Divison Chief, Entrepreneur and author of "Alone in the Fire". He was terminated by Orange County, FL in 2021 after refusing to enforce erroneous vaccine madate write ups. In this second interview, we revisit the mental and financial cost of the first responder terminations, the fallacies on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine and social distancing, the government overreach that remains unchecked, the first responders who continue to lose their jobs and much more.Stephen Davis, BS, MS, is a veteran of the US Army, where he served as a medic, and spent 22 years in fire and emergency services, rising to the rank of Division Chief. He is dedicated to making firehouses around the country safer and better places to work. To this end, he speaks at firehouses, bringing value to Fire and EMS Personnel with his unique insights and leadership strategy, The Five Rung Ladder of Leadership.Stephen is a decorated public servant, now meeting the needs of families around the world as the co-founder

On September 11th, 2001, Port Authority Police Officer, William Jimeno, left his home unsuspecting of what the day was about to hold. Just a few hours later he lay crushed beneath the Twin Towers' 220 stories of concrete, steel, and glass. Most of his team had already died. He and his sergeant were helplessly trapped. The pain and anguish had only begun.Many have seen Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, which depicted this horrific day and the rescue of Will and his Sergeant, John McLoughlin. Surviving the initial collapse was only part of the story. Multiple surgeries, forced retirement, survivor's guilt, depression, and learning to live again with PTSD were waiting outside of the rubble.Will has teamed with clinical psychologist, Michael Moats, to share his message of faith, hope, and love and how these three things helped him navigate the unchartered waters of learning to live again after the tragedy of September 11th. Although Sunrise Through the Darkness speaks directly to first responders, Will's message

Michael Hawkes served in the British Military for 24 years with 12 years in 22 SAS (Including 6 years Covert operations). He spent 2 years as a military advisor to the British Secret Intelligence Services in London (MI5 for Covert operations). The last 22 years have been spent in corporate security operating out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Sudan, Libya and the last 6 years in West Africa.We discuss gymnastics, his journey into the military, Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, serving with the Special Forces, his transition story, school safety, farm security, armed policing in the UK and so much more. https://www.hawkesandco.uk/

Gwen Grimes is a former firefighter, paramedic and law enforcement officer as well as the winner of the TV show "Naked and Afraid". We discuss how outdoorsmanship forged resilience as a child, the unique challengers for first responders in remote communties, the proactive nature of policing, the driver who ended her career, her powerful mental health story, competing in reality television, creating a wilderness retreat and so much more.

Denise Olsen is a nurse, yoga teacher and the widow of Jeff Olsen, one of the 343 firefighters killed on 9/11. We discuss her entry into healthcare, the genesis of their romance, protecting the WTC, the ripple effect of the attacks, grief, healthy coping mechanisms, growing from trauma, the importance of movement and so much more.On the eve of Sept 11, 2001 my husband kissed me goodbye, left for work at his firehouse in downtown Manhattan and I never saw him again. He left behind 3 small children and made me a 32 year old widow. I felt as if my life came to a complete stop. Not living, not dead. Learning how to navigate this new life was difficult, to say the least.The journey over the past 20+ years has been nothing short of miraculous. When we experience a tremendous loss or trauma, the grief is all encompassing. Trying to find your way out is similar to climbing a mountain. It certainly helps to have an experienced guide. I didn't have anyone nearby who had walked in my shoes. The internet was just beginni

Rudy Reyes is an American conservationist, martial arts instructor, actor, and Recon Marine. He is best known for portraying himself in the HBO TV miniseries Generation Kill. In this second conversation we discuss the suicide epidemic, courageous vulnerability, the importance of tribe, hormonal disruption, peptides, emotional TCCC and so much more.Rudy was born in 1971 on Richard’s Gebauer Air Base in Missouri while his father, a US Marine, was fighting in Vietnam. His parents had 2 other sons, all three boys a little over a year apart. After his parents' divorce in 1975, and with his mother unable to look after the boys, Rudy and his brothers were moved around Texas staying with various relatives before eventually settling with his grandmother. Sadly, four years later both grandparents passed away within the same year, leading to Rudy (then aged 7) and his brothers drifting throughout the mid-west, to eventually (at age 11) be saved by the Omaha Home for Boys. Rudy and his brothers would remain at the boys’

After eight years interviewing the greatest minds in wellness, I decided to record a live Q&A on how to transition to the 24/72 firefighter shift schedule. In this episode, I discuss the immense physical and mental health costs caused by sleep deprivation, the false economy of breaking our first responders, the cost savings of a shorter work week, how to solve the current recruitment crisis and so much more.Podcast Video: https://www.youtube.com/live/nn3PX3Qtq3o?si=oTvbOwQVB6gICGOcHere are the podcast episodes of the true subject matter experts that I reference in the podcast:Departments that have made the change:Chief Hugh Bruder - Episode 854Dixon Philips - Episode 879Matthew Harrison/Brian O'Connell - Episode 942Military Sleep Science Experts:Dr Allison Brager (Army) - Episode 117Rachel Markwald (Navy) - Episode - 196Capt. John Cordle (Navy) - Episode 389Dr Kirk Parsley (Navy Special Warfare) - Episode 6Lt Col. Jannell MacCaulay (Air Force) - Episode 175Dr Sara Jahnke (Firefighter Health Researcher) -

JP McMichael is a law enforcement veteran, professional wrestler, MMA fighter and the man behind "Catalyst of Change". We discuss his journey into policing, responding to the Pentagon on 9/11, the kindness of 9/12, his powerful mental health journey, suicide, Operation Enduring Warrior, the Strugglewell program and so much more.J.P. is a veteran First Responder of 20+ years. A responder to the Pentagon on the morning of September 11, 2001, J.P. was later diagnosed with PTSD and in 2003 almost ended is life. Now the owner of Catalyst of Change Associates LLC, a former wrestler and competitve MMA fighter unitl he broke his neck in 2012, J.P. now shares his journey and lessons learned around the world, virtually and on the pages of his books. J.P. has authored three childrens books and is currently working on two adult books, one on the Americans with Disabilites Act in Corrections and Law Enforcement and the other on his Journey and lessons learned form those whose path he has intersected with along the way. J.

Timea Nagy is Human Trafficking survivor turned author and victim advocate. We discuss her early life in Hungary, human trafficking myths, how predators target the vulnerable, using fear as a restraint, DeliverFund and much more.Human trafficking survivor, author, speaker, and social advocate Timea Nagy immigrated to Canada in 1998. Her nightmare unfolded in Toronto that same year after arriving from Budapest, Hungary in the hopes of finding meaningful employment. The daughter of a Hungarian police woman, Timea was held in a cheap motel at the hands of traffickers and forced to work in the sex industry. ​ Ten years later, Ms. Nagy founded ‘Walk with Me’, a non-profit organization to assist victims of human trafficking and law enforcement agencies. ​ ​ ​In 2015, Ms. Nagy closed down her agency: ‘Walk with Me’, a non-profit organization to assist victims of human trafficking and law enforcement agencies due to ongoing financial struggles. As a result she started Canada's first FOR PROFIT Corporation, Timea's C

Craig Weller is a former USN SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant Crewman) and the co-founder of "Building the Elite". We discuss his journey into the military, fighting extremism in the Phillippines, his transition story, training the tactical athete, sleep and performance, injury prevention, his incredible book and so much more.He is also certified under the Department of State’s Worldwide Personal Protective Service-2, and spent nearly two years on the High-Threat Protection team for the U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad in Iraq. In Special Operations and in subsequent private deployments, Craig held a variety of instructional and diplomatic security roles in locations including Kenya, the Philippines, Central America, South Sudan, and Iraq.

Robb Milano is 30 year veteran of the Fire Service. He is currently the Division Chief of EMS for the Vancouver (WA) Fire Department. We discuss his journey into the fire service, the impact addiction had on his family, the progressive solutions his department has in place to combat the opiod crisis, the innovative 911 Telehealth integration they've employed to reduce non-emergent calls, leadership, shift work and so much more.He has had the privilege of serving in multiple departments as a high school fire explorer, volunteer firefighter, career firefighter, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief and Division Chief. This journey has afforded him the opportunity to gain multiple experiences and education. In his home life, he and his wife have blended four bio kids and foster/adopted four additional kids. The trauma from addiction in all of their kids lives has led his passion to battle the opioid crisis in his local community thru innovations of leave behind narcan and medication assisted treatments in the field

Travis Gribble is a 24 year veteran of Law Enforcement, SWAT commander and the man behind "My Arena" We discuss his journey into policing, fitness standards, his officer involved shooting, the child abuse call that almost broke him, the damage a mismatched counselor can do, his healing journey, the Strugglewell program and so much more. My name is Travis Gribble and I am a retired 24 year law enforcement veteran. I spent 11 years in Michigan where I worked as a deputy, deputy sergeant, and SWAT team commander. In 2008 I made a lateral move to Mesa Police Department in Arizona. Mesa is a city of 520,000 and 850 sworn police officers. In Mesa I worked as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, SWAT assistant teamleader, and SWAT sergeant team leader. During the course of my career I was a part of countless critical incidents and I always thought none of the calls were affecting me. In 2016 I experienced what I now know to be a life-changing call. For five years after the call I never sought appropriate help and I wa

Tom Eberhardt is a Senior Adviser for the Norwegian Correctional Service (KDI) and Amend Norwegian Director. He was educated at the Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy as a prison officer and has higher education in economics and crisis management. Tom worked 26 years in different prisons in Norway and held several management positions. Tom was the Warden at Bastøy Prison for six years. Since February 2020, he has worked full time for Amend.We talk crime, guns, healthcare, prison models and much more.