Behind The Shield

Danny McLaughlin is a retired firefighter and member of the MD Ally team. In this important episode, we discuss the multiple elements that strain emergency medicine resources, how Telemedicine is bringing a powerful solution to this problem, the vulnerability of fire departments to unethical business practices and much more.

Shelton Stevens is a veteran collegiate, Olympic and tactical athlete strength and conditioning coach. We discuss his athletic journey, the injury that changed his career path, what makes the elite athletes excel, nutrition, mobility, supplementation and much more.

Dr Chris Colvin is an emergency physician, Medical Director and author. In this second conversation, we discuss encouraging progress with COVID-19 treatments, dispelling vaccine myths, improving outcomes with fitness and nutrition, responding during the Texas ice storm, advances in HIV treatment and so much more.

Mandy Horvath is a chef, climber, artist and double amputee. We discuss her journey into the culinary arts, losing her legs, her physical and mental health struggles, childhood trauma, discovering climbing, addiction, post traumatic growth, the healing power of plants and so much more.

Jason Bitzer is a professional bodyboarder, author and Oahu lifeguard. We discuss the New Jersey surf, his journey to becoming a Hawaiian lifeguard, fitness standards, shark attacks, watermen, stunts, his non profit Never Off Duty and so much more.

Laurence Gonzales is a pilot, teacher and award winning author of multiple books including Deep Survival. We discuss his father's incredible survival story, training under stress, complacency, dark humour, overcoming trauma and so much more.

Jason McCarthy is a Green Beret veteran, author and co-founder of GORUCK. We discuss his journey into the military, the trials of a military marriage, the weight of war, transitioning out, entrepreneurship, overcoming hurdles, the healing power of dogs and so much more.

Kevin Berthia is a a suicide survivor, mental health advocate and founder of the Kevin Berthia Foundation. We discuss the strain of the adopted child, graduation anxiety, his mental health journey, the role CHP officer Kevin Briggs played in his survival on the Golden Gate Bridge, the rocky road to post traumatic growth, becoming a prevention advocate and so much more.

Jim Moss is a veteran firefighter, speaker and author. We discuss the impact of the pandemic on his department, mental health, firefighter fitness, leadership, ownership, his new book "Firefighter Success" and much more.

Dr Gregory Smith is a pain management physician, filmmaker and the CEO of Red Pill Medical. We discuss the opioid epidemic, the ripple effect of isolation on mental health, boosting immunity, the power of sleep, CBD myths, plant medicine and so much more.

Nick Whitcombe is a parkour athlete, coach and gym owner. We discuss his early life, the genesis of parkour, bodybuilding, drug smuggling, prisons, rehabilitation, addiction, the obesity epidemic, how the Liverpool gyms overturned lockdown legislation and so much more.

Liz Carmouche is a Marine Veteran and one of the first professional female fighters in the UFC. We discuss her journey into the military, homophobia, transgender athletes, underwater fitness training, mental health, overcoming injuries, service dogs and so much more.

Michael Sugrue is a veteran law enforcement officer in both the military and civilian sectors. He is also a suicide survivor. We discuss his journey into the military, the importance of travelling, his officer involved shooting, his mental health battle, post traumatic growth and much more.

Aaron Heller is a veteran firefighter, chief officer and founder of On Scene Training. We discuss the volunteer fire service, firefighter fitness, realism in training, leadership, forcing change, post fire decon, mental health and so much more.

Dr Elle Schwab is a retired Police Chief turned trauma counselor. We discuss her journey into law enforcement, hostage negotiation, CSI, sleep deprivation, her mental health journey, entering neuropsychology and much more.

Brent Gleeson is a Navy SEAL, entrepreneur and author. We discuss his journey into the business world, entering the special operations community, forging mental toughness, transitioning out of the military, overcoming fear, leadership and much more.

Jason Sautel is a retied firefighter and the author of "The Rescuer". We discuss childhood trauma, acute trauma, finding Christianity, the healing power of faith, catharsis through writing and much more.

Branch Warren is a world champion bodybuilder, coach and the co-founder of Wicked Cutz Jerky. We discuss his journey into strength and conditioning, building a foundation, forging mental toughness, overcoming injury, altruistic business and much more.

Antonika Chanel is a Coast Guard veteran and Chinese medicine practitioner. We discuss her journey into the military, organizational stress, travel, healing injuries, acupuncture, herbal medicine and much more.

Tony Long spend his career with the elite armed units of the Metropolitan Police in London. We discuss his journey into policing, the history of firearms in the UK, the evolution of armed officers, his officer involved shootings, organisational stress, the true cost of sensational media and much more.

Jeff Martone is a defensive tactics instructor, kettlebell master and Crossfit pioneer. We discuss his journey into the martial arts, learning kettlebells under Pavel, Crossfit, training the tactical athlete, combatives and much more.

Jesse Simpson and Dan Jarvis are both military veterans, retired first responders and members of the 22Zero team. We discuss their journeys into the tactical professions, their own mental health struggles, the incredible success of TRP, the 22Zero mission and much more.

Nathan Espinosa was a probationary firefighter when he fell through the roof of a commercial structure fire in LA. We discuss how his training saved his life, listening to your gut, the physical and mental healing journey, the incredible support from his crew and much more.

Justin Kingsley is a storyteller, creative strategist, author and filmmaker. We discuss his journey into pubic relations, politics, the power of branding, working with Georges St Pierre, storytelling through film, giving a voice to the indigenous population, branding the first responder professions and so much more.

Emma Benoit is a former emergency dispatcher, suicide survivor and the woman behind the incredible documentary "My Ascension". We discuss the pressures put on today's youth, the facade of being okay, the power of peer support, her physical and mental journey from paralysis, healing through altruism and so much more.

Nikki Selby is a Navy veteran serving as a corpsman, search and rescue member, rescue swimmer and nurse. We discuss her journey into the military, emergency medicine, lessons learned from the battlefield, responding to New York during the pandemic, the Tactical Games, transitioning out and much more.

Paul De Gelder is and Australian Army veteran, former Navy bomb disposal diver, shark attack survivor and television personality. We discuss bullying, martial arts, rapping, his journey through the military, making peace with death, the adaptive athlete community, plant based diets and much more.

Mike Tucker spent a full career in the fire service, retiring as a Fire Chief. He now holds the position of Bureau Chief of the Florida State Fire College. We discuss his entry into the profession, working for unique taxpayers, his powerful cancer story, bringing wellness to fire recruits and officers alike, the firefighter work week and so much more.

Travis Ortmayer is a professional strongman, coach and competitor. We discuss his journey into strength training, his near career ending injury, addiction, suicide, his powerful road to recovery, the power of visualisation, chasing the World's Strongest Man title, training the tactical athlete and 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.

Jeff Byers is a retired NFL player and the CEO of Amp Human. In this second conversation, we discuss the impact of the pandemic, the importance of sunlight exposure, vitamin D and immune health, sleep, brain health and much more.

Pete Saunders is a British Army veteran and Guernsey firefighter. We discuss Guernsey's incredible success in stopping COVID on the island, the importance of preparation, staffing a multidiscipline station, the history of the island's Nazi invasion and much more.

Chuck Liddell is an MMA legend, author and actor. We discuss his early life, overcoming physical challenges, his grandfather's mentorship, altruism, his journey into the martial arts, intrinsic motivation, transitioning out of professional fighting and so much more.

Jason Lacayo is a veteran police officer, Emergency Service Unit member and half of Reps for Responders. We discuss his journey into law enforcement, the importance of mentors, tactical fitness, defensive tactics, community policing and much more.

Kate Casey is an author, film maker and the host of the Reality Life Podcast. We discuss parenting, unscripted television, her powerful 9/11 story, the power of storytelling, terrorism, documentaries, reality television and much more.

Matt Fiorenza and Jared Cheselske are veteran firefighters and suicide survivors. We discuss their traumatic childhoods, their journeys into the fire service, suicide ideation, the treatments that did not work, the Save a Warrior program and much more. Get a glimpse into the before and after treatment in this powerful two part episode.

Al Benjamin spent 35 years as an FDNY firefighter, mostly on the revered Rescue 1. We discuss his early life in Brooklyn, the impact of mentorship on his career, the role of the senior man, his heartbreaking 9/11 story, the human under the uniform and so much more.

Todd Robinson is an actor, writer, director and Save a Warrior alum. We discuss his journey into acting, the power of storytelling, his mental health battle, the warrior's journey, making "The Last Full Measure" and so much more.

Steven Sashen is a former elite gymnast, comedian and current tech guru and founder of Xero Shoes. We discuss the coach who changed his life, enjoying the journey of physical excellence, overcoming injury, barefoot training, creating minimalist shoes and much more.

Jules and Gédéon Naudet are the French brothers behind the documentaries 9/11, November 13 and Notre Dame to name a few. We discuss their childhood in Paris, studying film in NYU, what took them to the FDNY, their accounts of September 11, the heroism at the 2015 Paris attacks, saving Paris' most treasured landmark and so much more.

Jonathan Montgomery is a musician, retired firefighter and co-founder of First In Nutrition. We discuss the rock and roll lifestyle, overcoming his own chronic ill health, fitness vs wellness, training the tactical professions, the power of nutrition, jiu jitsu and so much more.

Yousef Badou is a former Marine Infantryman with multiple combat tours, and an industry leading expert in the areas of Situational Awareness and Behavioral Analysis. We discuss his childhood in Kuwait, joining the US Marines, the power of communication, threat assessment, EDC and much more.

Sara Jahnke is the director and a senior scientist with the Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Health Research at the National Development & Research Institutes. In this second conversation, we discuss COVID-19 and first responders, the science behind vaccinations, the impact on the special needs community, the importance of overall wellness and so much more.

Terry, Joe and Rich were my Truck Crew at Anaheim FD. To celebrate this 400th episode, we sat down for the second time. In this episode, we discussed Joe's COVID-19 hospitalisation, leadership, dealing with loss, hiring standards, mental health and more.

Scott Geiselhart is a mechanic, veteran firefighter and peer support counselor. Scott survived both Meth addiction and a suicide attempt. We discuss childhood trauma, dealing with tragedy, unhealthy coping mechanisms, divine intervention, EMDR and much more.

Matthew Pollard is an internationally-recognized business consultant, speaker, blogger and the author of "The Introvert's Edge". We discuss his challenging childhood, understanding personality types, the power of storytelling, entrepreneurship, business success, mental health and much more.

Todd Edwards is a 38 year veteran of the fire service. Among other projects, he is the co-founder of Mission Resurrection with fellow Georgia firefighter Danny Dwyer. We discuss firefighter fitness, realism in training, the current pandemic, the power of mentorship, leadership and much more.

Alex Jabr is a veteran Paramedic, Grief and Death Educator and founder of Emergency Resilience. We discuss her childhood in Lebanon, entering EMS in the US, terminating lifesaving attempts on a cardiac arrest, death notifications, moral injury, her own powerful mental health journey and much more.

Travis Wade is a Marine, actor, producer and Save A Warrior alum. We discuss his traumatic childhood, military service, the craft of acting, exposing Hollywood predators, making "The Last Full Measure", heroism in Vietnam and much more.

Dr. Ballard is a board-certified orthopedic and sport clinical physical therapist specializing in assisting first responders, military personnel and athletes. We discuss the benefits of multi sport athletes, screening candidates, injury prevention, rehabilitation, rotational training, tactical footwear, sleep and so much more.