Behind The Shield

In her new hour standup special Big Guy, which premieres on Netflix May 21st, Comedian and Actor Rachel Feinstein invites us into her delightfully chaotic life as the wife of a firefighter, a mother, and a comedian. In the words of her 3-year-old daughter, “my daddy’s a hero and my mommy’s sarcastic.” Rachel explores her marriage to a first responder who is also married to his firehouse family and unpacks what it’s like to navigate emotional intimacy with someone whose job it is to save people’s lives. Chock full of her signature “amazing impersonations” (Vulture), Big Guy endears us to the loveable hodgepodge of characters in Rachel’s world including a sea of fellow fire wives named Gina, her aggressively liberal mother, and her father with a never-ending sinus infection. Rachel is happily hop-scotching through all of the mayhem and inviting us along for the ride.Rachel is a favorite among fans and fellow comedians alike. She appeared on Comedy Central’s hit series Inside Amy Schumer and she won a WGA Award for “Best Comedy/Variety Sketch Series” for her work on the most recent season of the show on Paramount+. She was featured on Comedian Colin Quinn’s HBO pandemic special Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show as well as comedy superstar Chris Rock’s feature film Top Five. Her half hour special premiered on Netflix’s hit series The Standupsand her first hour special Only Whores Wear Purplepremiered on Comedy Central. Feinstein has appeared alongside Amy Schumer in Hulu’s hit series Life & Beth and she recurred on Amazon’s critically acclaimed Steven Soderbergh series Red Oaks as well as Judd Apatow’s HBO comedy Crashing. She was also featured in the role of “Anne Frank” in Netflix’s Historical Roasts. On the big screen, Rachel was seen in the feature filmsTrainwreck and I Feel Pretty. She has also lent her voice to Adult Swim’s Venture Brothers and the phenomenally successful GRAND THEFT AUTO video game franchise.

Darren Pallatina is a British Military Veteran seving in both the Army and Navy. He deployed on multiple tours during the GWOT.We discuss his journey into the military, the role of a Combat Engineer, the trauma of war, his powerful mental health journey, his Decision of Power project and so much more.

After marrying her high school sweetheart turned Air Force hubby, Monica Fullerton quickly learned that the military community was ripe with creators, makers and entrepreneurs. Many of her fellow spouses were pursuing their passions in between deployments and even as full-time businesses, but there wasn’t a central location to shop and support these deserving entrepreneurs within the military community – therefore Monica launched Spouse-ly!She is a twin mom on a mission to provide more career flexibility and stability no matter where the military life takes you. Monica is a firm believer that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it. She hopes that this platform helps provide a place where everyone can come together and support each other! When you shop small you are truly making a big impact.

Frank Wright was one of the original Marine Raiders who fought on both Guam and Iwo Jima in WWII. We discuss his journey into the Marines, special forces selection, hand to hand combat, facing banzai attacks, his powerful mental health story, writing his book and so much more.I fought like mad as the Japanese stormed down the hill yelling "Malians you die, Malians you die." I emptied my rifle magazine, twice. Out of ammo I slashed and plunged my bayonet into as many as I could until...Battles in the Pacific is Wright's autobiographical account of his four years of enlistment in World War II, including two years in the South Pacific. On January 21, 1942, Wright entered the U.S. Marine Corps by lying about his age. His was Sixteen at the time and living in Little Rock, Arkansas. He reported to boot camp on January 24, 1942 at the 12th Recruit Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Platoon 150, in San Diego, California.Like many war veterans, Wright's traumatic experience in war left him in a battle with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His detailed description of his teenage years shows why he still feels the effects several decades later. Wright's hope is that other veterans will find hope and help through his book and perhaps be inspired to write about their own experiences.About the AuthorFrank S. Wright was born on July 5, 1925, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and as a member of the 4th Marine Raiders Special Forces with Colonel James Roosevelt as commander. He fought in four major battles, traveled between islands on eleven different Navy ships, was wounded by a bayonet in the stomach while recapturing Guam, and was shot in the chest and arm by machine gun fire on the island of Iwo Jima. He spent the last six months of his enlistment as a Marine drill instructor training new recruits.Wright's personal awards include a Purple Heart with two stars, the Presidential Unit Citation with two stars, Navy Unit Commendation, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign with three service stars, the Fleet Marine Force with four stars, the Marine Corps Expedition Medal, Combat Action with four stars, the Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.Frank's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Battles-Pacific-World-Personal-Causing/dp/164426949X

Mark Pfeifer is a former Canadian soldier, firefighter and the founder of Ronin Rescue. We discuss his journey into the military, his exposure to rope rescue, firefighter fitness, rope redundency, cancer, mental health, chasing innovation, the importance of humility, knowledge sharing and so much more.

For years as an award-winning war reporter, Sebastian Junger traveled to many front lines and frequently put his life at risk. And yet the closest he ever came to death was the summer of 2020 while spending a quiet afternoon at the New England home he shared with his wife and two young children. Crippled by abdominal pain, Junger was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Once there, he began slipping away. As blackness encroached, he was visited by his dead father, inviting Junger to join him. “It’s okay,” his father said. “There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll take care of you.” That was the last thing Junger remembered until he came to the next day when he was told he had suffered a ruptured aneurysm that he should not have survived.This experience spurred Junger—a confirmed atheist raised by his physicist father to respect the empirical—to undertake a scientific, philosophical, and deeply personal examination of mortality and what happens after we die. How do we begin to process the brutal fact that any of us might perish unexpectedly on what begins as an ordinary day? How do we grapple with phenomena that science may be unable to explain? And what happens to a person, emotionally and spiritually, when forced to reckon with such existential questions?In My Time of Dying is part medical drama, part searing autobiography, and part rational inquiry into the ultimate unknowable mystery.

Ben Jenkin is a Parkour champion, stuntman and most recently one of Ryan Gosling's stunt doubles in 'The Fall Guy'.We discuss the daredevil influences in his childhood, finding Parkour, his journey into the stunt industry, recognising the stunt community, set safety, MMA, some behind the scenes stories and so much more.Ben Jenkin was born in Germany, raised in Blackburn, England, Ben spent his early childhood in many different schools due to his dad being in the military. At the age of 4 Ben moved back to his hometown of Blackburn. Throughout primary and secondary school Ben was heavily involved in all sports. In 2003, at age 12, Ben was scouted to play basketball at a national level for his local team, Preston Pride, which went on to win the northwest division for the 4th year running. Ben discovered Parkour and Freerunning in 2005 when he watched a documentary called "Jump Britain". He was immediately drawn in, went out with his friends the next day and began his journey in the adventure of Parkour. During the first 3 years of training Ben found himself traveling all over England to meet and train with different practitioners, to learn and gain knowledge from people who had been in the game since the beginning. In Ben's last years of high school he was inducted into the Gifted and Talented Program for his incredible skill in Freerunning and Basketball. In 2008 Ben was given the last minute opportunity to compete in the Barclaycard World Freerun Championships when a competing athlete dropped out. With only one weeks notice Ben prepared and trained the hardest he had ever trained to be ready for the championships. Being the youngest in the competition, Ben wanted to make an impact and prove that he was somebody to look out for in the future. He did that by placing 3rd in the competition and winning the award for Best Trick. This led to Ben starring in the WFPF hit series MTV's "Ultimate Parkour Challenge", and as the youngest competitor at age 18, Ben shocked worldwide audiences by winning the entire series. His victory in the show led to worldwide recognition. Since then, Ben has been featured in movies such as Fast and Furious 8, Jungle Book, Guardians of the Galaxy and many more as well as doubling some of the leading actors in Hollywood such as Jason Statham, Mathew McConaughey, James Franco, Ewan McGregor and Scott Eastwood.Photo Credit: Jason Eric Laciste

Sara Jahnke is one of the most respected researchers in firefighter health. In this third conversation we focused solely on the acute and chronic impact of sleep deprivation and how more rest is imperative for our firefighters.We discuss the alarming rise in childhood diseases amongst first responder parents, hormonal disruption, sleep deprivation and mental health, weight gain, how shift work is a known carcinigen and how the 24/72 shift would revolutionise firefighter health.Dr. Sara Jahnke is a prominent figure in firefighter health research. She is known for her dedication to translating scientific findings into practical solutions that improve the well-being of firefighters and emergency responders. With a diverse background in psychology and epidemiology, Dr. Jahnke has made significant contributions to understanding and addressing the unique health challenges individuals face in the fire service.In 2011, Dr. Jahnke became the Director of the Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Health Research at NDRI USA, Inc. – a not-for-profit research firm in Leawood, KS. During her tenure, she has spearheaded numerous research projects aimed at understanding the health risks faced by firefighters and developing evidence-based interventions to mitigate those risks. Research as a principal investigator or co-investigator has totaled more than 30 million dollars from organizations such as FEMA, NIH, DoD, and several health-focused foundations.In recognition of her groundbreaking work, Dr. Jahnke has received several prestigious awards and honors, including the President's Award for Excellence in Fire Service Research from the International Association of Fire Chiefs twice and the John Granito Award for Excellence in Firefighter Research from the International Journal of Fire Service Leadership and Management.Dr. Jahnke's leadership extends beyond academia, as she actively engages with professional organizations and community initiatives related to firefighter health and safety. She serves on dozens of advisory boards and committees, providing expert guidance to organizations such as the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and the Fire Protection Research Foundation.One of Dr. Jahnke's notable accomplishments is her role as the President of Science to the Station: A Health and Wellness Alliance, where she leads efforts to translate scientific research into practical strategies that promote the health and well-being of firefighters across the nation.Throughout her career, Dr. Sara Jahnke has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing firefighter health research and bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and real-world application. Her contributions have profoundly impacted the field, helping to improve the lives of those who dedicate themselves to protecting others.

MIck Southall was only 16 years old when he joined the Junior Paratrooper programme in the British Army. In 1982, at the age of 17, Mick volunteered to fight alongside his fellow Paras against the Argentinians in the Falklands war. We discuss his early life, the mentors he found in the military, the courage of the Falklands, taking Mount Longdon, his homecoming story, Northern Ireland, Sudan, his journey int EMS and much more.

Summer of 2022 is one we will never forget. We received a call that our 16-year-old daughter, Layla, was being trauma hawked after an ATV crash. We didn’t know much about brain injury then, but we were about to get a firsthand look. Layla was in a coma. She had multiple brain bleeds, a dissected carotid artery and a broken jaw. They explained her type of injury was typically fatal, a grade 3 DAI. They said at best, she would survive but potentially remain unconscious or be severely disabled the rest of her life. We sat bedside watching our little girl fight for her life. Day by day we prayed for another day with her and clung to the hope she wouldn’t leave us. During the next 20 days, she remained stable enough to get tracheotomy surgery, her jaw wired and a stomach PEG. Finally, the day came that the hospital could do no more for us. We had Layla med flighted to a hospital in Georgia. She was admitted under the disorders of consciousness program. They prepare you that each step may be the most you get, and we had to find peace in that, our baby was still alive after all. Brain injury can be cruel, especially to the caregivers. Layla was the strongest girl I knew; this didn’t seem possible. To everyone’s surprise, Layla began responding to commands. It started with wiggling toes and fingers and eventually evolved into her learning to walk and talk again. Fast forward to today, she made, what doctors call, a remarkable recovery. We never expected to get so much of our daughter back, and we live in gratitude for that every single day. We took a lot of lessons from the experience, and we have new eyes. We were able to return to the hospitals who cared for her and say thank you. We were able to meet the first responders who played a huge part in saving her. We have also had the privilege of working with other families navigating TBI, almost like we were meant for it all along.

Jim Burneka is a firefighter, podcaster and the author of 'Overcoming Tuesday.In this second conversation, we discuss his powerful mental health story, the Save a Warrior program, his time in the IAFF's Center of Excellence, catharsis through writing, his conference 'Brothers helping Brothers' and so much more.As a first responder, firefighter paramedic Jim Burneka encounters traumatic events the average person will likely never experience, but to him, it’s just another day—it’s Tuesday. In spite of being the wellness coordinator for the local fire department, Jim falls victim to Tuesday, the trauma he encounters daily, and finds himself spiraling down a dark and hopeless path including post-tramatic stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.Finally, Jim must make the choice between succumbing to Tuesday or asking for the help he so desperately needs.Hawkins and Burneka recount a story of healing and resilience to empower others to seek help, and to encourage them to replace despair with hope. This book shares a variety of valuable resources that are available to help those struggling with mental or physical struggles.The fight for wellness among first responders shouldn’t be a silent battle fought alone, but together; we can overcome Tuesday.

Johann Hari is the author of Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs. We discuss the weight struggle that led him to explore pharmceuticals, the psychology of obesity, processed food and disease, Japan's food philosophy, the importance of sleep and so much more. Johann Hari is the author of three New York Times best-selling books, and the Executive Producer of an Oscar-nominated movie and an eight-part TV series starring Samuel L. Jackson. His books have been translated into 40 languages, and been praised by a broad range of people, from Oprah to Noam Chomsky, from Elton John to Naomi Klein.His latest book, ‘Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention’, was published in January 2022. It was named as one of the three best books of the year by Amazon.com, and it was named as a Book of the Year by the Financial Times, the New York Post, and the Spectator. It was also chosen as ‘Book of the Month’ by Britain’s biggest bookseller, Waterstones, and Australia’s biggest bookseller Dymocks. It won several awards, including being named as ‘Most Important Book of the Year’ at the Non-Essential Book Awards and ‘Best Book of the Year’ at the Porchlight Book Awards. It has been a best-seller on three continents.

Shaun "Bish" Bishop is a former 22 SAS Air Troop Sergeant with 24 years of military experience and over 14 combat deployments worldwide. A Sniper Instructor for the elite 22 SAS CT Wing, 22 SAS CQB Instructor and SAS Patrol Medic. He is a subject matter expert on firearms training, tactics and planning. He is also a liaison to local police forces while conducting high risk arrests, SIA licensed close protection officer. Most importantly Bish is a father, husband and warrior.We discuss his journey into the British Army, his deployments with 2 Para, Northern Ireland, the Middle East, contracting in Ukraine, the rescue mission that cost his brothers' lives, the ordinance that took part of his skull, weapons training and so much more.

Kyle and Emily, married in 2016, have been a husband and wife coach/athlete team for the past 8 years. In addition to Kyle’s full time job in law enforcement, he programs and coaches his wife, Emily, who is in her quest this year to qualify for her sixth consecutive CrossFit Games. Emilys best finish at the games was last year in 2023 when she placed 12th, a successful comeback after her season ended early in 2022 due to a life threatening injury.

Mike Nasti is a 21 year veteran of the fire service and the man behind the 'Tip of the Spear Leadership Podcast'.We discuss his early life, volunteer firefighting, his 9/11 story, entering the career fire service, his leadership mistakes, mental health, firefighter fitness, his podcast and much more.Lieutenant Mike Nasti is a seasoned firefighter with 17 years of dedicated service in a major metropolitan fire department located in the Washington metropolitan area. Currently serving as the officer in charge for an engine company. he brings a wealth of experience and leadership. Lieutenant Nasti embarked on his firefighting journey in 2001 and has since accumulated a remarkable 23 years of expertise in the field. His commitment to public safety and his role as a leader within the fire service highlight his enduring dedication to protecting the community.

Vin is a master mindset & Executive coach. He's a licensed psychotherapist, full-time entrepreneur and angel investor. Also Vin is a former FDNY firefighter who served during the C-19 pandemic. He has spent over 12 years learning techniques, skills and tools to help people create lasting change. Vin has worked in virtually every setting imaginable in mental-health, he has worked in hospitals, clinics, homeless shelters, in-patient units, department of education, and private practice.In the decade plus of experience he has been trying to create a different and more innovative approach to working with clients by implementing his classically trained psychology knowledge of CBT/DBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy & Dialectical behavioral therapy) with a more modern approach of coaching. This hybrid form of mental health has been helping Vin create lasting change in the thousands of people he has come across in his profession. In the past three years Vin has dived fully into Mindset & Executive coaching working with multiple executives, and highly motivated entrepreneurs in their own respective fields. Vin also works with companies/organizations to help with work culture and team building.Recently he was featured in International Business Times in 2021 as a top coach to follow in 2022. He has also appeared on many podcasts and has been slowly getting more engaged in speaking platforms. With a mission to impact 1,000,000 lives Vin will be constantly on the path of service looking to innovate, grow and help where he can.

Major James Capers is one of the most decorated Marine Recon veterans who operated on over 50 classified missions in Vietnam. We discuss his challenging childhood, racism in the South, his indominable marriage, the impact of losing men, coming home, PTSD and so much more.

Tony Long and Mark Williams are former British Armed Police Officers. Tony is the author of the book Lethal Force which documents his career. Mark now serves as the CEO of the Police Firearms Officer Association.We discuss their journeys into policing, the power of mentorship, armed unit tactics, organisational betrayal, the media, fitness standards, Britain's knife crime epidemic, the support the PFOA offers and so much more.

Ben Timberlake is a former SAS soldier, Contractor, archaeologist and the author of "High Risk".We discuss his early life, joining the British Special Forces, the horrors of war, kindness in combat, his powerful and unique addiction story, his full circle back into archaeology and so much more. High Risk:This is a dark, raw and uncompromising tale of the human condition in extremis, drawing on the many lives of Ben Timberlake: as an archaeologist, Special Forces soldier, combat medic and drug addict.Starting with Ben’s first near-death experience—in a Nazi-themed bar in wartime Yugoslavia—High Risk is a whirlwind tour of everything from service in the SAS, combat in Iraq, and encounters with a gambling-obsessed 9/11 hijacker, to veterans blissed out on MDMA, hook-ups in the world of extreme sex, and battling a heroin habit on a remote Scottish island.Ben pursued the rush, and the chase often took him over the edge. Instead of asking why, he asked, why not? Blending confessional narrative, classic reportage and acerbic humour, this memoir takes a gonzo look at terrorists, junkies, soldiers and strippers, through the tale of one extraordinary life. https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/high-risk/

Thomas Ansu is a former New York EMT, current FDNY Squad firefighter and the founder of The Burn Box.We discuss growing up in New York, the importance of mentorship, his experiences as an EMT, his journey into the Fire service, servant leadership, special operations firefighting, entreprenurship, The Burn Box and so much more. Burn Box was founded in 2020 by Thomas, an active FDNY firefighter with the mission to enable people everywhere to support firefighters. Every Burn Box features a collection of items and firefighter apparel designed to raise awareness about fire safety and also about the fact that local firefighters are working hard and staying vigilant every day to keep their communities safe. https://www.theburnbox.com/

Tom Hewitt MBE, is founder and CEO of Surfers Not Street Children. He has worked in the field with street children in Africa for over 28 years. In 1998 he founded the Durban Street Team which went on to be renamed Surfers Not Street Children in 2012. Tom was awarded and MBE by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 for his work with street children in Africa.Tom is perhaps most well known for his successful advocacy campaign to end the forced removals of street children in Durban, South Africa. These round-ups used to take place to “clean” the streets ahead of international conferences and events. He called for compassionate responses to street children based on psychosocial care. Tom is also well known for his model of fusing surfing with mentorship to empower street children in Durban. He assisted the national Department of Social Development in South Africa with its development of new policies around working with street children there. Tom has visited and often assisted street children projects in many different parts fo the world.

Angela Lee Pucci held the One Championship Atom Weight title for six years. Whilst announcing her retirement, she revealed that she had tried to take her own life a few years prior. In 2022, Angela lost her sister Victoria to suicide. This lead her to create her non-profit Fight Story.In this powerful and important conversation we discuss her journey into the martial arts, the pressure put on youth athletes, her success in the cage, her powerful mental health story, the healing power of motherhood, weight cutting, Foundation Training and so much more. Angela is breaking through barriers, entering a new space of one that is mental health & wellness with fight story Inc. Angela has been a professional mma fighter since 2015 and is a 6x mma world champion in one championship.While the world has only seen her in this light, she has been dedicated to the creation and development of this organization since losing her younger sister, Victoria to suicide in December 2022. Angela has been endlessly working in both her professional, and interpersonal life to ensure that narratives of mental health and illness are not left in the dark. She wishes to use her platform on social media and the world of mma to leave a positive impact on the world.For this reason, she has founded the mental health non-profit organization, fight story in honor of her younger sister, Victoria lee.Angela believes in the power of sharing personal stories and connecting through our lived experiences. She has since opened up and shared her own experiences with overcoming battles with mental health and illness. Angela understands the urgent need to talk more about mental health and is determined to help those battling in silenceThough you may feel lonely in your battle with mental health,You are not alone.https://fightstory.org/

Scott Howell is a strength and conditioning coach, podcaster and the founder of Red Dot Fitness. We discuss youth athletics, his journey into personal training, gym management, the entrepreneur's leap of faith, the pandemic's impact on gym owners, training the tactical athlete, weapons training and so much more.Founder of Red Dot Fitness, Scott Howell is a dedicated certified health and fitness professional with over 2 decades of real world, practical, hands-on experience. Following his passion for helping people and living a healthy lifestyle, Scott began his professional career in 1996 as a personal trainer while pursuing a degree in business at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California. He began working in small intimate fitness and training facilities then later took the plunge into the world of commercial & corporate fitness.As a National Director of Personal Training, he was a senior director/operator and personal training educator for one of the world’s largest fitness corporations nearly 400 clubs strong. After more than 10 years of commercial & corporate fitness, Scott made the life altering decision to stop traveling the country in 2010 and focus his skills locally to those clients who truly want to improve their health & fitness, performance, body image, and lifestyle. In April 2010 he launched Red Dot Fitness.Scott's dynamic and innovative approach to training incorporates both an art and science. He's achieved certifications through several industry organizations and authorites including the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and USA Weightlifting (USAW). He has created and authored several training programs and manuals, and serves as a mentor to select health and fitness professionals. He has competed in a multitude of sports disciplines including bodybuilding, collegiate football, and multi-sport events from adventure racing to triathlon. Scott takes pride in his diverse training and client experience that spans multiple fitness services and market segments. He guarantees an intense and motivating training experience EVERY time.

Tulsi Gabbard is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, 4-term Congresswoman, 2020 Presidential candidate and author. We discuss addressing the obesity epidemic, mental health and addiction, proactive healthcare, the prison system, the importance of diplomacy, how we can recruit trusted leaders, the military-industrial complex, the first responder professions, the Hawaii wildfires, kindness, community and so much more. Tulsi Gabbard is a combat veteran with deployments to the Middle East and Africa. She currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves working as a Civil Affairs officer. She first served in elected office in the Hawaii State House of Representatives when she was 21 years old. Due to the attacks on 9/11, she enlisted in the Army National Guard. In 2004, Tulsi gave up an easy re-election campaign and volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team where she served in a medical unit. After returning home in 2006, she worked in the U.S. Senate as a legislative aide to the late Senator Danny Akaka, who was Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She then volunteered for a second Middle East deployment as a Platoon Leader. Having experienced first-hand the true cost of war, and in memory of her brothers and sisters in uniform, she ran for Congress at 31 years old, vowing to honor their lives and sacrifice. Tulsi prevailed in a difficult election and went on to serve for eight years in Congress as a member of the Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Foreign Affairs Committees, where she dealt with highly sensitive national security issues. She has always done her best to put country before party and approaches every issue, domestic and foreign, through the lens of what will best ensure the safety, security, and freedom of the American people.

Rick Cheatham spent 24 years as an Anahiem firefighter and was a Special Operations Captain. We discuss his early life, his journey into the fire service, his USAR deployments, sex addiction, mental health, the murder of his son, grief, spirituality, family, the freak accident that paralysed him and so much more.

Rian Ilett is a Royal Marine, author and cancer survivor. We discuss his early life, attending a scared straight programme in Mexico, his journey into the military, his perspective on war, kindess on the battleground, the injury that revealed his brain tumor, his powerful recovery journey and so much more. Former Royal Marine Commando Lance Corporal (LCpl) Rian Ilett, from Portsmouth in Hampshire, was diagnosed with a brain tumour after he was caught in an explosion while on operations in the Middle East in February 2019. An MRI scan identified the tumour and a biopsy later revealed it was a grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), carrying with it a stark prognosis of just 12 to 15 months. The veteran underwent surgery to debulk the tumour, followed by intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He finished treatment in December 2019 and his scans have remained stable ever since. Now nearly three years post-diagnosis, Rian, a 33-year-old dad-of-two, has written and self-published a book about his experiences. His hope is that ‘Every Day Is A Battle: Fighting demons, Jihadis and terminal cancer’ will inspire and motivate others suffering with physical and mental health problems caused by a life-changing diagnosis.

Daryle Lamont Jenkins is an Air Force veteran, filmaker and the founder of One People's Project. We discuss the power of mentorship, community, the commonalites of Hip Hop and Punk, Neo Nazi groups in America, overcoming division and so much more. Recent movies like “Alt Right- Age of Rage” and the Academy Award-winning short film “Skin” as well as the feature by the same name have shown some of the work done by our founder Daryle Lamont Jenkins.Born in Newark, New Jersey and raised in nearby Somerset, Daryle became influenced by the civil rights movement as a young man. Reading about “enemies” of the civil rights movement made him wonder what happened to the KKK members. Where are they now? Are the leading normal lives and no one knows?At 19, while serving in the military, Daryle saw an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show on Skinheads. That grew into a lifelong passion for documenting hate politics on the right.Upon returning from the service, he became a part of the punk rock scene. He produced two public access programs about the music he was promoting, and political activism. His work cased conflict with his position as a reporter and an editor for local newspapers.One People’s ProjectWith the founding of One People’s Project, his passion found a home. More importantly, One People’s Project played an instrumental role in causing the collapse of hate groups throughout the country. Daryle’s efforts have exposed those involved in hate politics nationwide. People trying to escape white power circles find support here as well. Bryon Widner is featured in the documentary “Erasing Hate” after working with Daryle to get out of the skinhead movement. “Erasing Hate” has now been turned into a feature-length motion picture! “Skin” starring Jamie Bell, Danielle Macdonald, Vera Farmiga and Mike Colter playing Daryle.Idavox , the media outlet of One People’s Project, keeps us up to date with the latest reports from around the country on hate groups. One People’s Project aims to form a larger community of activists dedicated to antifascist work. The conditions in this country that can lead to racism must be fought at all levels of society.Daryle was a consulting producer of the short film “Skin”, which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short and has appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show, The Montel Williams Show, 20/20, and AM Joy.

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.

Steve Sakaguchi is a 21 year veteran firefighter and instructor. We discuss the Japanese internment camps of WWII, growing up in the restaurant industry, his journey into the fire service, his leadership failures, finding solutions from outside our profession, the application of leadership, building a training department, firefighter fitness and so much more.

Audra and Chelsi are both married to firefighters and are the women behind the Dear Chiefs Podcast.We discuss their early lives, their partners' journies into the fire service, the impact of mandatory overtime on families, shift work, sleep deprivation, burnout, mental health, healthy transition from work to home and so much more."Once upon a time in the middle of a pandemic, two fire wives and complete strangers met on the internet and decided to start a podcast for first responders and their families. First responders provide safety to our country, and our world, but their safety whether it be mental or physical is severely lacking. Families of these brave and selfless first responders witness the impact of answering the call every day." Through this podcast, we hope to help families understand, support, and build stronger relationships with their first responders, while also finding community and appreciation for themsevles.

Geoff Speyrer is an Army veteran and athlete. We discuss his early life, his journey into the military, protecting EOD, losing friends, TBIs, his jarring transition, incarceration, overcoming addiction, suffering, hormone therapy and so much more.

Mark Testa DC is a Chiropractor, Accupuncturist and the Executive Vice President of Regenexx.We discuss his journey into hollistic medicine, the story behind "Quackery", dry needling, stem cell therapy, PRP, the healing power of Bone Marrow Concentrate, tactical athletes, sleep, aging and so much more.

Kyle O'Neill is a veteran firefighter, cancer survivor and now holds a wellness role where he helps fellow firefighters with their own cancer journeys.We discuss his path into the fire service, some career calls, sleep deprivation, carcinogens, post fire decontamination, PFAS, his own powerful cancer survivor story, building resources for prevention and treatment and so much more.

Ken Druck, Ph.D. is a leading mental health expert focused on the areas of civility, relationships, and aging. He writes regularly for the national press and is the author of several books including "How we go on."In this second conversation, we discuss mental health in our children, aging, grief, the psychological impact of war and so much more.Dr. Druck's pioneering work over the past 40 years, has included Executive Coaching/Consulting, Visionary Leadership, The Psychology of Men, Parent Effectiveness, Healing After Loss, Resilience and, most recently, Courageous Aging.Recipient of the "Distinguished Contribution to Psychology" and "Visionary Leadership" awards for his community service and lifetime achievements, Dr. Druck is widely recognized as a lifeline to the countless thousands of individuals, families, communities and organizations he's helped. His body of work, including the founding of The Jenna Druck Center to honor the life and spirit of his daughter, Jenna, set a new standard of care and healing following tragedies like 9-11, Columbine, Katrina and Sandy Hook.Today, Dr. Druck lives and maintains a small coaching and consulting practice on the ocean in Del Mar, California, writing and speaking prolifically on subjects he loves, working on community service and civility projects and enjoying the quiet beauty of life.

Royal Marines Commando Mark Ormrod lost both legs and an arm after kneeling on an IED on Christmas Eve, 2007. Mark defied all odds, becoming an elite athlete and Invictus Games multiple gold medalist. We discuss the importance of training, trauma medicine, physical and mental resilience and so much more.In the early hours of Christmas Eve 2007, Royal Marines Commando Mark Ormrod was out on a routine foot patrol in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan when he stepped on and triggered an Improvised Explosive Device. Thanks to the swift action of the men around him and the intervention of the Medical Emergency Response Team he was airlifted via helicopter to an emergency field hospital in a desperate attempt to try and save his life. An innovative and dangerous procedure carried out onboard a Chinook helicopter en route to the hospital did save his life. He woke up three days later in the UK in Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham: Both legs amputated above the knee and his right arm amputated above the elbow. He was the UK’s first triple amputee to survive the Afghanistan conflict.During his recovery the doctors told him that he’d never walk again and that he should prepare himself for the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Now it would have been understandable for Mark to bitterly withdraw in a state of anger and depression and to resign himself to live life on the sidelines. It would have been easy for him to cash in his disability pension and whittle away the days, forever regretting the decision to join the Marines and to deploy to Afghanistan, but he didn’t. To the contrary he used his set back as a springboard for growth and reinvention.Today, Mark Ormrod is an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, a peak performance coach, and the author of the award winning auto-biography Man Down. He is a source of daily inspiration for the thousands of people who follow him on Social Media. He has three children, a beautiful wife and an insatiable lust for life. He is a relentless charitable fund-raiser and a daredevil who has performed stunts that many able bodied athletes would find daunting. He has not used a wheel chair since June 9th 2009 and he jokes about the fact that children call him Iron-Man because of his high-tech prosthetics legs. As well as a peak performance coach he is a mentor and a role model to other amputees and an ambassador for the Royal Marines Association. His sense of humour is only equalled by his sense of wonder, love for learning and love for life.Mark Ormrod turned his personal tragedy into an on going story of personal success and he is now committed to helping others who may have suffered setbacks or feel they are not yet achieving their maximum potential to take charge of their lives, unleash their personal power and live a life with#NoLimits

John Wolf is a strength and conditioning coach and the man behind Wolf Pack Coaching and Consulting.We discuss his journey into strength training, kettlebells, mace work, the psychology of coaching, foundation training, his powerful mental health story, growth and much more.

John Womak was seven years old when his mother's intoxicated boyfriend crashed, ejecting John, leaving him with life long scars. He became a police officer and by a twist of fate, headed up his department's DUI division. We discuss his healing form the physical and emotional injuries as a child, his journey into law enforcement, traffic deaths, improving road safety, school education, smart phones and accidents, alcohol, his work with MADD and much more.

Gerard Devine is an award-winning Irish poet who lives a life less ordinary. The former carpenter is a full-time firefighter in Dublin City. We discuss his early life, building houses in Ireland and America, hurling, dispatch, mental health, fitness, his poetry and much more.Prior to joining the fire brigade, Gerard spent many years working on the building sites of Dublin, Boston and San Francisco. He still plies his building skills by volunteering to work in third-world countries such as Africa. An animal and nature lover Gerard recently moved up into the inspiring Wicklow mountains where he lives in harmony with nature with wife Stephanie and their rescue dog Saoirse.While his favourite poet is the wonderful WB Yeats much of Gerard’s poetry is inspired by Irish ballads and singers like Shane McGowan and Christy Moore.Gerard was recently invited back to his old school O Connell’s where ex-pupils include Thomas Kinsella, James Joyce, and Luke Kelly.Gerard’s poetry is now being studied there which is a great honour to the Dublin native.

Jay Dobyns is a retired 27 year veteran of the ATF agent who spent two years undercover infiltrating the Hell's Angels. We discuss his early life, courage, bullies, the price of service, the Columbine massacre, slapdicks, organizational failure and much more.Jay Dobyns is a retired federal agent having served for twenty-seven years at ATF.He achieved worldwide notoriety as one of history's most daring undercover operators during high-octane missions targeting America's violent crime while playing a shrewdly-calculating hitman, mob debt collector, and gunrunner. He is best known for his landmark infiltration of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle gang.Jay has been featured in over a dozen film and television shows and is the author of two best-selling books, No Angel, My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels, and, Catching Hell, A True Story of Abandonment and Betrayal. A criminal defense attorney once described Jay as: "...a government-trained ‘Predator’ repeatedly sent on seek and destroy missions in search of drugs, guns, and violence with instructions to succeed at any cost without regard for the agent himself or those he crosses paths with.”Jay was an All-Pac 10 wide receiver and All-American candidate at the University of Arizona, coached high school football coach for 15 years, and is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona.                                                                  

Dr Jonathan Edwards is an anesthesiologist and the author of multiple books including "The Revolutionary Ketamine."We discuss the suicide that sent him into medicine, riding motocross, anaesthesiology, his lens on COVID, the healing power of Ketamine, pain, post traumatic growth, first responder and military mental health, percutaneous hydrotomy and much more.

David Hughes is a retired North Carolina State Trooper and father to Drew Hughes, who died after a series of medical errors at only 13 years old. David tells Drew's powerful story to try and educate the medical community and prevent a tragedy like his son's death from occurring again. Do not miss this powerful and tragic story.https://www.doitfordrew.org/

Professor Alan Shebaro earned his Black Belt from Carlos Machado in 2004 and is currently ranked as a 4th degree Black Belt under Professor Chris Haueter. He was 1 of only 4 Black Belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the U.S. Army and is the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt in Special Forces Regiment. He is also the founder of the Veteran non-profit We Defy Foundation.We discuss his early life, his path into the martial arts, his journey ito the military, how 9/11 was the catalyst for his special forces career, his invaluable perpective on Gaza, healing through jiu jitsu and much more.

Eric Tung is is a 16 year Law Enforcement officer and the man behind Blue Grit Wellness.We discuss his family's immigration story, his journey into policing, the emotional cost of officer involved shootings, the power of humility, social media, mentorship, schood safety and so much more. Eric Tung has been a police officer in Washington state for 16 years.  He currently serves as a patrol operations commander in Kent, WA.  He also oversees peer support and wellness programs at his department and collaborates regionally with other police wellness leaders.His experiences and those of his teammates, colleagues and best friends have shaped his focus and desire to guide and mentor in forms that support mental and physical health and resilience.  As an officer, he worked in Patrol, as a Field Trainer, K9 Officer and in the Civil Disturbance Unit (riot response).  After promoting to sergeant, he supervised various patrol squads and was a team leader and trainer in the Civil Disturbance Unit.After working briefly as the supervisor in neighborhood response (community education/chronic problem solving), he undertook the challenge of Recruiting and Hiring for his police department.  With a department of 166 sworn having seen recent vacancies hovering around 25%, he knew it was where he could make the most significant impact for his team's culture, morale, and critical value to the community.Eric has been a long-time member of his department's Peer Support Team, but became the team coordinator following his promotion and loss of his friend and colleague, Diego Moreno. As the coordinator of peer support efforts, Eric is also one of the department's certified Critical Incident Stress Debrief facilitators.  He runs such CISDs for his department as well as other area agencies for such incidents as traumatic calls, officer-involved shootings, and line of duty deaths.  As a fitness trainer for his agency, Eric programs and leads group and individual workouts and coaching.   As a Certified Functional Strength Coach via CFSC, Mike Boyle's system, he delivers practical exercise and fitness content that promotes performance and longevity.In his current role, in addition to the oversight of day-to-day operations, his focus is on building a culture of mentorship and wellness through innovative thinking, intentional effort, modeling, and unparalleled relationship-building. ​Eric became a police officer to help others and challenge himself.  He has been able to continue to grow in his various roles and looks to use Blue Grit to connect with, coach, and mentor not only police officers and first responders, but those looking to enter the career field, and agencies looking to expand and develop in the realms of health, wellness, culture-building, recruitment, and retention.

Pasi Sahlberg is a Finnish author, educator and speaker. He has spent his entire life around education, living in both the US and Australia. We discuss his early life, the Finnish education model, standardised testing, supporting schools in low income areas, the importance of play, mental health in children and much more.Pasi Sahlberg is Finnish educator, teacher, and author. He has worked as a schoolteacher, teacher-educator, academic, and policymaker in Finland, and he has advised schools and education system leaders around the world. He served as a senior education specialist at the World Bank (Washington, DC), lead education specialist at the European Training Foundation (Torino, Italy), director general at the Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture (CIMO), and visiting professor of Practice at Harvard University. He is a recipient of several awards for his lifelong service in education, including the 2012 Education Award (Finland), the 2014 Robert Owen Award (Scotland), the 2016 Lego Prize (Denmark), Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Resident Fellowship in 2017, and Dr Paul Brock Memorial Medal in 2021. In 2013 his book “Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland” won the Grawemeyer Award (U.S.) for an idea that has potential to change the world. His most recent books include "Let the Children Play: How more play will save our schools and help children thrive" (2019, with William Doyle), "Finnish Lessons 3.0: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland” (2021), and "In Teachers We Trust: The Finnish way to world-class schools" (2021, with Tim Walker). He is currently Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Pasi lives in South Melbourne with his wife and two sons.

Brian Hillard is a 25 year veteran special effects artist and CEO of Metasphere industries.We discuss his early life, his journey into movie make up, zombie auditions, moulage and training, veteran and first responder mental health, using his special effects skillset as therapy for trauma and so much more.

Nick Hall was 8 years old when a murderer invaded his family's home. Through a tragic miscommunication, his mother shot by a police sniper after being mistaken for the attacker. Despite this trauma, Nick followed a career in law enforcement, choosing to be part of the solution.We discuss his early life, living through a hostage situation, his journey to overcome trauma, his journey into policing, fitness, nutrition and so much more.

Mickey Farrell is a Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, a third-generation firefighter with 29 years of experience, the last 23 years being with the FDNY. Also a team instructor at the New York City Fire Academy, founder and author of Top Floor Tactics, and host of A View From the Top Floor Podcast.We discuss his journey into the fire service, his powerful 9/11 story, truck company operations, his thoughts on primary search, lithium ion battery fire, firefighter fitness, cancer and much more.

Eric Potterat, Ph.D. is a Clinical, Performance and Sport Psychologist who is considered one of the leading experts in high performance psychology, performance optimization, decision-making and teamwork under pressure, mental skills training, and individual and organizational resilience. He retired as a Commander in the Navy after 20 years of service, the last 10 of which he served as the Head Psychologist for the US Navy SEALs and was responsible for all the psychological Assessment, Selection, Development, Maintenance and Enhancement programs for all Navy SEALs worldwide.He also worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers as their Director of Specialized Performance Programs for 7 years, where he managed the mental performance optimization programs, the pre-draft talent acquisition and scouting character assessments, player mental performance profiles/development, etc. His experience in sport is wide ranging. He was also with Red Bull North America for 6 years as their High Performance Psychologist, where he developed and managed the mental performance and mental skills optimization programs for over 850 Red Bull athletes worldwide.He has been the performance psychologist on teams that have won the MLB World Series and the FIFA World Cup. For the last 25 years, he has focused his research and practice on teachable and actionable mental performance techniques, stress resilience, character development, selection, neuropsychology, decision-making under stress, mental toughness training, and elite human performance in extreme environments. He is also credited for developing and implementing the Mental Toughness Training Program for the U.S. Navy SEALs and embedding it into their training pipeline, as well as creating the Performance Psychology program for Red Bull High Performance athletes.He has 30 peer-reviewed, professional journal and/or chapter publications, has been featured on national media (History Channel, MSNBC, national magazines, etc.), and has served as a consultant and speaker on human factors, assessment and selection, performance optimization and mental toughness to many organizations including, NASA, Fortune 500 Companies and Executives, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, many law enforcement and government agencies, and numerous professional (NFL, MLB, NBA, etc.) and collegiate sports teams.https://learnedexcellence.com/

1SG (Ret) Matt Eversmann was one of the Army Rangers portrayed in the movie "Black Hawk Down", chronicling the courageous actions of Task Force Ranger, during the Battle of Mogadishu. We discuss the importance of training, setting the bar high, complacency, ownership and much more.First Sergeant (ret) Matt Eversmann personifies the importance of duty, courage and selfless service to succeed when ordinary circumstances become extraordinary challenges.On October 3, 1993, Matt was placed in charge of a group of Army Rangers to lead a daytime raid against an eager enemy militia. His inspiring story of survival was immortalized in the epic film, Black Hawk Down, which recounts the harrowing experience. For his actions on the battlefield he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor device.During his remaining time in uniform, he worked at the Army War College, taught at The Johns Hopkins University and finally deployed to Iraq where he lived with the Iraqi Army for 15 months during The Surge. He remained on active duty until May of 2008, when he retired after 20 years of service.His frustration with the typical hiring process for veterans fueled his desire to help others avoid the “veterans predicament” —great servicemen and women overlooked because of the status quo. He and his wife Tori founded Eversmann Advisory in early 2018. Their mission is to connect great veterans with exceptional employers who realize their value.Represented by Keppler Speakers, he is also a published author, The Battle of Mogadishu, and documentarian. His film “Send Me” is in post production. He and Tori live in West Palm Beach, Florida with their daughter and two black labs. Matt is a big fan of his Big Green Egg, travel and is an aspiring surfer.

Mike Jolly is a former College Football player, actor, stuntman, coach and the inventor of "The Iron Neck".We discuss his athletic journey, concussion and youth athletes, neck strength and brain health, acting, professional wrestling, firefighter helmets, aviation, traumatic brain injuries and much more.