Behind The Shield

Ed Monroe is a veteran firefighter, speaker and soon to be author. He was first on scene after the horrific Murder/Suicide at LA County's Station 81 in 2021. We discuss his journey into the fire service, mentorship programs, inmate wildland crews, the horrendous events at station 81, the physical and mental health ripple effects, post traumatic growth, warning signs and so much more. I am a 53-year-old Fire Captain for Los Angeles County Fire Department. Born in Del Rio Texas, the son of an Air Force pilot, I grew up on Air Force Bases in states such as North Dakota, Washington, California and internationally in Japan. I refer to Huntington Beach Ca as my hometown as I graduated from high school there, and I am a graduate of Cal State University Northridge with a degree in Mathematics - Applied. I was married in 1995 and have 3 children that are currently 22, 18, and 15. I have been a member of LACoFD for 16 years and a fire Captain for the past 4. I have been directly involved in a very notable, significant

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

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-tr

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

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

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

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 w

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 b

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

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

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 an