Behind The Shield

Daniel Corbett III served as an elite Navy SEAL operator, part of SEAL Teams 5, 6, and 17. He’s now an ex-military operator for hire. He joined the navy shortly after graduating high school in 2002 and was deployed to Iraq in the summer of 2005 with SEAL Team 5. He joined SEAL Team 6 in 2007, deploying to various locations around the world. In 2010, Daniel returned to the West Coast and began instructing at the Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command (NSWBTC). Daniel ended his active-duty career after two years with NSWBTC and quickly fell into the world of private military contracting. Daniel joined the active reserves in 2014 and maintained his active reserve status until 2019. In 2017, Daniel made international news when he was thrown in jail in Belgrade, Serbia, for eighteen months after traveling there as a private contractor to track a terrorist financier. Daniel still monitors international news and continues to entertain phone calls and meetings with those who need unique solutions to unique prob

Marcus Waugh is the World's Strongest Firefighter and Ohio's Strongest Man. We discuss college football, his journey into law enforcement, his experience in the jails, powerlifting, his path into the fire service, strongman competition, training the tactical athlete, fitness standards, the firefighter marriage, the powerful spiritual experience that bolstered his faith and so much more.

Alex Douglass was an 11 year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police when his station was ambushed by a psychotic gunman. His brother trooper Bryon DIckson was murdered and Alex suffered near fatal wounds.We discuss his journey into law enforcement, the horrendous attack, the manhunt that followed, his mental health journey, the decision to amputate his leg, Operation Enduring Warrior, the healing power of community and so much more.

Josh Brolin is a former wildland firefighter, actor and the author of his upcoming book "From Under the Truck" . In this second interview, we discuss social media, fame, family, kindness, trolls, adventure, writing and so much more.

Amanda Testa is a Sex, Love and Relationship Coach and the founder of Find Your Feminine Fire. We discuss the impact of childhood on sexuality, how open conversation improves your childrens' safety, body dysmorphia, tantric sex, the negative impact of porn, sex and marriage and so much more."Something I often see in working with busy women as a Sex and Relationship Coach is that on the outside it may appear they are thriving, but inside they really struggle with balancing the passion they have for their work, with the passion they have for their partners, much less themselves.They’re busy all day. Taking care of everyone else’s needs… their family, their business, and then, very last on the list becomes their relationship with their partner. And their own desires? Often not even on the page.They struggle because they feel disconnected, and they’re really missing that connection, that deep connection that they had at one time in their intimate relationship.After burning both ends of the candle all day long, t

Chuck DeSmith is a 35 year veteran of the fire service and the Deputy Fire Chief at Renton Regional Fire Authority. We discuss his early life, his journey into the fire service, the evolution of Fire/EMS, 911 abuse, the recruitment crisis, sleep deprivation, peer support and much more.

David Vaux began his career working as a London Firefighter, serving for 15 years on fire rescue operations and as physical education officer until he suffered a career ending injury. He subsequently retrained as an Osteopath and threw himself into the world of academia. He successfully applied strength and movement research to his own rehabilitation from long-term pain and disability.As one of the UK’s leading Osteopaths, David uses his lived and clinical experience to provide injury prevention and conditioning advice within the performing arts and international sports. In addition to this, David provides strategic advice on therapy and exercise for a UK arthritis charity. He is an authority on older age strength and resilience, providing his expertise to healthy ageing projects for the government, private, and third-party sectors.David is a vocal advocate for breaking down barriers to strength focused activity in middle age and promoting strength as a reservoir on which our later life health relies. David’s

Clint Malarchuk is an NHL veteran as both a goalie and coach, author and mental health advocate. Clint cheated death three times, one notoriously when he almost bled out on the ice after taking a skate to the neck. We discuss his childhood mental health challenges, outworking the competition, OCD, addiction, suicide, EMDR, recovery, post traumatic growth and much more.Hockey is notorious for its rough play even among a long list of contact sports, and the life of a professional athlete is demanding even at the best of times. For over a decade Clint was a National and International Hockey League goaltender, making his debut at just twenty years old. In 1989 he suffered a cut to his jugular vein from the blade of another player’s skate. Just ten days later Clint was back on the ice, continuing to play the game he loved while suffering from undiagnosed PTSD. After years of overcoming mental illness and surviving a suicide attempt, Clint is a mental health advocate dedicated to erasing the stigma surrounding me

Peter J. Forcelli is a recently retired Deputy Assistant Director of the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where he served as head of training. Before becoming a Special Agent for the ATF in 2001, Forcelli was a NYPD homicide detective and survivor of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Forcelli became widely known as a whistleblower for the highly publicized Operation Fast and Furious scandal. He suffered retaliation at the hands of highly placed individuals in the Department of Justice for shining a light on their mistakes, but ultimately prevailed in seeking justice in a settlement through a lawsuit he filed with the United States Office of Special Counsel.Forcelli is a respected investigator noted for developing complex criminal investigations targeting armed gangs and criminal organizations. He has made over one thousand arrests and has served over three hundred search warrants. He is well regarded by those who have worked with him for hi

Thaer Ahmad, MD is a board certified emergency medicine physician in Chicago. Dr. Ahmad is the assistant program director for the emergency medicine residency program at Advocate Christ Medical Center. He also serves as the global health director and medical ethics director for the emergency department at Advocate Christ. Dr. Ahmad is a clinical assistant professor at the university of Illinois at Chicago and a board member for MedGlobal, a medical humanitarian NGO that works at building healthcare capacity at reducing health inequities globally.In this second conversation, we discuss the harrowing dispatch tapes from the attempted rescue of Hind Rajab, how divisive American politics have forced polarisation on Gaza, the deliberate blocking of both aid workers and humanitarian relief, the starvation and violence that continues to claim young lives, how a ceasefire can prevent the US being dragged into additional wars and so much more.

Anthony Droz and Brandon Harding are the men behind the incredibly successful "Veterans in the Wild" Wilderness programme which has been embraced by the US Military.Anthony is a Marine, Spartan leader and Wilderness Guide. Brandon spent a full career as a military chaplain across multiple branches.We discuss their journeys into uniform, the tragedy that shook Brandon's faith, the motorcycle accident that almost claimed Anthony's life, mental health in our military, chaplaincy, community, the healing power of nature, Immunity to Change and much more.Brandon Harding is a recently retired military chaplain with nearly three decades of service. He is a wilderness guide and leadership & relationship coach, holding multiple certifications and a degree in psychology. He fuses adaptive coaching with wilderness expeditions to facilitate change in individuals, couples, and leaders. Additionally, he is a certified Wilderness First Responder. Brandon has been married for 27 years, and he and his wife have seven child

Angela Graham-Houweling is a former firefighter and co-founder of the SIREN Project. We discuss her early life, her journey into the fire service, some career calls, her powerful mental health story, the psychedelic journey that saved her life, the creation of her non-profit to help first responders find healing with entheogenics and so much more.My name is Angela Graham. I’m a Co-Founder of The S.I.R.E.N. Project. I was a Firefighter/Engineer/HAZMAT Spec. for almost 20 years with Santa Clara County Fire Dept. in Silicon Valley. Prior to that I was a D1 & professional softball pitcher. I have a loving husband, who is a Fire Capt., and a 7-year-old son. For the first five years of my son's life I was a single mother. For years I’ve struggled with mental health trying every modality available. A friend of ours, who happened to be a special forces operator, connected me to providers of Entheogenic Medicines. It has completely changed my life. The change was so profound my husband and I decided to start The S

Shawn Coss is an ER Nurse and the artist behind Any Means Necessary. We discuss his early life in Ohio, his journey into medicine, the opioid epidemic, his love of art, Cyanide and Happiness, working on a Stephen King movie, mental health art, music and so much more. Shawn was born in England whilst his Father was stationed there during his time in the Army, but moved back to America with his family when the base closed down. They ended up in West Virginia where money was tight, but eventually moved to Akron where they took over a relative’s janitorial business. Much like his parents, Shawn struggled to make ends meet, working long days in a factory, as a screen printer, and a pizza delivery guy. He would move into the nursing field, seeing it as a more stable way to support his wife and two young daughters, which would become a job he held part time for many years. Shawn was driven, stubborn, loyal, and passionate in equal measure, wanting to prove himself and to make those around him feel proud. A legacy th

Ruari Fairbairns is a former Oil Broker and the man behind "One Year, No Beer".We discuss his childhood mental health struggles, the letter that changed his life, alcohol and business, introversion, the health impact of alcohol, its impact on sleep, the predatory actions of marketing, the power of peer support, healthy downregulation and so much more. Born on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, from an early age Ruari harboured a deep-seated determination to make an impactful mark on the world. He left school at 15 to start his first business, and eventually landed in London where he carved out a successful career as a senior oil broker. However, he quickly found himself immersed in a binge-drinking culture, leading him to the profound realisation that alcohol was causing him more harm than good.Taking a transformative break from alcohol, Ruari witnessed significant improvements across all areas of his life: he became healthier, happier, more productive, and a better father and husband. Motivated by these personal im

Robert Burke is an actor and veteran volunteer firefighter. We discuss his early life, his journey into acting, the tragedy that inspired his fire service, portraying General Mattis in Generation Kill, working on Rescue Me, martial arts, altruism, his powerful sobriety story, becoming Robocop and so much more.

Eric Reynolds is a former police officer and the man behind Cops and Campers and Keto Five O. We discuss his mother's capture of Griselda Blanco, his own path into law enforcement, being wounded in an officer involved shooting, his rehabilitation journey, his powerful mental health story, the power of ketosis, creating a non-profit and so much more. As a 54-year-old retired wounded police veteran suffering from PTSD, I have made it my mission to help other first responders who are struggling as I have.In 2012, I was involved in a shooting and sustained injuries on the job, leading to a multitude of physical and mental health issues. Through my own healing journey, I have gained valuable knowledge and insight on the correlation between first responder work and heart disease, as well as the importance of therapy, nutrition, and exercise. In 2019, my family and I decided to sell our home and travel the country in a 28′ trailer to raise awareness and share our wisdom with others. I am a licensed sports nutritioni

Matthew Harrison and Brian O'Connell are members of the Gainesville Fire Rescue in Florida which will be transitioning to the 24/72 schedule in August. Matt is a SWAT Medic and Brian in the Vice President of the FIrefighter's Union.We discuss their journeys into the fire service, the mental and physical imact of shift work, sleep deprivation, the recruitment crisis, the money saved by this transition, how they overcame resistance at each level and so much more.

Bethel Cagan lost her firefighter husband to suicide in 2022. We discuss Frank's journey into the fire service, his love of martial arts, becoming a father, the unwraveling she witnessed, the compounding elements of psychiatric meds and holds, processing grief, improving mental health in the fire service and so much more.

Dany Cotton spent over three decades serving with the London Fire Brigade, retiring as Commissioner. We discuss her journey into the fire service, forging diversity through mentoring, the impact of budget cuts on service and health, violence on first responders, heroism at the Grenfell Tower fire, dirty politics and much more.

Ricky Nuttall is a veteran of the London Fire Brigade and was one of the firefighters at the Grenfell Tower fire that claimed 72 lives. We discuss his journey into the fire service, physical fitness, budget cuts, building construction, the inability to save, PTSD, addiction, suicide, community, poetry and much more.