Behind The Shield

Latest Episodes:

Dr Erik Won (Combat Medicine, Neuroscience, Performance and Mental Health) - Episode 1079 May 05, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Erik Won is President and Chief Medical Officer of Wave Neuroscience, Inc; a biotechnology company that has innovated breakthrough technologies called Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy (MeRT) and Synchronized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (sTMS). These technologies utilize computational neuroanalytics and brain imaging to customize treatment protocols with the aim of restoring optimal neurological function.

These modalities represent a form of precision-guided medicine that has been researched or is currently being used by premier institutions such as US Special Operations Command, Stanford University School of Medicine, Duke University - Human Performance Opti-Lab, University of Southern California (USC) Center for Neurorestoration, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) - David Geffen School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and the Texas A&M Institute for Bioscience and Technology, among others.

Erik joined Wave Neuroscience after serving as the Chief Physician and Chief Technology Officer (Health Services) for the Boeing Company. He also served as a US Navy Flight Surgeon for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268, and received the distinction of serving as the ACE Flight Surgeon for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Dr. Won has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, and presented in numerous academic conferences.

He completed his residency at the Harvard OEM combined residency program and was appointed Chief Resident. He received a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the Harvard School of Public Health and Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business.

Elizabeth Pol (Suicide Psychological Autopsy, Law Enforcement and Canine Therapy) - Episode 1078 May 04, 2025

Show notes

Ellizabeth Pol is a current Police Officer of 21 years and the Founder/CEO of Resilient Heroes to present first responders and military personnel with psychoeducation on Trauma and Suicide. We discuss her journey into law enforcement, the first responder mental health crisis, suicide autopsies, forensic psychology, canine therapy and much more.

"As a mental health professional, my goal is to inform first responders and military personnel of the trauma, triggers, and suicide risk factors that can affect them. By providing the knowledge of stress and adversities to trauma, we can provide them with the tools for self-care and the capacity to advocate mental health resources. This will offer our first responders and military the ability to be more proactive and resilient which reduces the likelihood of being in crisis."

https://www.resilient-heroes.com/

Alastair McGregor and Josh Williams (Prisons, Recidivism and the Healing Power of LEGO) - Episode 1077 May 01, 2025

Show notes

Alastair McGregor is the Co-Founder of STEALTH®: A de-escalation tool using Lego® Serious Play®. A preventative tool which stops people dying. It works and it lasts. And it uses Lego® Al is a Preventative Psychologist specialising in subconscious communication. He has researched and worked with personnel from the SBS & Royal Marines through to ballet dancers & police. Al is currently focused on preventing suicide and lowering self harm in prisons (Operation spitfire) across multiple UK Prisons (Category A - C).

Josh Williams is a custodial manager within the UK prison service. He joined in 2018 after working as an on call firefighter. Since joining HMPPS Josh has also began a career with a private ambulance service.

Josh believes that the STEALTH® De-escalation tool is going to be an amazing addition to prisons across the world not just the UK. The skills that accompany this tool will save countless lives.

Blayne Smith (Green Berets, Rucking, Non-Profits and Leadership) - Episode - 1076 Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

Blayne Smith is a West Point graduate, former Green Beret and highly effective business leader across a variety of industries and capacities. For over 25 years, Blayne has built teams and communities through a deep understanding of, and focus on, culture and leadership. Whether serving in corporate, small business, or nonprofit roles, his focus has remained on the people.

Inaugural recipient of the George W. Bush Institute Military Service Citation for exemplary leadership both during and beyond service

Former President and current board member at GORUCK

First Executive Director of Team Red, White and Blue; scaled a hyper inclusive, national community based organization from 3 to 212 cities, delivering 45,000 events per year, enriching the lives of over 150,000 veterans

As a Green Beret (Special Forces Commander), commanded multi-national and inter-agency combat operations

Distinguished Honor Graduate from the US Army Ranger School

Led over 200 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan

MBA, University of Florida

https://www.appliedleadershippartners.com/

Kona Oliveira (Mixed Martial Arts, Big Wave Surfing and Firefighting) - Episode 1075 Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

Kona Oliveira is a federal firefighter, professional MMA fighter and big wave surfer who recently went viral for shredding a monster swell at Peahi off Maui. We discuss his childhood in Hawaii, growing up in a martial arts family, his MMA journey, the paradox of surfing and competition, becoming a firefighter and much more.

Matson and Tawni Browning (Infiltrating White Supremacy Gangs, Polygamy and Undercover Policing) - Episode 1074 Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Matson Browning is an internationally recognized authority on the inner workings of white supremacy groups. As an undercover detective for more than two decades in Arizona, he thought he knew what hate looked like, that is, until he got a front row seat. For more than 25 years, Browning has been infiltrating, documenting, and disrupting White supremacy movements from the inside, gaining and intimate vantage point to the KKK, skinheads, border militias, Proud Boys, and other White power groups, as they organized and grew, their ranks including police force and military veterans.

Together with his intrepid wife, Tawni, he adopted fake ids and ideologies, seeking the arrest of its hate groups participants -- none more so than JT Ready, a neo-Nazi who took "hunting trips" for border migrants while gaining mainstream acceptance as a political candidate -- and terrorizing Browning's family. What others dismissed as fringe groups, Browning quickly recognized as large and interconnected organizations permeating every facet of American society, effectively spreading their dangerous and repugnant rhetoric at unprecedented speeds. Now, with the violent polarization in our communities and an increase in hate crimes, the threat posed by these toxic organizations feels as acute as ever.

Tawni Browning considers herself first and foremost a mother of five. Beyond that, she was the Supervising and Casting Producer for A&E’s “Escaping Polygamy,” a series documenting the trials and struggles of individuals attempting to leave the cult life of polygamy. For years, Tawni has been assisting her husband in the investigations of numerous skinhead organizations. With her covert investigative tactics, Tawni was instrumental in the “shutting down” of one of the world's largest and most violent skinhead organizations. Tawni continues to gather intelligence on various individuals and religious extremists throughout the world.

Chris Hinshaw, Nic Gregson and Kelsie Meade (Forging Marine Performance through the Fittest Instructor Competition) - Episode 1073 Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

LtCol Gregson is the Director for the Marine Corps Center for Learning and Faculty Development at TECOM and Kelsie is the High-Intensity Tactical Training Coordinator for Marine Corps Base Quantico. Chris Hinshaw is the founder of Aerobic Capacity and is widely considered one of the top endurance coaches in the world. In this conversation, we discuss fitness in the military, the recruitment crisis, wellness in the general population, forging elite performance in the Marines, The Fittest Instructor Competition and so much more.

LtCol Nic Gregson graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2004. He was designated a Field Artillery Officer in 2006. 1stLt Gregson reported to First Battalion, Tenth Marines in 2006, serving as a Forward Observer and Platoon Commander for his first deployment to Iraq in 2007. Upon return, he was assigned as Officer In Charge of Police Transition Team 6-District Habbaniyah for the deployment in 2009. Captain Gregson was assigned as the Targeting Officer for 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2009 and served as the Fire Support Coordinator for BLT 3/8 in Operations Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan.

In 2011 Captain Gregson reported to Expeditionary Warfare School as a student. Upon completion, Captain Gregson reported to back to 1st Battalion, 10th Marines for duty as Battery B Commanding Officer, RCT-2 Fire Support Officer in support of OEF, HQ Btry Commanding Officer and Bn Logistics Officer. Following his tour at Tenth Marines, Major Gregson reported to Marine Detachment Fort Sill to serve as an instructor of Field Artillery Captains Career Course, and Operations Officer. Following that tour, Major Gregson reported to Command and General Staff College as a Student.

Major Gregson reported into First Battalion, Eleventh Marines following school to serve as the Bn Logistics officer and Bn Executive Officer. Major Gregson served one year as the Deputy Director of Operations and Training at Expeditionary Training Group-Pacific prior to reporting into Training Command operations section. LtCol Gregson served two years at the Future Operations Officer prior to assuming the duties as the Marine Corps Center For Learning and Faculty Development Director.

Lieutenant Colonel Gregson’s personal awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, and four Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medals.

Kelsie began her career in strength and conditioning in 2010 at an internship with Mike Boyle. She got her masters while working as a graduate assistant at Boston University, before moving on to work for the University of New Hampshire as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. She's worked with a multitude of teams to include men's crew, men and women's soccer, men's ice hockey, football, men and womens tennis, alpine skiing, and track and field. In 2015 she made her move to the tactical world and has been the strength and conditioning coach for MCB Quantico since 2020.

Chris Hinshaw is the founder of aerobiccapacity.com, and is widely considered one of the top endurance coaches in the world. Chris is known internationally for his extensive knowledge and practical experience developing aerobic capacity in athletes of all experience levels using his comprehensive, cutting edge approach to training.

Coached 35 Crossfit Games Champions

Coached 50+ Crossfit Games Podium Athletes

10x Ironman Competitor

Dyana Alexander (Death Notifcations, Cardiac Arrests and Moral Injury) - Episode 1072 Apr 19, 2025

Show notes

Dyana Alexander is a Fire Captain and Paramedic. We discuss her journey into the fire service, death notifications, cardiac arrests, moral injury, pickleball and so much more.

Dyana is a dedicated professional with nearly 18 years of experience with Orange County Fire Rescue. Currently serving as a field Captain in Battalion 3/A, she covers a vast area including International Drive, Sea World, Hunters Creek, Lake Nona, and Moss Park.

Throughout her career, Dyana has demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of emergency medical services. Notably, she played a key role in the development and implementation of the sign-off process for Stand-alone Paramedics in Orange County.

Dyana's educational background includes Critical Care Paramedicine from the University of Florida and an Undergrad in EMS. As an EMS educator for nearly 15 years, Dyana has shared her expertise and passion for pre-hospital education with countless students.

One area of particular interest for Dyana is pediatric pre-hospital medicine, where she excels in providing compassionate, effective patient care and education. Additionally, her expertise in leadership is focused on a deep commitment to the well-being of others with an emphasis on grieving, bereavement, closure, and mental health.

Daniel Higuera (Firefighter Shift Research and the Health Impact of Sleep Deprivation) - Episode 1071 Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

Daniel Higuera is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at Santa Ana College Department of Fire Technology. Currently, he provides health and wellness services to over 20 fire and police departments in southern California. In this conversation, we take a deep dive into the impact of shift work on firefighter health and performance.

Previously, Higuera worked with athletes in both collegiate and private sectors. Higuera is a PhD graduate of Health Science with an emphasis in Human and Sport Performance at Rocky Mountain University. His research focuses on investigating the applicability of wearable technology for firefighters health and wellness.

He earned his undergraduate and graduate degree in Kinesiology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Associated (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM-CPT).

https://www.instagram.com/dr.danielhiguera/

Brian Sanders (Gangs, Drug Prohibition and Police Recruitment) - Episode 1070 Apr 13, 2025

Show notes

Brian Sanders is a recently retired homicide lieutenant, gang expert, and presenter. During his career, he served on various proactive units, to include Gang Suppression Unit, homicide unit as a detective and later as a sergeant, intel sergeant, and other units. He is known for developing sources, actionable gang intelligence, motivating others to learn and work gangs, and pushing disruption initiatives to reduce violence.

Additionally, he served two years on a special assignment attached to the Career Criminal Unit conducting a joint R.I.C.O. investigation with the F.B.I. which yielded the dismantling of a Blood set and earned an award from the director of the FBI. He has a B.A. degree in Psychology and graduated magna cum laude. While obtaining his degree, he earned his membership in Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology. He is also a former sergeant of the United States Army (Infantry) .

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