Behind The Shield

Latest Episodes:

Tom Beaver (SAS Selection, Training the Tactical Athlete and Fitness in Austere Environments) - Episode 477 Jul 04, 2026

Show notes

Tom Beaver is an elite endurance athlete, welder and the founder of BeaverFit. We discuss farm life, bridge building, SAS selection, creating strength and conditioning equipment elite tactical athletes, bringing solutions to strength and conditioning space challenges, his incredible endurance feats, rhinos and so much more.

Tom has always had a passion for exercise. He has competed in some of the world’s most difficult and challenging ultra-distance foot races and triathlons from the Sahara Desert to the streets of Paris, motivated by endurance, distance and discovery.

Having been brought up in the family bridge building business, Tom is an experienced welder and metal worker with a passion for pushing the limits of fitness. Initially building a few bits of functional exercise equipment to help him work out on the farm, he found himself with the opportunity to create a functional training rig for the British Army. The success of the first commander training rig lead to more requests and BeaverFit was born.

https://beaverfiteu.com/

Justin Wren (Mixed Martial Arts, Childhood Bullying and Saving Pigmy Tribes) - Episode 211 Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Justin Wren is an MMA Heavyweight and founder of the organization "Fight for the Forgotten". We discuss his early life, bullying, combat sports, addiction, the pygmies and much more.

Almost a decade ago the world got to know Justin Wren through his successful mixed martial arts career in the UFC – from starring in the Spike reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” to becoming a dominating force in the heavyweight division, to his MMA record of 15-2. Today, the world knows this 6-foot-3-inch, 265-pound fighter for the size of his heart.

Following a six-year struggle with addiction and depression in his early career, Justin stepped away from MMA to seek out purpose and passion for his life. What he found was a forgotten tribe of Mbuti Pygmies deep in the jungles of the Congo, beaten down by economic enslavement, disease, and hopelessness.

Through his Fight for the Forgotten initiative, 1,500 members of this formerly enslaved people group are now free and flourishing on 3,000 acres of their own land with access to clean water and their own farms.

“I still love MMA, and my work in the Congo didn’t change that,” he says. “But it did change me. I’m not fighting for myself anymore. I’m fighting to bring attention and change to those who don’t have a voice.”

A champion Greco-Roman wrestler, Justin's life changed when he traveled to Congo to help the Pygmies. This ethnic group, indigenous to Africa, is preyed upon by armed rebels, being killed, raped and even eaten. Having fought for himself as an MMA fighter for his entire life, Justin urges us to use the tools around us to fight for the forgotten.

Today Justin “The Big Pygmy” Wren has expanded his Fight for the Forgotten to empower all those who don’t have a voice. He regularly speaks to raise awareness for those affected by the water crisis, as well as those who are bullied, and those suffering from depression and addiction.

Michael Easter (Seeking Discomfort, Journalism and the Solving the Obesity Crisis) - Episode 628 Jun 20, 2026

Show notes

Michael Easter is a journalist, professor and the author of "The Comfort Crisis". We discuss his journey into writing, the metamorphosis of the magazine industry, the concept of Misogi, the obesity epidemic, seeking discomfort, the importance of boredom and so much more.

Michael is a leading voice on how humans can integrate modern science and evolutionary wisdom for improved health, meaning, and performance in life and at work. He travels the globe to embed himself with brilliant thinkers and people living at the extremes. He then shares his findings and experiences with people around the world in his books and podcast and TV appearances.

He is the author of The Comfort Crisis, a bestseller. The Comfort Crisis been translated into 10 different languages and adopted by Major League Baseball teams, top-ranked NCAA D1 football programs, top-tier universities and law programs, major corporations, and tier-one military units.

His work shows that science has many answers. But it also proves that many aspects of the human experience and living well cannot be measured. To that end, his work combines the statistical and mystical. It melds topics ranging from medicine and anthropology to theology and philosophy, along with case studies of everyday people doing extraordinary things.

He believes that new discoveries and a deeper understanding don’t happen from behind a screen. To that end, Michael’s investigations have taken him to meet with monks in ancient monasteries in Bhutan, lost tribes in the jungles of Bolivia, US Special Forces soldiers in undisclosed locations, gene scientists in Iceland, drug kingpins in Iraq, CEOs in Fortune-500 boardrooms, and elsewhere.

Michael’s work and ideas have appeared in over 60 countries. They’ve been endorsed by directors of the CIA and Navy SEALs, gold medal-winning Olympians, leading physicians, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, Buddhist and environmental leaders, and more. His writing has appeared in Men’s Health, where he’s a Contributing Editor, and Outside, Men’s Journal, Cosmopolitan, Vice, Esquire, Scientific American, and Women’s Health. He’s also talked about his work and ideas on the world’s largest, most influential podcasts, like The Joe Rogan Experience, Art of Manliness, Impact Theory, NPR, EconTalk, and more.

He’s spoken to or consulted for various top-tier universities, medical schools, Fortune-500 companies, government agencies, and some of the country’s largest nonprofits.

When he’s not on the ground reporting, Michael is a professor in the journalism department at UNLV. He co-founded and co-directs the Public Communications Institute, a think tank at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).

He lives in Las Vegas on the edge of the desert with his wife and their two dogs, Stockton and Conway.

Dr Kelly Starrett (Functional Mobility, Injury Prevention and Rehab in the Tactical Athlete) - Episode 624 Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

Dr Kelly Starrett is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, the author of the Supple Leopard books and the co-founder of The Ready State. We discuss the importance of hydration, the power of sleep, the aging athlete, overcoming injury, forging wellness in our schools and so much more.

Kelly is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, 3x New York Times bestselling author, and the person behind the movement systems used by Navy SEALs, Olympians, and the world’s top companies. He doesn’t just talk about performance — he’s spent decades building practical tools that help real people move better, last longer, and perform at their highest level.

Liz Carmouche (The Iraq War, Mixed Martial Arts and Underwater Fitness) - Episode 432 Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

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

A Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Liz “Girlrilla” Carmouche is an American Mixed Martial Arts fighter currently competing in the bantamweight division. Born in Lafayette, LA, she grew up on Okinawa the daughter of an Airman. During her five year enlistment, Liz Before was an Aviation Electrician during which time she completed three tours in Iraq. Carmouche started training MMA to ease her transition.

She began her professional fighting career in 2010, and was named the WMMA Press Awards Newcomer of the Year in the same year. In February 2013, Carmouche was recognized as the first openly gay fighter in the UFC and has served as a positive role model throughout the MMA community. She is also the FIRST woman to NOT be arm-barred by Ronda Rousey and the first fighter in UFC history to win at Madison Square Garden.

Kory Flowers (Hurricane Helene, the Addiction Crisis and the Power of Mentorship) - Episode 1247 May 31, 2026

Show notes

Kory Flowers is a 27-year veteran Captain with the Greensboro Police Department. Captain Flowers trains law enforcement officers nationwide on various subversive criminal groups, leadership, tactical communication, and has written articles and conducted podcasts for publications including Police1, Police Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and National Public Radio. He is a frequent guest on numerous law enforcement podcasts, and guest television host on On Patrol Live.

We discuss his childhood in North Carolina, the addiction crisis, reducing recidivism, the power of mentorship, losing brother police officers, the impact of Hurricane Helene, community, the Run Well programme and much more.

Carmen Ordoñez (Losing a Firefighter Spouse to Work Related Cancer and Navigating Grief) - Episode 619 May 30, 2026

Show notes

Carmen Ordoñez is a TV host, lifestyle expert and the widow of Miami firefighter Fernando Ordonez. We discuss their parents' immigration stories, their romance story, the birth of their son, Fernando's cancer diagnosis, grief, growth, community and so much more.

Carmen is a TV Host and on-air lifestyle expert. She was married to City of Miami firefighter, Fernando Ordoñez, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2014 and passed away 10-months later at the age of 34. Carmen found herself a young widow at the age of 31, left behind to raise their 2-year old son.

Frank Wright (The First Marine Raiders, Iwo Jima and PTSD in the WWII Generation) - Episode 561 May 23, 2026

Show notes

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.

Frank 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.

Greg Kelley (The Wrongful Conviction that allowed a Predator to Roam Free) - Episode 458 May 16, 2026

Show notes

Greg Kelley was a promising high school football player when he was falsely accused of sexual abuse of a child and wrongfully imprisoned. He spent the next six years proving his innocence, three of which were in prison. We discuss his early life, his parent's medical issues that led to him staying with a friend, the outcry, the horrendous cascade of unethical practices in both the investigation and trial, the horrors perpotrated by the predator that roamed free, overturning the decision, the power of love, reclaiming his football career and so much more.

Paige Figi (The Origin Story of How CBD Saved a Child's Life When No One Else Could) - Episode 765 May 09, 2026

Show notes

Paige Figi spent years trying to find a treatment for her young daughter, Charlotte, who was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome – a serious form of epilepsy – and suffered from frequent seizures. Because none of the traditional pharmaceuticals and treatments were reliable or successful in reducing and helping Charlotte’s life-limiting condition, Paige researched alternative therapies, discovering a type of hemp extract that had no major side effects or psychotropic effects.

Ms. Figi started giving Charlotte a natural, non-intoxicating, therapeutic hemp extract with low-THC and high-CBD that reduced her daughter’s epileptic symptoms and seizures from hundreds per week to less than three per month.

In 2015, she founded the Coalition for Access Now, a 501(c)4, to help other families in similar circumstances provide relief to their children. The work of Paige and the mothers in the Coalition for Access Now led to passage of CBD access laws in all 50 states.

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