Firefighter and former cavalry soldier Luke Smith joins Behind the Badge to share a raw, insightful and often emotional journey across two careers defined by service—first in the Australian Defence Force, then on the frontline with Queensland Fire and Rescue.

Luke opens up about:

• Deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan at 20 and the moment war became real

• Losing mates, the weight of leadership, and the moral injuries that can follow

• Transitioning out of Defence and rediscovering purpose in the fire service

• Major flood rescues, the split-second decisions that stop tragedy, and the lessons they leave behind

A grounded and authentic conversation about courage, identity, resilience, and what it really means to step up when people need you most.

You can get in touch with Luke here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Former Air Force PTI, veteran, and endurance runner Will Burnett (@theveteranrunner) joins Behind the Badge to share his incredible story of resilience—from military life and loss of identity, through rock bottom, to finding purpose on a 4,000km run across Australia.
Will opens up about the moments that broke him, the unconventional healing journey that rebuilt him, and what it truly means to put one foot in front of the other when everything else falls away.

A raw, powerful conversation about courage, recovery, and the strength to keep moving forward.

You can get in touch with Will here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram

Check out his Doco here:

https://youtu.be/LegW8z9fNK8?si=kTuR_sKgp9ab2bMe

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Harry Moffitt spent more than 30 years with the SAS before becoming a psychologist and leadership consultant. In this episode of Behind the Badge, he joins us to explore the ideas behind his book The Fourth Pillar — and how philosophy, education, and self-awareness shape resilience across every domain of service.

We talk about the evolution of human performance, the importance of curiosity and identity, and how a reflective mindset can strengthen us far beyond the job.
A conversation about wisdom, growth, and redefining what it means to be strong.

You can get in touch with Harry here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stotan Group | Human Performance Consultancy

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode of Behind the Badge, Dr. Daniel Higuera — professor of kinesiology and director of one of California’s largest firefighter wellness programs — shares insights from decades of frontline health data.

We dive into the evolving state of firefighter wellbeing: how culture, fitness, hormones, and sleep all interact to shape long-term health and performance.
Daniel explains what his data shows about the modern firefighter, why education and leadership matter as much as training, and how a data-driven approach to wellness can help us build resilience that lasts an entire career.

You can get in touch with Daniel here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Kate Duncan’s career took her from firefighting in the US to paramedicine in Australia — high-intensity roles that left lasting scars. With Anxiety, hypervigilance, and self-diagnosed PTSD creeping in, Kate discovered that mindfulness wasn’t a quick fix, but a powerful path to recovery.

In this conversation, Kate opens up about:

• Her journey through trauma and burnout in emergency services

• Why mindfulness and meditation became life-changing tools

• Building programs that support frontline workers and veterans in recovery and prevention

• What resilience looks like when you rebuild life on new terms

This is a story of courage, healing, and the strength that comes from being still.

You can get in touch with Kate here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Home - Kate Duncan Meditation

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode of Behind the Badge, firefighter Paul Mildner reflects on his career spanning from East Sussex, UK, to Queensland, Australia. Paul opens up about surviving a heart attack, facing prostate cancer, and the mental toll of recovery—while still showing up for his family, his crew, and himself.

It’s a conversation about resilience, identity, and the importance of speaking up and getting checked.

You can support Paul and the Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Long Run - Paul Mildner

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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From Army Reservist to Air Marshal, AFP officer to fitter armourer, Josh Bailey’s service life has spanned decades, continents, and critical incidents. Along the way he’s faced trauma, loss, and organisational challenges that shaped his path into psychology.

In this candid conversation, Josh shares:

• Lessons from his years in the military, policing, and emergency response

• The hidden toll of trauma and the culture of “reset and forget”

• Why post-traumatic growth is possible, even after the darkest experiences

• How he’s turning his lived experience into a mission to support others

This is a story of service, survival, and the pursuit of meaning on the other side of trauma.

You can find more about Josh here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Dan Cooper is no stranger to challenge. From years in the Australian Special Forces to pushing physical and psychological limits in the name of research, Dan has built a life around discomfort—and learning from it.

In this episode, we dig into the mindset behind high performance, mental toughness, and why most people fear the very things that lead to growth. Dan also shares the hard lessons he’s learned around identity, transition, and finding purpose outside the uniform.

We cover:

• What Special Forces selection really reveals about people

• The role of discipline, detachment, and self-reflection

• Why resilience isn’t built in comfort

• Lessons from his research into elite performance and self-regulation

This one’s for anyone interested in the space between discomfort and discovery—and how to keep moving when the work gets hard.

You can find more about Dan here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

https://www.instagram.com/dancooper_phd/

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Discount code 'BADGE10'

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Greatest of All Tapes - Sleep Better. Perform Better. – The Greatest of all Tapes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Matty Newlands thought he was managing. Until one day, he wasn’t.

In this episode of Behind the Badge, Matty shares how the weight of the job slowly crept in—changing how he saw himself, how he connected with others, and how he coped in silence. After leaving the police, the fallout only got louder.

Now a councilor, mental health advocate and co-founder of frontline mental health, Matty talks openly about identity, burnout, and the power of finally speaking up.

We explore:

• “Everything comes at a cost”—how the job changed him

• Suppressing emotion and losing connection

• What happened when the structure fell away

• How owning his story helped him start again

If you’ve ever struggled with what the job takes—and what’s left behind—this one’s for you.

To find out more about Frontline Mental Health:

Frontline Mental Health

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Greatest of All Tapes - Sleep Better. Perform Better. – The Greatest of all Tapes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In Part 2 of our raw, unfiltered conversation, Tom Bown opens up about what came after the uniform.

He talks candidly about the slow onset of depression, what it looked like to spiral silently, and how shame, ego, and fear of being seen as “broken” nearly took his life. It’s heavy—but what follows is the real power of this episode.

Tom shares how he began rebuilding, how therapy and accountability changed his path, and why he launched The Origin Initiative—a no-BS platform for sharing experience, building capacity, and helping others who wear the uniform feel less alone.

💬 Topics include:

• Why his depression didn’t “look” like he thought it would

• The myths we tell ourselves about mental toughness

• What the system got wrong—and what people got right

• How he turned his story into something that helps others

🎧 If you missed Part 1, start there. This is the other half of the story—and one that could make a difference for someone you know.

You can find more about Tom here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠The Origin Initiative – ORIGIN K9⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠These Four Walls - Hard Rock Band Gold Coast QLD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks to our sponsor:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SmokeSoap – Australian Firefighter Decontamination Soap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Discount code 'BADGE10'

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Greatest of All Tapes - Sleep Better. Perform Better. – The Greatest of all Tapes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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