Behind The Shield

I'm sharing this again as I lost my father last month. Dr Richard Geering spent his career as a Veterinary Surgeon in England, practicing on both horses and small animals. During this time he responded with the local fire brigade to many emergencies involving animals.

Samantha Juan is a Filipina-Persian American writer, visual artist, speaker, and U.S. Army veteran whose work examines survival, identity, memory, and the body’s long return to itself. Samantha served in the U.S. Army from 2003 to 2013, including as a signals intelligence analyst and Cultural Support Team leader attached to Joint Special Operations Command in Afghanistan. She is a Bronze Star recipient and 2014 Pat Tillman Scholar, with a BFA from Old Dominion University and an MLA from Johns Hopkins University.

Raised between cultures and shaped by nearly a decade of military service, she brings a rare lens to the conversations around trauma, leadership, motherhood, creativity, and what it means to rebuild a life after the nervous system has learned to live in defense.

Her literary memoir, Everything Happens For You, is represented by Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group and explores the cost of performance, the afterlife of war, addiction, motherhood, and the process of becoming fully inhabitable to herself.

Her healing work has included writing, painting, and carefully supported psychedelic therapy. She speaks about plant medicine with nuance, not as a miracle cure, but as one part of a larger reckoning with trauma, integration, truth, and the body’s intelligence. Her work has appeared in The War Horse and Brown Sugar Literary Magazine, and she has been featured on CNN’s The One Thing discussing veteran healing and psychedelic therapy.

Through her writing, art, and speaking, Samantha creates language for the places where survival once had to become personality.

Her work is not about polishing pain into inspiration. It is about telling the truth with enough discipline, beauty, and courage that something more honest can finally emerge.

Dan Bornstein is a former volunteer firefighter, Health and Performance professor at the Citadel and Chair of the US National Physical Activity Plan. We discuss the childhood injury that led him into the fire service, obesity and national security, the financial impact of the nation's ill health, physical education, physical readiness in the tactical professions and so much more.

Daniel B. Bornstein, Ph.D. is the Founding Principal at DBornsteinSolutions, LLC, which operates at the unique intersection of fitness, health, and national security. Dr. Bornstein has over 20 years of experience as a researcher, professor, and industry leader. He served as a tenured faculty member and administrator at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, from 2012-2021. Dr. Bornstein arrived at The Citadel in 2012 after completing his Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of South Carolina. Prior to earning his Ph.D., he founded and was C.E.O. of two fitness companies based in Tucson, AZ, which focused on individual-level, holistic fitness and health for a wide variety of clients including elite sport and military athletes. However, for the past fourteen years, his work has been focused on effective strategies for increasing population levels of physical activity in order to improve the fitness, health, and security of the nation.

At The Citadel, Dr. Bornstein was the Founding Director of the Center for Performance, Readiness, Resiliency, and Recovery (CPR3). The CPR3 was the realization of Dr. Bornstein's vision to establish a multidisciplinary, collaborative center with academic, research, and community engagement programs, all focused on improving the holistic fitness and health of service members, veterans, first responders, and members of the community. As the CPR3 Director and an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, Dr. Bornstein led the development and implementation of the World’s first undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the sub-specialty of tactical strength and conditioning.

Dr. Bornstein actively publishes in leading scientific journals and presents regularly at national and international scientific conferences. His research has been featured in over 130 media outlets worldwide, including USA Today, Newsweek, Stars and Stripes, and National Public Radio and his co-edited book Physical Activity and Public Health Practice has been widely adopted in undergraduate and graduate programs. Based on his research and experience, Dr. Bornstein has provided numerous briefings to senior military personnel and lawmakers, including briefings at The Pentagon and Capitol Hill.

Dr. Bornstein holds and has held several national leadership positions. Currently, he is Chair of the Military Sector for the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan. Previously, he was Project Coordinator for the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan, and Chair of the American Public Health Association’s Physical Activity Section. Dr. Bornstein has also served on several national committees including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Committee on Physical Activity Communications, and the American Heart Association’s Expert Advisory Group on Physical Education and Physical Activity Policy in Schools.

Judge Gary Sanders is a judge in the Fifth Circuit Court in Florida. He is also known as one of the fairest and most compassionate justices in Marion County. We discuss his journey into law, addiction and mental health, frivolous lawsuits, physical education, running and so much more.

As a Force Recon Marine, Jake Harriman fought terrorists overseas. As the founder of Nuru International, he battled extreme poverty in Africa. Now he's taking on his biggest mission yet. Harriman is founder and chairman of The Brickyard, a national nonprofit that is part of the growing movement to heal our divided nation and forge a better future. In Rescuing the Idea of America, Harriman shares both his inspiring personal story and a five-step code—believe, serve, connect, lead, and restore—for healing our country's divisions and becoming a nation that stands for the freedom of lasting, meaningful choices for all.

Jake graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy and served seven and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Platoon Commander in both the Infantry and Force Recon. Following his service, Jake enrolled at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. While at Stanford, he founded Nuru International to eradicate extreme poverty in the world’s most unstable, vulnerable regions to help end violent extremism. Jake played a vital role in drafting, introducing, and passing groundbreaking new legislation called the Global Fragility Act of 2019 that equips America with new authorities and resources to prevent conflict and stabilize some of the most fragile regions of the world.

Jake is the Founder and President of The Brickyard, a nonprofit civic organization that aims to unite the country and strengthen our communities through social connection, service, and civic engagement. The Brickyard is a national civic and service organization that brings people together locally — across differences — to build trust, community, and leadership through action. Brickyards are local chapters led by Veterans and service-minded leaders, hosting social gatherings, service events, and civic connection. Each Brickyard brings together people from different backgrounds to serve their communities, build relationships, and strengthen local civic life.

https://thebrickyard.us/

Michael Perry is a New York Times bestselling author, humorist, corporate speaker, volunteer firefighter/first responder, and amateur snowplow driver. A lifelong resident of the rural Midwest, his “reflective roughneck” takes on life in Middle America have left hundreds of thousands of readers and live audiences laughing, nodding, and sometimes misty.

The author of over 25 books including Population 485, Truck: A Love Story, Forty Acres Deep, and Peaceful Persistence. Perry’s latest title is Improbable Mentors & Happy Tangents: How firefighters and poets, truckers and nurses, soldiers and singers, and other improbable individuals can show you the way in business and creativity.

Perry, a registered nurse who put himself through college working as a Wyoming cowboy and a roller-skating Snoopy produces the popular audio newsletter “Michael Perry’s Voice Mail,” performs widely as a humorist and speaker, tours with his band The Long Beds, works as a script writer, voiceover artist and audiobook narrator, and still makes an occasional call with the local volunteer fire and rescue service.

“I grew up on the wooden end of a pitchfork,” says Perry, “so no matter what I’m doing it’s my experience as a Wisconsin farm boy and a Wyoming ranch hand that informs my approach. And none of it—whether it’s a television documentary, a song, or a book—happens unless I sit down and write. Fortunately, writing is my favorite thing, and I’m grateful for the improbable mentors and happy tangents that delivered me to this place.”

https://sneezingcow.com/

Sgt Maj Sebastien Lavoie is a commanding officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, use of force expert and elite tactical athlete. We discuss his journey into policing, martial arts in law enforcement, the importance of physical training, deescalation, realism in training, hiring practices, psychology and so much more.

Sergeant Major Sebastien Lavoie joined the RCMP in 2000. After completing training, he was posted to Tofino Detachment on Vancouver Island, where he became engaged in community and indigenous policing. Displaying a keen interest in Use of Force training; he quickly became the local Use of Force Subject Matter Expert conducting all mandatory training and organizing extra training for the West Coast's members.

Volunteering for the Canadian Air Carrier Protective Program (CACPP) following the attacks of 9/11, he reported to the Vancouver CACPP office where he would travel the world, assist in developing International Deployment Procedures, and eventually be appointed as the acting training NCO. In 2007, Sergeant Major Lavoie joined the full time Lower Mainland District Emergency Response Team (ERT) where he specialized as a "Breacher". He was promoted to Corporal in 2012 and had the privilege to lead his team through Lower Mainland ERT's heavy operational tempo.

In 2017, he was appointed as the Team Leader for Blue Team where he trained, developed, enabled, supported, and lead a team of 22 operators through the team's daily activities. He would spend the last two years of his term as a Tactical Liaison Officer. Sergeant Major Lavoie focused on fostering and maintaining a positive work environment prioritizing member wellness, leadership, operational readiness, and succession planning. Sergeant Major Lavoie was appointed as the E Division Sergeant Major on February 13, 2019. His primary function is to advise the Commanding Officer and to be a conduit between all of E Division's employees and the Commanding Officer.

John Hudson is the UK Military's Chief Survival Instructor and author of "How to Survive". We discuss flying helicopters, surviving a plane crash, SERE school, extreme temperatures, resiliency and much more.

John is the UK military’s chief survival instructor, designing and implementing the training of instructors in Land, Sea, and Extreme Environment Survival. Prior to joining the RAF as a helicopter pilot, John studied Product Design at Leeds College of Art. He has penned the joint services survival training manual, revised the RAF’s aide memoir found in all military aircraft survival packs and advised on the UK’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Extraction) training film, watched by all service personnel before deployment overseas.

John has also been a resident expert on two series of Discovery’s Dude, You’re Screwed (Survive That in the UK), putting his skills to the test in some of the planet’s most demanding environments. Amongst others, John has survived the elements in Asian and Central American jungles, the Arctic Circle and the high altitudes of the Atacama Desert. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and his book How to Survive: Lessons for Everyday Life from the Extreme World is released by Pan Macmillan on 27th June 2019.

Blake Richardson is a veteran, brain injury advocate, and founder of Help Our Heroes, a nonprofit focused on expanding access to treatments for traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and post-concussive syndrome.After living with an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury for more than a decade, Blake experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to find treatments that address the underlying brain injury rather than simply manage symptoms.

His own experience with hyperbaric oxygen therapy changed the direction of his life and ultimately became a driving force behind his advocacy. Today, Blake works alongside researchers, medical professionals, veterans, first responders, and legislators to increase awareness, improve access to care, and advance legislation aimed at helping those living with brain wounds.

https://www.helpourheroes.org/

Jim Burneka is a firefighter, podcaster co-founder of the 'Brothers Helping Brothers' conference and the author of 'Overcoming Tuesday'. In this third conversation, Jim discusses his powerful healing journey through psychedelics, The Brave Program, Project Sanctuary and so much more.

Overcoming Tuesday:

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 book shares a variety of valuable resources that are available to help those struggling with mental or physical struggles. The fight for wellness among first responders shouldn’t be a silent battle fought alone, but together; we can overcome Tuesday.