What can someone’s body tell you before they ever say a word?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 23 years as a U.S. Secret Service Special Agent. Fifteen years in special operations. Four presidential administrations. Missions across the world where failure simply wasn’t an option.

But what does that level of service actually cost the person behind the badge—and the people waiting for them at home?

On this episode of Beyond The Barrel, we go far beyond executive protection, presidential details, and high-stakes operations. We have an incredibly candid conversation about the personal price of spending a career at the beck and call of the federal government, sometimes with little to no notice.

We talk about the birthdays missed, plans canceled, relationships strained, and the countless times the mission came before your spouse, children, family, and friends. At the time, you tell yourself it’s part of the job. Years later, you may find yourself carrying the guilt of realizing just how often the people you loved took a back seat to the profession.

And that struggle doesn’t necessarily end when the career does.

We dive into how to recognize and cope with that guilt while you’re still serving, how to rebuild priorities and relationships after the job, and how to find an identity and purpose when the phone finally stops ringing.

We also discuss leadership, resilience, ego, redemption, and the lessons behind Hallways and Stairwells—a book about confronting the human ego and finding a path toward resiliency, redemption, and personal freedom.

This isn’t just a conversation about an extraordinary Secret Service career.

It’s about what happens when serving everyone else means the people closest to you—and sometimes even yourself—come second.

No scripts. No agendas. Just authentic conversations with those who’ve lived it.

This is Beyond The Barrel.

Timestamps: 

03:02 – September 11th 

11:21 – Secret Service 

20:22 – Agent Training 

25:35 – Career Sacrifices 

35:44 – Family & Guilt 

41:31 – Leadership Philosophy 

51:15 – Counter Assault Team 

01:06:59 – Writing the Book 

01:11:36 – Presidential Threats

Links to John’s Socials

Linkedin: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-constantine-754b65380?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/john.constantineonezero?utm_source=qr

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Jenn Benjamins joins Beyond the Barrel to share the incredible experiences that shaped her 22-year law enforcement career. From working undercover against organized crime, narcotics, human trafficking, and vice, to leading specialized investigative units and supporting officers through peer support, Jenn has seen nearly every side of policing.

Now the founder of Covert Blue LLC, Jenn trains law enforcement professionals across the country on undercover operations, leadership, investigations, and officer wellness. In this episode, we dive into the realities of undercover work, the challenges of leadership, the importance of taking care of officers, and the lessons she’s learned both on and off the job.

No scripts. No agendas. Just authentic conversations with those who’ve lived it.

Timestamps: 

06:19 - Becoming a Cop 

15:19 - Vice Begins 

19:13 - First Undercover 

35:51 - Undercover Mindset 

44:21 - Darkest Case 

57:08 - Deep Undercover 

1:09:24 - Why She Retired 

1:19:03 - The Mental Toll 

1:26:30 - Undercover Advice

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Badge Doesn’t Make You Bulletproof

In this episode of Beyond The Barrel, we sit down with Robyn a Maine police officer, K9 handler, single mom, and someone who refuses to stop growing when life gets difficult.

Robyn has served in law enforcement since 2011, following a path shaped by a family rooted in police and military service, along with her own experience in firefighting and EMS. Today, one of the most rewarding parts of her career is working alongside her K9 partner, Jax, a Belgian Malinois, and constantly pushing herself to become a better handler.

But this conversation goes far beyond the badge.

Robyn opens up about navigating major life changes, becoming a single mom, rebuilding her life, and finding strength through fitness, personal development, and purpose. We talk K9s, motherhood, resilience, getting outside your comfort zone, and what it really looks like to keep moving forward when life doesn’t go according to plan.

No scripts. No agendas. Just an authentic conversation about service, struggle, growth, and becoming the best version of yourself.

Timestamps: 

3:08 — K9 Memorial

7:13 — K9 Journey

12:27 — Robyn’s Story

21:47 — Police Career

29:44 — Fitness & Sobriety

39:09 — Handler Selection

49:02 — Choosing Jax

1:01:12 — Female Handler

1:07:23 — Police Dog Foundation

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Howell, host of the Iron Sights Podcast and CEO of Red Dot Fitness, joins Beyond the Barrel for a conversation that goes far beyond the gym.

With more than 25 years in the health and fitness industry, Scott has built a platform centered on preparedness, discipline, self-reliance, and what it takes to WIN in fitness, business, and life.

We get into his recent travels throughout Asia and what he noticed about their food, fitness, and gym culture compared to America. From there, the conversation turns to some much bigger and more controversial topics: immigration and its impact on our communities, the lasting effects of the COVID era, and what Scott experienced trying to keep his gym and business alive during one of the most disruptive periods in recent history.

Fitness. Culture. Immigration. COVID. Business. Preparedness.

No scripts. No agendas. Just an honest conversation that isn’t afraid to go there. Go Beyond the Barrel. 

Timestamps: 

0:00 - Introduction

1:35 - Korea & Japan

5:52 - Asian Gym Culture

15:30 - Cultural Differences

38:34 - Fitness Entrepreneur 

43:52 - COVID Shutdowns

54:29 - Community & Survival

1:06:01 - Starting Iron Sights

1:18:50 - Healthcare & TRT

1:32:11 - Peptides

1:52:58 - Defining Justice

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not every wound is visible.

This episode of Beyond the Barrel features retired police sergeant and former U.S. Air Force Captain Michael Sugrue, whose career placed him on the front lines of law enforcement, military service, narcotics investigations, and critical incidents. After years of cumulative trauma led to a medical retirement, Michael transformed his experience into a mission to help others survive what many suffer in silence.

We discuss the reality of post-traumatic stress injury, the stigma surrounding mental health, organizational trauma, suicide prevention, resilience, and what it truly means to heal after a career spent protecting others. Michael also shares lessons from his bestselling book Relentless Courage, his work with Save A Warrior and the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat, and why changing the culture around first responders and veterans is more important than ever.

No scripts. No agendas. Just an honest conversation about the weight of service, the road to recovery, and finding purpose beyond the uniform.

Timestamps: 

4:17 Mental Health Stigma 

9:14 Becoming a Cop 

12:35 Undercover Narcotics 

15:04 Task Force Scandal 

21:42 Fatal Shooting 

24:21 Life Unravels 

34:12 PTSD Aftermath 

41:10 Agency Betrayal 

48:01 Recovery & Healing

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to build one of the best K-9 teams in law enforcement?

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, we sit down with Steven Antommarchi—veteran police K-9 handler, instructor, and founder of Next Level K9—for an unforgettable conversation about the realities of working dogs in some of the most demanding situations imaginable.

Steven shares how witnessing search-and-rescue dogs at Ground Zero after 9/11 inspired his career, what it was like deploying a bomb detection dog during the Dallas ambush, and the lessons he learned responding to some of the most traumatic events a law enforcement officer can face. Along the way, we explore the mental health challenges that come with the profession, the science behind modern detection dogs, and why trust, communication, and preparation matter far more than simply running training drills.

From building a K-9 unit from the ground up to training handlers across the country and around the world, Steven offers an honest look at what separates average teams from exceptional ones. Whether you're in law enforcement, the military, a first responder, a working dog handler, or simply fascinated by elite performance under pressure, this conversation is packed with insight, experience, and lessons that extend far beyond the leash.

If you enjoy authentic conversations about leadership, resilience, and the people behind the badge, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode of Beyond the Barrel.

Timestamps: 

00:58 Meet Steve 

11:40 9/11 Purpose 

16:45 Dallas Ambush 

32:10 Mental Health 

41:00 Building K-9 

51:35 Hemp Research 

1:04:58 Future K-9 

1:16:43 Handler Match 

1:27:49 Training Legacy 

1:33:50 Defining Justice

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when the toughest battle isn’t on the street but inside your own mind?

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, we sit down with retired Sgt. John Kelly, national keynote speaker, law enforcement life coach, and author of Surviving Self-Inflicted Wounds. After surviving decades in law enforcement, John reveals how addiction, alcoholism, infidelity, post-traumatic stress injury, and suicidal thoughts nearly ended his life—long after the dangers of the job should have.

With remarkable honesty, John shares the lessons that transformed his life and the mission behind his “Sometimes Heroes Need Help” program. We dive into leadership, relationships, organizational culture, financial wellness, physical and mental health, and why true strength starts with personal accountability.

This isn’t a conversation about being a perfect cop or leader. It’s about becoming a better human being, asking for help when you need it, and giving others permission to do the same.

No scripts. No agendas. Just an honest conversation about failure, forgiveness, resilience, and the courage to keep getting up when life knocks you down.

Timestamps: 

01:31 About John Kelly

11:01 Work Ethic

14:56 Boston Roots

27:44 Career Beginnings

41:24 K-9 & SWAT

49:04 Warrior Mindset

55:20 Personal Failures

1:09:20 Self Leadership

1:33:43 Policing Today

1:45:35 Future Policing

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some careers aren’t transformed by changing what you do they’re transformed by changing where you do it.

This episode follows a narcotics K-9 handler whose career began at just 21 years old, working from detention deputy to patrol and eventually into interdiction and drug enforcement. She shares what it’s like to dedicate your career to stopping narcotics trafficking, protecting communities, and working alongside a K-9 every day.

But this conversation goes beyond police work. We dive into what happens when you’re overlooked, held back, and made to feel like you don’t belong and how one decision to leave an agency changed everything. Today, he’s thriving under leadership that believes in investing in its people, proving that the right environment can unlock your full potential.

No scripts. No agendas. Just an honest conversation about resilience, leadership, purpose, and why sometimes the biggest career risk becomes the greatest blessing.

Timestamps: 

1:01 Early Life

5:26 Police Calling

8:14 TSA Years

10:31 K9 Journey

17:14 Department Politics

34:02 Internal Affairs

45:15 Fired & Betrayed

50:41 New Beginning

54:10 Legal Battle

1:00:18 Finding Justice

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world—and it’s happening far closer to home than most people realize.

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, we sit down with Trent the man behind Anti-Predator Project, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works on the front lines of combating human trafficking, locating missing and abducted children, protecting victims and witnesses, and supporting criminal investigations targeting those who prey on the vulnerable.

We discuss the realities of trafficking in America, how predators operate, the investigative techniques used to identify and locate offenders, common misconceptions, and the emotional toll of pursuing justice in some of the darkest cases imaginable.

Whether you’re in law enforcement, a parent, or simply someone who wants to better understand this growing threat, this conversation offers an inside look at the people dedicated to protecting those who cannot protect themselves.

No scripts. No agendas. Just authentic conversations with those who’ve lived it.

Timestamps: 

01:12 – Anti-Predator Project

10:17 – Protecting Children

20:40 – Real Investigations

23:30 – World Cup Risks

31:59 – Labor Trafficking

38:53 – Victim Grooming

47:27 – Online Safety

58:16 – Social Media Risks

01:11:05 – Public Awareness

01:22:04 – Justice Defined

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices