Home Podcasts Behind The Shield
Behind The Shield

Behind The Shield

James Geering 1001 episodes Latest May 31, 2026

Behind The Shield brings the greatest minds in mental and physical wellness to the men and women who serve our communities. Hosted by James Geering, the podcast features interviews with experts and thought leaders. It aims to support first responders and military personnel in their health and well-being.

Episodes

Mitchell Brown (Pittsburg's Original Paramedics, Mental Health and Leadership) - Episode 1251 Jun 9, 2026 8320 Mitchell Brown is an Air Force Medic veteran, one of the orginal paramedics from Pittsburgh's Freedom House and retired Columbus City Councilman. We discuss how the loss of his mother sent him into medicine, physical and mental trauma in Vietnam, America's first paramedics, the origin of CPR, the opiod crisis, leadership and so much more.
Walt Dix (The 24/72 Revolution, the Journeyman Firefighter and Forging Tactical Athletes) - Episode 1250 Jun 7, 2026 8070 Walt Dix is the IAFF 12th District Vice President and 38 year veteran of the fire service. We discuss joining the fire service in the 1970s, the evolution of fire attack, the firefighter work week, the truth behind the FLSA, mental health, fitness standards, forging journeymen and so much more. Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Walter, a native of South Florida, dedicated his career to
Jeff Bonner (Fighter Pilot Combat Missions, the Power of Debriefs and the Airline Industry) - Episode 1249 Jun 5, 2026 8445 Jeff “Bones” Bonner is a former combat fighter pilot, squadron commander, airline captain, keynote speaker, and creator of The Debrief Advantage™ System. Drawing from decades in high-pressure aviation environments, Jeff teaches leaders and teams how fighter pilots use debriefing, reflection, and intentional adjustment to improve performance, strengthen culture, and grow through adversity.Jeff is t
Jason, Emily and Rich II (Learning from War, the Power of Diplomacy and the Obesity Crisis) - Episode 1248 Jun 2, 2026 6494 Jason McCarthy enlisted in the Army after 9/11 because of 9/11 and served in Special Forces in Iraq and the Sahel region of West Africa. In 2007, while visiting Emily in war-torn West Africa, Jason built Emily a “go-ruck” for her to keep in her vehicle and at home, ready to go at all times. This was the origin of what is now GORUCK.Former Central Intelligence Agency case officer, Emily McCarthy, s
Tim Mickelson (Professional Golf, Fatal Wildfires and Innovations in Engine Operations) - Episode 1246 May 28, 2026 4959 Tim Mickelson is a professional golfer, caddie and the CEO of Cedar Valve. We discuss growing up in a golfing family, training the youth athlete, midfullness and performance, his brother Tim's success, caddying, learning from the tragic Cedar fire, innovating engine operations and so much more.Tim Mickelson brings over 20 years of experience in both the sports industry and small business. After of
Nate Morgans (Ibogaine in the Fire Service, Overcoming Addiction and the True Cost of War) - Episode 1245 May 27, 2026 9972 Nate Morgans is National Guardsman, Tusla Fire Department Deputy Chief and the CEO of the Casey Skudin 343 Fund. We discuss his journey into the military, joining the fire service, combat deployments, his battle with alcoholism, the healing power of Ibogaine, fighting for plant medicine treatment in Oklahoma and so much more. Nate has devoted his life to serving others, both in uniform with the U.
Ryan Scalmanini (Coast Guard Deployments, Military Transition and Maximising VA Benefits) - Episode 1244 May 24, 2026 6748 Ryan Scalmanini is a U.S. Coast Guard Veteran and the Director of VA Disability Compliance and Analytics for Veteran Benefits Guide (VBG). In his role, Ryan manages the training and development for VBG’s VA disability claims manager team to ensure they are equipped with the information and resources they need to successfully support the company’s Veteran clients. He is also responsible for end-to-
Joseph Sullivan (First Responder Dispatch Innovation, Advances in Communication and the Future of Robots) - Episode 1243 May 21, 2026 5741 Joseph Sullivan is the founder of Active911, the emergency response platform trusted daily by first responders across the country for real-time incident coordination. He also founded Alyrica Networks, Nova Dynamics, and Daxbot, where his work focuses on deploying autonomous robotic systems into real-world environments. His background spans communications infrastructure, emergency operations, and r
Kevin Grange (Grizzly Bear Attacks, Flight Medicine and National Parks) - Episode 1242 May 19, 2026 7708 Kevin Grange is an award-winning freelance writer with an emphasis on the medical field, adventure and travel. He is a firefighter/paramedic with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS and Grand Teton National Park in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We discuss his journey into Emergency Medicine, grizzly bear attacks, wilderness medicine, homelessness, addiction, mental health, flight medicine and so much more. His latest
Emily Kaplan III (Broken Science, Solving the Nation's Health Crisis and Optimising First Responders) - Episode 1241 May 17, 2026 5065 Emily Kaplan is the co-founder of The Broken Science Initiative and MetFix. She is focused on helping coaches and doctors reverse chronic diseases using lifestyle interventions. The BSI is the research arm of the initiative, doing deep dives into how modern peer-review works, or in many cases does not work, looking at how industry influences outcomes and how to evaluate good research versus corrup
Johnathon Ehsani (Reducing Deaths on our Roads, the Iranian Conflict and Autonomous Vehicles) - Episode 1240 May 14, 2026 7039 Johnathon Ehsani is an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he works at the intersection of transportation and public health. His research focuses on teen and novice drivers, distracted driving, older adult mobility, and how people understand and use new technologies like autonomous vehicles. He regularly advises the U.S. Department of Transportation an
Louie Disney (Firefighter Fitness, the Power of Sobriety and the Combat Challenge) - Episode 1239 May 13, 2026 7017 ​Louie Disney is a 40-year-old veteran firefighter and EMT based in Colorado, who believes that to be a truly effective first responder, you must be resilient and fully prepared for the demands of the job—both physically and mentally. With over 20 years of fire service experience across Kansas and Colorado—including wildland firefighting—Louie knows firsthand the heavy toll the profession takes. H

Recommended

Playing