Behind The Shield

Aye Hood is a former rapper turned comedian from Shreveport. We discuss his childhood in Louisiana, the power of parenting, what pulls our youth into gangs, using social media for good, drug prohibition and so much more.

Mike Binney is a Battalion Chief at West Metro Fire Rescue in Lakewood, Colorado, with over 15 years of operational experience. He holds a Master of Public Administration in Emergency Management and Policy from the University of Colorado and recently earned his Master of Public Health in Health Informatics from Yale University, where he also served as a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Bioethics. His research focuses on firefighter health and wellness, leveraging biometric data and predictive modeling to better understand sleep loss and operational fatigue. He was recognized as IAFF Local 1309 Firefighter of the Year for 2024 and received the Dr. Gerald Gordon EMS Instructor of the Year award from the EMS Association of Colorado in 2023. Mike’s work connects frontline experience with academic rigor, advancing data-informed insights across the fire service.Mike’s most critical work includes volunteering in his daughter’s kindergarten classroom and making pancakes for the swim team. Known lovingly as “Dumpster Dad,” Mike is known across his home for eating all manner of snack foods (mostly mini-corn dogs and dino-bites) before they can be thrown in the trash.

Jim Poole is Chairman, President and CEO of Solace Lifesciences, Inc., maker of NuCalm® which is a neuroscience technology designed to relieve stress and improve sleep quality without drugs. In this second conversation, we discuss NuCalm's new Stress Assessment, cancer prevention, shift work, brain injury and so much more.Mr. Poole is an accomplished business executive with extensive experience in the healthcare, biotechnology, dental, market research, and IT industries. He manages the strategic direction and ongoing operations of Solace Lifesciences, Inc., a neuroscience company focused on personalized wellness and performance. In 2015, Solace Lifesciences, the maker of NuCalm, was granted the world’s sole patent for “Systems and Methods for Balancing and Maintaining the Health of the Human Autonomic Nervous System.”NuCalm is not just another wellness product; it's a pioneer and leader in the field of neuroscience and brain health with over three decades of dedicated research and innovation. Unlike any other product on the market, NuCalm is recognized for its unique combination of patented technology and clinically proven results that truly set it apart.https://nucalm.com/

Johann Hari is the author of "Chasing the Scream" and "Lost Connections", two of the most powerful books ever written on addiction and mental health. We discuss his childhood trauma, the mental health crisis, the history of drug prohibition, the failure of the "War on Drugs", learning from other countries and much more.Johann Hari is the author of two New York Times best-selling books. His first, ‘Chasing the Scream: the First and Last Days of the War on Drugs’, is currently being adapted into a major Hollywood film by Oscar-winning director Lee Daniels, and into a non-fiction documentary series. His most recent book, ‘Lost Connections: Uncovering The Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions’ is being translated into 28 languages and has been praised by a very broad range of people, from Oprah to Hillary Clinton to Tucker Carlson, from Elton John to Naomi Klein to Glenn Greenwald. It was described by the British Journal of General Practice as “one of the most important texts of recent years”, and shortlisted for an award by the British Medical Association.His first TED talk, ‘Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong’, has been viewed more than 40 million times across all platforms. His second Ted talk, ‘This Could Be Why You Are Depressed or Anxious’, was viewed 3.5 million times in its first two months. He has written over the past decade for some of the world’s leading newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Guardian, the Spectator, Le Monde Diplomatique, the Melbourne Age, and Politico. He is a regular panellist on HBO’s Realtime With Bill Maher.Johann was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and when he was a year old, his family moved to London, where he grew up and where he has lived for most of his life. His father – a Swiss immigrant – was a bus driver and his mother worked in shelters for victims of domestic violence. Johann studied Social and Political Science at King’s College, Cambridge, and graduated with a Double First. Johann was twice named ‘National Newspaper Journalist of the Year’ by Amnesty International. He has also been named ‘Cultural Commentator of the Year’ and ‘Environmental Commentator of the Year’ at the Comment Awards. He lives half the year in London, and spends the other half of the year traveling to research his books.

Mitch Aguiar is a 10 year Navy SEAL Veteran, Professional MMA Fighter and Entrepreneur. In this conversation, we discuss his journey into the military, war propoganda, the industrial military complex, teaching BJJ to law enforcement, juice fasting and so much more. His non-profit needs our support. Please consider donating to help make law enforcement safer for all. Mitch joined the Navy in 2008 and went straight to BUDS (Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL) training and graduated with BUDS class 273. After he had completed SEAL training he was stationed at SEAL Team 10 in Virginia Beach, where he did multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan as well as Europe. In 2012 Mitch aka the Smashin’ Frog had started competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well as Mixed Martial Arts as a hobby and quickly found success in both. In 2017 Mitch launched his first business, MASF(Mitch Aguiar Smashin’ Frog) Apparel with the intention of selling his fight shirts to his supporters. By the time Mitch had left the Navy in 2018 he was a 10x champion in mixed martial arts and was ranked number 1 on the east coast in both the 170lb and 185lb divisions. In January of 2018 Mitch launched his supplement company MASF Supplements. While competing in Mixed Martial Arts Mitch explored different avenues of nutrition and weight cutting. This led him to develop a unique blend of powdered superfoods called the Smashin’ Greens. Utilizing his supplements, Mitch created a unique series of fasting challenges and encouraged his supporters to conquer them in order to instill his message that “Mindset Is Everything”. By 2020 MASF Supplements had become a successful company which allowed Mitch to fund and launch his own charity Adopt A Cop BJJ, a 501(C)3 that allows for Police officers anywhere in the United States to attend any Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy of their choosing and learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu free of charge until the rank of Blue belt. The charity quickly grew and is currently affiliated with and being utilized by well over 1000 gyms across all 50 states. The program has almost 400 officers graduate and receive their Blue belts. In 2022 Mitch launched a second brand called Violent Hippie which sells apparel, Jiu Jitsu Gi's and Organic CBD. That same year Mitch opened up the Violent Hippie Jiu Jitsu Academy which offers Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and mixed martial arts training to its members. The brand/academy’s philosophy and motto is “Be kind, or else…”https://adoptacopbjj.org/https://masfsupplements.com/

Doug Monda, Raul Rivas and Chris Fields are co-hosts of the 'Trauma Behind the Badge Podcast' and part of the 'Survive First' Family. We discuss the crushing impact of organizational betrayal on first responder mental health, the national recruitment crisis, courageous leadership and much more. Doug MondaDoug is a retired narcotics agent, is a leader in the field of mental health advocacy for first responders and their families. After his own personal struggles with depression and a failed suicide attempt in 2013, Monda has dedicated his life to helping first responders acknowledge and address career related mental health issues afflicting the responder community. As the founder of Survive First, Doug’s visionary leadership has paved the way for greater access to crucial mental health resources, ensuring the well-being of those who serve our communities. A respected national speaker, Doug passionately addresses the importance of mental health and resiliency among first responders. His powerful insights and commitment to the cause have inspired change and fostered stronger support networks within the first responder community. In addition to his role at Survive First, Doug is the co-founder of Trauma Behind the Badge and serves as a trustee of the Florida Police Chiefs Association’s Education and Research Foundation. His dedication to bettering the lives of first responders also extends to academia, where he contributes as an Advisory member on Lynn University’s Crisis Resiliency and First Responder Trauma Training Council. Doug Monda’s tireless advocacy and leadership have left a mark on the mental health landscape for first responders, ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve.Raul RivasThe recipient of numerous awards and accolades to include the Award of Valor, Field Training Officer of the Year, SWAT Operator of the Year, and Florida Governor’s Award, Raul Rivas currently sits on the SWAT Roundup International committee. With a career spanning more than 18 years with the Orlando Police Department, Rivas has served across a multitude of departments, including SWAT as an assistant Team Leader.This extensive field experience drove his quick-thinking actions as a member of the SWAT team who responded to the Pulse night club shooting, earning the Award of Valor for his actions.Chris FieldsA former member of the OK City Fire Department, Chris Fields served Oklahoma City for 31 years, retiring as a Major in 2017. Captured in a photo that would become an iconic symbol of the Oklahoma City Bombing, Fields is committed to helping the first responder community through his own brutal realities of a life spent responding to citizens in their darkest hours.With firsthand knowledge, Fields recounts how 31 years of public service, coupled with the events of that day, combined to take a toll on his life and his family. Now he shares his journey out of the suffering in hopes of helping others avoid the failure and pitfalls, and encourages them to reach out.https://survivefirst.us/https://www.traumabehindthebadge.us/

Joel Salatin is a world renowned holistic farmer, author and speaker. In this third conversation, we discuss how to truly make America healthy again, changing the food in our schools, the takeways of the pandemic, home cooking and so much more. Joel calls himself a Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer. Others who like him call him the most famous farmer in the world, the high priest of the pasture, and the most eclectic thinker from Virginia since Thomas Jefferson. Those who don’t like him call him a bio-terrorist, Typhoid Mary, charlatan, and starvation advocate.With a room full of debate trophies from high school and college days, 12 published books, and a thriving multi-generational family farm, he draws on a lifetime of food, farming and fantasy to entertain and inspire audiences around the world. He’s as comfortable moving cows in a pasture as addressing CEOs in a Wall Street business conference.His wide-ranging topics include nitty-gritty how-to for profitable regenerative farming as well as cultural philosophy like orthodoxy vs. heresy. A wordsmith and master communicator, he moves audiences from laughs one minute to tears the next, from frustration to hopefulness. Often receiving standing ovations, he prefers the word performance rather than presentation to describe his lectures. His favorite activity?–Q&A. “I love the interaction,” he says.He co-owns, with his family, Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia. Featured in the New York Times bestseller Omnivore’s Dilemma and award-winning documentary Food Inc., the farm services more than 5,000 families, 50 restaurants, 10 retail outlets, and a farmers’ market with salad bar beef, pigaerator pork, pastured poultry, and forestry products. When he’s not on the road speaking, he’s at home on the farm, keeping the callouses on his hands and dirt under his fingernails, mentoring young people, inspiring visitors, and promoting local, regenerative food and farming systems.Salatin is the editor of The Stockman Grass Farmer, granddaddy catalyst for the grass farming movement. He writes the Pitchfork Pulpit column for Mother Earth News, as well as numerous guest articles for ACRES USA and other publications. A frequent guest on radio programs and podcasts targeting preppers, homesteaders, and foodies, Salatin’s practical, can-do solutions tied to passionate soliloquies for sustainability offer everyone food for thought and plans for action.Mixing mischievous humor with hard-hitting information, Salatin both entertains and moves people. Seldom using a power-point and often speaking from an outline scribbled in a yellow legal pad, he depends on theatrics, style, and compelling content to hold attention and defend innovative positions. The rare combination of prophet and practitioner makes him both a must-read and must-hear in a time desperate for integrity leadership and example.https://polyfacefarms.com/homepage

Lt Col Dave Grossman is a retired Army Ranger and author of several books including "On Combat", "On Killing" and "Assassination Generation". We talk about being a Sheepdog, the increase in school murders and much more.Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is an internationally recognized scholar, author, soldier, and speaker who is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime. Col. Grossman is a former West Point psychology professor, Professor of Military Science, and an Army Ranger who has combined his experiences to become the founder of a new field of scientific endeavor, which has been termed “killology.” In this new field Col. Grossman has made revolutionary new contributions to our understanding of killing in war, the psychological costs of war, the root causes of the current "virus" of violent crime that is raging around the world, and the process of healing the victims of violence, in war and peace. Lt. Col. David Grossman is the author or co-author of five non-fiction and four fiction books. He has co-authored a New York Times bestselling book with Glenn Beck. His book On Killing has sold over a half million copies world-wide, has been translated into five languages, is on the US Marine Corps Commandant’s Required Reading List, and is required reading at the FBI academy and numerous other academies and colleges. Col. Grossman co-authored Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against TV, Movie and Video Game Violence, which has been translated into Norwegian and German, and has received international acclaim. Col. Grossman’s next book was On Combat, which has also placed on the US Marine Corps Commandant’s Required Reading List and is translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. His book Warrior Mindset, applies sport psychology and performance psychology to military and law enforcement, and his most recent book is Assassination Generation.Col. Grossman has written 23 book chapters, and 35 book forwards. He has been called upon to write the entry on “Aggression and Violence” in the Oxford Companion to American Military History, three entries in the Academic Press Encyclopedia of Violence, and he has authored or co-authored 43 articles in journals and Periodicals, to include the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, and Pediatric Annals. He has presented papers before the national conventions of the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has presented to over 100 different colleges and universities world wide, and he has trained educators and law enforcement professionals, at the federal, state and regional level, in all 50 states and over a dozen foreign nations.He helped train mental health professionals after the Jonesboro school massacre, and he was also involved in counseling or court cases in the aftermath of the Paducah, Springfield, Littleton, Virginia Tech, and Nickel Mines, PA Amish school massacre. In February, 2018, after the Parkland, FL school massacre, Col. Grossman was called to the White House to serve on President Trump’s Round Table on Violent Video Games.He has been an expert witness and consultant in state and Federal courts, to include serving on the prosecution team in UNITED STATES vs. TIMOTHY MCVEIGH. He has testified before U.S. Senate and Congressional committees on three different occasions, he has testified before numerous state legislatures, and he and his research have been cited in a national address by the President of the United States. https://www.grossmanacademy.com/

Shawn Downs is a 25 year veteran of the fire service, currently serving as Deputy Fire Chief of Operations in the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department. We discuss his journey into the fire service, 9/11, their 24/72 shift schedule, the January 6th Capital Attack, the response to the Potomac River arcraft crash, DC's wellness initiatives and so much more."Throughout my career, I have undertaken several initiatives to enhance firefighter safety and health. My team was able to enhance our behavioral health program, implemented fully compliant NFPA 1582 physicals for our members, implemented Near-Miss Reporting System, a Violence Against Responder Reporting System, and developed an array of safety programs internally and externally. These projects demonstrate our commitment to creating a safer and more efficient work environment for firefighters.As a graduate of Columbia Southern University, I hold an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science, a Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration, and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Public Administration. My educational background and a diverse range of fire service accreditations have equipped me with the necessary skills to excel in any leadership position.Beyond my local involvement, I served four years as the Chair of the MW Council of Governments Health and Safety Sub-Committee, where I ensured information sharing on firefighter health, safety, and interoperability among 24 agencies. Furthermore, I led a nationwide working group dedicated to addressing the fire service problem associated with the End of Service Time Indicator (ESOTI) on high-pressure breathing apparatus systems, as well as a host of other safety concerns the fire service faces. I value collaborative relationships and have a proven ability to work closely with labor organizations, city administrators, and executive leadership teams. I am a nationwide speaker on topics related to firefighter safety and health. I have spoken or will speak at - NFPA Conference, IAFC TSI Summit, CFSI, Women in Fire, MD Fire Conference and many more. I firmly believe that exceptional customer service is fundamental in every interaction our members have with the public. Furthermore, my adaptability and energy undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for relationship building. My experience in Washington DC ensures I understand the importance of diversity in any organization."

Katie Hansen, a passionate and talented skydiver and BASE jumper, has been active in the sport since 2003. Her journey began with a jump the day before her high school graduation in Bremerton, WA. Katie's expertise spans wingsuit flying, freeflying, and canopy swooping. She has wingsuit BASE jumped worldwide, including Baffin Island, and competed in events like the World Wingsuit League (WWL) base races and Red Bull ACES. Her level-headed approach and continuous learning make her a standout in the skydiving and BASE communities. Katie's commitment to safety and excellence ensures unparalleled adventure for her clients.After moving to California in 2006, Katie rekindled her interest in skydiving, learning wingsuit flying and achieving her first wingsuit BASE jump in 2010 on her third expedition to Baffin Island. She has shared her expertise by training and mentoring new jumpers. Through pushing the boundaries of skydiving and BASE jumping, Katie’s dedication and achievements make her a respected figure in the field. She is also owner of the local Moab business “Moab Oasis IV Hydration” perfect for post Tandem Base Moab hydration.https://www.tandembasemoab.com/https://www.instagram.com/flywithkatie/?hl=en