Behind The Shield

Conrad Weaver is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, podcast host, speaker, producer, and director with a deep passion for telling impactful stories. With over a decade of experience in documentary filmmaking, Conrad has crafted powerful narratives that have taken him from the slums of Guatemala and orphanages in Ukraine to the halls of Congress on Capitol Hill, and beyond. His approach to filmmaking involves immersing himself fully in each project, gaining an in-depth understanding of the culture and subject matter to authentically capture the story. Conrad's work has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including a Regional Emmy Award. He is also the host of the First Responder Wellness Podcast, and his current film project, PTSD911, has received critical acclaim and multiple awards. Through his films and podcast, Conrad aims to inspire others to live a life of purpose and meaning.PODCAST: First Responder Wellness Podcast available wherever Podcasts are downloaded.FILMOGRAPHY(2022) PTSD911 - Documentary Feature - Producer, Director, EditorFirst Responders sign up to serve; they risk their lives and their mental health to respond to someone’s worst day. Who will rescue them? (2019) Bluebirds of Antietam - Documentary Short - Director, Editor. A short documentary film that tells the story about one couple’s efforts to save the Eastern Bluebird at the Antietam National Battlefield. (2018) Heroin’s Grip - Documentary Feature - Producer, Director.Stories from the front lines of the opioid crisis. (2016) Thirsty Land - Documentary Feature - Producer, Director.Thirsty Land is a documentary film that tells the story about extreme drought, agriculture, & the water crisis in the western United States and how these challenges impact farmers, urban communities, and the environment.(2014) Great American Wheat Harvest - Documentary Feature - Producer, Director. Winner of the 2015 Mid-America Regional EMMY® Award: Best DocumentaryThe story of hard-working harvesters who travel from the heart of Texas to the Canadian border harvesting the wheat that feeds our great country and the world.

Dan Skoczylasis a consultant, trainer and author specializing in active shooter response training, investigations, security and background investigations. We discuss his journey into law enforcement, working with a Federal Task Force around 9/11, the national recruitment crisis, the importance of thorough background checks, the financial cost of removing a single bad employee, school safety and so much more.Dan spent 25 years in law enforcement at the local and federal level. He uses his expertise to train individuals and companies to be ready and prepared, should the need arise, to deal with an active shooter event. In 2019, Dan authored and published his first book, entitled, "If You're Looking for a Victim... Keep Looking!" The book details a civilian response to the active shooter and offers insight into how individuals and companies can prepare successfully.In 2015, Dan and a panel of experts developed Hawkeye Security Active Shooter Response. Hawkeye provides consultation and training for companies and individuals to mitigate workplace violence. Hawkeye Security's flagship training classes address Active Shooter Response preparedness. Dan is certified as a Workplace Violence Prevention Specialist through the National Association of Safety Professionals.Dan worked all facets of the law enforcement spectrum to include patrol, tactical narcotics/gang officer, Federal Task Force Officer, Detective, Patrol Sergeant and Patrol Lieutenant. Dan was one of the founding principals of CLS Background Investigations in 2001 and currently holds the position of Business Manager. Dan has extensive experience with pre-employment and tenancy screening and has provided educational presentations to numerous groups on related topics.Dan is also one of the principal founders of Makton Investigations, a licensed private investigations agency in the State of Illinois (115-00-1996 & 117-00-1426). Dan has experience ranging from criminal narcotics cases to homicide, smuggling and money laundering.

Todd McCullough is a former University of Florida football player, strength and conditioning coach and the founder of TMAC Fitness. We discuss his journey into college athletics, the injuries that ended his career, finding yoga, training the tactical athlete and so much more.

Geoff Lassers is a professional Firefighter, Paramedic, educator, and content creator. Mike Mattern, a professional firefighter and paramedic. In addition, Mike is a Peer Support Team Member for his fire department and the FST5 Program. Manisha Leary, LMSW, is the FST5 Program Manager and a clinical psychotherapist specializing in trauma. Frontline Strong Together (FST5) was created in support of Police Officers, Fire Fighters, EMS, Correctional Officers, 911 Dispatchers, and their immediate families. FST5 is the result of collaboration between mental health professionals and first responders. This project aims to help first responders and their families overcome invisible injuries and stress caused by the difficulties of their professions, and to improve the quality of their life and prosperity.The state of Michigan provided a grant and selected Wayne State University – Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, to partner with first responder professional unions and other interest groups to address the mental health of our first responders across all 83 Michigan counties.Geoff and Mike are also the co-hosts of the Minds on the Frontline Podcast.

James Wilks is a mixed martial artist best known for winning Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter. He also serves as a combatives trainer for government agencies including the US Marshals, US Marines, US Army Rangers and US Navy SEALs. He is the also the man behind the documentary "The Game Changers". We discuss the wisdom of Bruce Lee, the disease reversing capabilities of a plant based diet, hollisitic farming practices, training the elite warfighter and much more.

Andrew "BETY" Nicoletti has over 25 years of flight experience in both the Law Enforcement and the Military operating Special Mission sets. He has lead aircrew in combat and at home serving the country and the public flying for the Army, Air Force and Law Enforcement Aviation Units. His expertise and desire to provide the highest level of elite Instruction is the driving force at Helo Tac. https://helotacair.com/

Eric Salas is a former firefighter, skydiver and stuntman. We discuss his journey into the fire service, the importance of physical fitness, BASE jumping, his transition into the stunt world, the fire calls that stayed with him, driving and so much more. Eric R Salas was a stunt performer in Ant-Man, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episode New World Order, a utility stunts performer in Black Widow and a stunt rigger in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episodes The Star-Spangled Man, The Whole World Is Watching, Truth and One World, One People.

Agent Drew Stokes is an Agent for the Air Marine Operations division of US Customs and Border Protection. Drew survived a murder attempt after getting groceries at a local store. We discuss how close he came to death, how training saved his life, trauma medicine, rehabilitation and Crossfit and so much more."On September 26th, 2017 I was ambushed in cold blood walking out of a Publix grocery store just outside of Jacksonville, FL. From start to fished the entire sequence lasted about five seconds.I was hit five time, once center mass, once in my right buttock, a round in each hip/leg, one in my left forearm. My injuries were catastrophic, bullet number one lacerated my liver, bullet number two comprised my colon, I have three bullets in my body, one in each hip, the other next to my spine.I wavered between life and death for several days, going to the other side twice. I completely bled out and was given 19 Trauma Units of blood to keep me alive. I was saved by heroic bystanders, the Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Clay County Fire Department, and the Trauma Staff at the Orange Park Medical Center. I owe my life to them.Through hard work, an amazing rehab team and support at home, work, my amazing friends and around the country I returned to light duty on January 2, 2018, after eleven surgeries I returned to full duty on April 9, 2018 and returned to the sky in June of 2018.I will never quit on recovery."

Justin DeMoss is a strength and conditioning coach, wildland Hotshot and part of the Hotshot Wellness team. We discuss training the tactical athlete, injury prevention, longevity, sleep and performance, their upcoming summit and much more.Justin is a dedicated humanitarian with a passion for improving physical, mental, and spiritual health. His mission is to help individuals achieve a better quality of life through holistic wellness.He earned a Master’s in Exercise Science from Long Beach State, focusing his thesis and work as a Wellness Instructor for Santa Ana College on firefighter health and wellness. At Sports Academy, he served as a strength and conditioning coach, training competitive athletes and tactical personnel.Currently, Justin is a Golden Eagles Hotshot, fighting wildfires across the U.S. as a 3rd puller and lead EMT on his crew. Seeking firsthand experience as a first responder, he has gained valuable insights into the challenges of the field.Website: https://www.hotshotwellness.org/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotshotwellness?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYB42IXCNaFt6k7CgqdMdlUy-Summit: Dv36Zmp4I8ypPCpk9ZQHmpbUqybNru_GQ_aem_Iv2Hwtb3UjQhrgqcm9Hy2ghttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/wildland-fire-virtual-wellness-summit-tickets-1105954522749?aff=oddtdtcreator

Josh Brolin is an actor, former firefighter and the author of "From Under the Truck". In this third conversation, we discuss the Palisades Fire's impact of his community, catharsis through writing, the ripple effect of generational trauma, addiction, the hope of post traumatic growth and so much more. “Josh Brolin’s out to catch his breath between the slant-eyed suggestions and irrefutable evidence of his past. He hears voices, and he listens, reminding us with brutal honesty that our surroundings were never there to be carried, rather woven into the fabric of the freedom to be who we are.”—Matthew McConaugheyFrom Josh Brolin, a unique and decidedly un-celebrity memoir, by turns affecting, funny, uncanny, and unforgettable.Weaving a latticework of different strands, moving back and forth through time, Josh Brolin captures a life marked by curiosity, pain, devotion, kindness, humor. He recounts an unconventional childhood far from Hollywood. Raised on a ranch in Paso Robles, California, he was surrounded as a child by the wolves, cougars, and other wild animals gathered by his fearless and explosive mother, Jane Agee Brolin. Her tragic, early death haunts this book, and the force of her unforgettable personality is felt throughout. Brolin also brings to life his career in the film industry—from his breakout role in The Goonies to the set of No Country for Old Men—and the professional and personal ups and downs in between and since. With unflinching honesty but also great humor, he shares insights into relationships, addiction, love, and fatherhood, while letting the white space in between words speak for itself. Grappling with the mysteries of life and death in a way that will catch readers by surprise, From Under the Truck is an audacious and riveting memoir from a born writer.https://www.harpercollins.com/products/from-under-the-truck-josh-brolin?variant=41584155426850