
Advertise on podcast: Behind The Shield
Rating
4.9from
This podcast has
1094 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
James GeeringExplicit
Yes
Date created
2016/11/22
Latest episode
2026/11/11
Average duration
121 min.
Release period
2 days
Description
Bringing the greatest minds in mental and physical wellness to the men and women who serve our communities.
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Jason Vale (The Healing Power of Juicing, Reversing Disease and Overcoming Addiction) - Episode 370
2026/11/11
Jason Vale aka "The Juice Master" is an author, filmmaker and creator of the Juicy Retreats. We discuss childhood trauma, owning your history, how he reclaimed his health, disease reversal, addiction, forging resilience and much more.
Jason is a man on a mission to “juice the world!” He is the best-selling author of over a dozen books on health, addiction and juicing; eleven number 1 iOS and Android apps; and the groundbreaking, feature-length documentary SuperJuiceMe! “If you don’t look after your body you’ll have nowhere to live!” Jason’s aim is to really ‘juice’ the world – in every sense of the world – and to make a juicer and a blender as common on every kitchen work-surface as a toaster and a kettle.
Jason wasn’t always slim and healthy. In the past he suffered from psoriasis and eczema so extreme that it would cause his skin would crack; he had asthma so severe that on one occasion he was told that he was minutes away from death; and he experienced extreme allergies and hay fever. He was also obese, consuming large amounts of junk food as a self-confessed “burger boy”, frequently drinking up to 14 pints of lager and smoking as many as 60 cigarettes in a day. “If you can’t eat them... Can you drink them?” Looking for a cure for his skin, Jason tried many things. But after reading about juicing, and giving it a try, he found the results were amazing.
To his surprise everything started getting better! His asthma disappeared within weeks; his skin cleared; and the weight dropped rapidly! Realizing that this could help other people too, Jason set out on a mission to Juice The World – to encourage as many people as possible to turn their health around using nature where possible.
In 2002 Jason joined forces with Moulinex and their juicers rapidly became the best-selling in the UK. Three years later he was headhunted by Philips to be the face of their range of juicers and blenders in the UK, Europe and a number of countries around the world. Philips soon became, and remained, the best-selling juicer during his endorsement. In 2013 Tristar products approached Jason to be the new Jack LaLanne in the USA. And most recently, in 2015, Jason became a brand ambassador for the cool Retro range of juicers and blenders!
https://www.juicemaster.com/
Zamia Cohen (Performance in Uniform, Microcurrent Point Stimulation and GLP-1s) - Episode 1303
2026/11/08
Zamia Cohen is a personal trainer, physiologist and the woman behind Good Human Fitness. We discuss her journey into coaching, the importance of sleep, microcurrent point stimulation, health psychology, her pro bono work with veterans and first responders, GLP-1s and so much more.
"I became a certified personal trainer and joined the personal training team at Equinox Fitness Club in 2002. I quickly became one of their top tier trainers and helped launch Equinox’s West Coast Tier 4 (now Tier X) Coaching program. Throughout my now 22 years (and counting) in the industry of health and wellness, I strive to be the best for my clients, always learning and advancing myself through seminars, workshops and certifications.
In 2017, I felt my calling to go beyond working with clients in a gym setting. After 14.5 years, I left Equinox to create Good Human Fitness on the core belief that being of able body and mind is fundamental to good health. Being healthy is the key to living an optimal life, not only for you, but for the world as a whole."
Jason and Iris Gardner (Investing in Marriage, Generational Trauma and the Healing Power of Nature) - Episode 250
2026/11/07
I welcome back Navy SEAL Master Chief Jason Gardner and his wife Iris; a horse wrangler and former EMT. We discuss the elements of a successful marriage, sexual abuse, overcoming trauma, parenting, fasting and much, much more.
Jason Gardner is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, combat leader, and now a leadership instructor and speaker with Echelon Front. Jason spent nearly three decades in the SEAL Teams with eight deployments across the globe. With experience operating in violent cities in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Jason has seen first-hand the power of the leadership lessons taught at Echelon Front. He brings perspective from every level of leadership from a front line SEAL sniper to the SEAL Team FIVE Command Master Chief.
As a lead instructor for Naval Special Warfare Group One Training Detachment, he created and implemented realistic and challenging special operations combat training to better prepare SEAL units for the real-world battlefield. Throughout his career, he worked alongside Jocko, Leif, and several members of the Echelon Front team developing the same principles and mindsets taught to companies across every industry. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and numerous other awards.
After his retirement from the US Navy, Jason brings unmatched experience with combat leadership in dynamic environments, building winning teams, and developing relationships across all levels of an organization. He serves as a leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor at Echelon Front.
Iris Gardner is a horse wrangler, writer and former EMT.
John Ryan (Prosecuting the Masterminds of 9/11, Crimefighting in the 80's and Refinding the Kindness of 9/12)
2026/11/05
John Ryan is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over four decades of distinguished service at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department. He rose through the ranks from Police Officer to Detective Lieutenant Commander and served as Chief of Department in 2012.
Throughout his career, he held leadership roles in multiple regional, federal, and joint task forces, including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force where he served as a Commander for both the NY Office and the Newark FBI. He was part of the Executive Board for both the NY office and Newark FBI, NYPD HIDTA, NJSP Regional Operations Center and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
He served as the Commander of the Rescue and Recovery Task Force Operation at the World Trade Center from September 11, 2001, until its conclusion in June 2002, and has been involved in every aspect of the rebuilding mission. His career reflects a deep commitment to public safety, interagency collaboration, and national resilience.
Robert Burke (Generation Kill, Volunteer Firefighting and the Heroism of Paddy Brown) - Episode 529
2026/11/03
Robert Burke is an actor and a nineteen year veteran firefighter. We discuss his early life, his journey into acting, the tragedy that inspired his fire service career, portraying General Mattis in Generation Kill, working on Rescue Me, martial arts, altruism and so much more.
Dr Jerome Puryear (Obesity Medicine, The Power of Sleep and Forging Longevity) -
2026/11/02
With more than 30 years in medicine, including a background in diagnostic and interventional radiology, Jerome Puryear helps people navigate one of the hardest parts of modern healthcare: knowing what to trust, what matters most, and what to do next. His work focuses on cutting through conflicting advice, misinformation, overlooked warning signs, and complex medical information so people can make clearer, more intentional decisions about their health.
At the center of his work is The Puryear Lens, a simple three-step framework for making better decisions when health information feels noisy or overwhelming: Clarify. Focus. Respond. It helps people separate signal from noise, identify what matters, and take an intentional next step, especially when making decisions about their health.
For over 30 years, Dr. Jerome Puryear has helped people look beneath the surface of their health. As a radiologist and interventional physician, he has seen what most people never do the early progression of chronic disease, the hidden inflammation, the silent damage that begins long before symptoms appear. Those years taught him a powerful truth: most disease is preventable.
While many patients receive advice, few receive the tools to make sustainable lifestyle changes. Dr. Puryear’s mission became clear to guide people across the wellness bridge between knowledge and action. He focuses on preventive medicine, functional health, and evidence-based wellness strategies that empower individuals to regain control of their health before disease takes hold.
After completing his residency and fellowship training at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Jackson Memorial Hospital, Dr. Puryear pursued board certification as a Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) through Duke University and advanced certification in Obesity Medicine. Instead of simply treating illness, he committed to helping people build long-term vitality, resilience, and longevity.
He later developed the CLARITY Bridge™, a structured, science-backed framework that blends behavioral health coaching, functional medicine principles, sustainable lifestyle change, and personalized wellness strategies. It’s designed to help individuals align daily habits with deeper values creating real, lasting transformation.
Dr. Puryear’s books go beyond information they equip. Each page gives readers the insights, tools, and motivation needed to break free from self-defeating habits and move toward a healthier, stronger, and more vibrant life. His work supports anyone seeking integrative wellness, disease prevention, or the path to healthy aging.
https://www.drjeromepuryear.com/
Timmy Gleason (The Surfside Collapse, USAR Training and Post Traumatic Growth) - Episode 843
2026/11/01
Timmy Gleason is a veteran Miami firefighter and member of USAR TF-2.
We discuss losing his home to a hurricane as a child, his journey into the fire service, the Haitian earthquake, Hurricane Ian, the Surfside collapse, his own powerful mental health story, addiction, suicide, post traumatic growth and so much more.
Sara Wilkinson III (Catharsis through Travelling, the Power of Community and Turning the Page on Grief) - Episode 1300
2026/10/29
Sara Wilkinson is the founder of the Step Up Foundation, skateboarder and Gold Star Widow. In this third conversation, we discuss catharsis through travelling, addressing the mental health crisis through community, turning the page on grief and so much more.
Sara was always familiar with a military life as she grew up the youngest to a father in the Marine Corps. Her upbringing allowed her to understand the stress, high cycle times, of deployments and frequent training trips while furthering to instill her independence and resilience.
Unfortunately, she’s learned even the most prepared can be unprepared in the wake of suicide. Sara has seen firsthand the hardships among the special operations community specific to multiple combat deployments, high cycle times and too many friends lost leaving lasting stress on the operators and their families.
While her experience is within the Navy SEAL community she fully understands that many of our veterans are struggling regardless of branch, rank, or time in service. Sara is dedicated to using her voice and her story to change the narrative and the number to this veteran suicide epidemic.
Dr Chad Eldridge (Healing Pain with Movement, Chiropractic Medicine and Preventative Health) - Episode 524
2026/10/28
Chad Eldridge, DC is a Chiropractic Physician with a primary focus on performance enhancement, movement, and corrective exercise. We discuss the ailments that led him on the medical path, choosing chiropractic, functional medicine, foundation training, the obesity epidemic and so much more.
Chad Eldridge, DC is a Chiropractic Physician with a primary focus on performance enhancement, movement, and corrective exercise. His passion and curiosity of the human body started at a young age where he spent many hours after school in medical doctor and chiropractic offices, in which his mother worked. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communications from the University of Central Florida and then moved to California to live out a dream of his and pursue other creative endeavors.
Eventually, that passion and curiosity of the human body led him to return to Florida and pursue a career as a Chiropractic Physician. He graduated Cum Laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2012. While attending chiropractic college, Chad developed an immense interest in human movement. This led him to attend a multitude of courses to develop his skills and knowledge in this subject. These courses provided him with valuable concepts and techniques to spot out dysfunctions in movement, ways to address these dysfunctions, and to narrow down the true cause of your pain or restrictions.
Chad has been an athlete his entire life, participating in a wide variety of sports and physical activity. Plagued and sidelined by a multitude of injuries in his earlier years, Chad has experienced the feeling of not being able to participate in the things you love. This has sparked his continued pursuit of knowledge and skill to provide patient’s with the greatest potential for pain-free living and quality movement in order for them to perform the activities they love for as long as they wish.
https://www.platinumfitnesssummerland.com/chad-eldridge
Dr Jessa LaCroix (The Mental Health Cost of Sleep Deprivation, Forging Performance and the Suicide Epidemic) - Episode 1299
2026/10/25
Dr. Jessa LaCroix is a social psychologist, behavioral health researcher, and scientific advisor focused on advancing mental health, suicide prevention, and human performance. She is a Research Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and serves as a Lead Scientific Advisor for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) through Strategic Engineering Solutions.
Her work has spanned federally funded research initiatives addressing suicide prevention, cognitive optimization, and mental health. She is passionate about bridging behavioral science and health innovation to develop more effective approaches to prevention, treatment, and resilience.
Dr. LaCroix is particularly interested in how biology, psychology, social context, and meaning-making interact to shape human health—and how a deeper understanding of these processes could unlock new possibilities for healing and well-being.
Please note that Dr. LaCroix's views are her own and do not represent her employer, the Department of War, ARPA-H, or the federal government.
Julie Lewis (Living with AIDS, Medical Miracles and the Power of Community) - Episode 839
2026/10/24
Julie Lewis, a 38-year AIDS survivor, and mother to Grammy Award winning musician, Ryan Lewis, was infected with HIV in 1984 but not diagnosed until the early 1990s when she was given three to five years to live. After years of silence about her disease, she found an unlikely community of friends to fight alongside and began using her story to make a difference. Her experiences as a woman living with AIDS offers insights about grief and loss, caregiving, spirituality, and the importance of community in the midst of tragedy.
Thirty years later, wanting to find a way to celebrate her incredible journey, and her passion for community health, she launched the 30/30 Project to positively impact the lives of other women, girls, and families who didn’t have the same access to the healthcare opportunities that she’s had.
https://stillpositive.com/
Dixon Phillips III (The Truth Behind Amendment 3, the Success of the 24/72 and Fatherhood) - Episode 1298
2026/10/22
Dixon Phillips is a former collegiate athlete, Pasco County firefighter and former union president of IAFF Local 4420. In this third conversation, he unpacks the history, mistruths and realities of Florida's Amendment 3, the negative impact it will have on Florida's first responders and the safety of their citizens. We also discuss proactive solutions to government overspending from community medicine to the 24/72 firefighter shift.
"As President of IAFF Local 4420, Pasco County Professional Firefighters, I proudly represented over 800 members who serve our community with dedication and professionalism. In this role, I led collective bargaining efforts, negotiate contracts, handle member grievances and disciplinary matters, and advocated for legislative change and appropriations that directly impact the fire service.
With nearly a decade of experience as a firefighter paramedic, I understood the challenges our members face on the job and fought every day to ensure they have the support, protections, and resources they need. Whether it's pushing for better benefits, addressing workplace issues, or securing funding at the local and state level, I was committed to advancing the rights and well-being of our membership."
Hon. Allen B Clark (Losing Limbs in Vietnam, the Industrial Military Complex and Healing our Veterans) - Episode 525
2026/10/21
Hon. Allen Clark is a Vietnam veteran, author, public speaker and Minister. We discuss giving both his legs for his country, the physical and mental rehabilitation journey, working with the VA, the spiritual arm of healing, the industrial military complex and so much more.
After attending Phillips Exeter Academy, Allen graduated the United States Military Academy in 1963, after which he was commissioned in the Army Corps of Engineers. Two years after graduation from West Point, he volunteered for a tour in Vietnam where he served as a Military Intelligence officer assigned to the Fifth Special Forces Group. Allen sustained injuries in an early-morning mortar attack at the Dak To Special Forces camp on June 17, 1967, that necessitated the amputation of both legs below his knees. His military service and sacrifice were recognized with receipt of a Silver Star for Gallantry in Action, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. He was airborne-qualified.
While learning to adjust to his disability and to walk on prosthetic legs, he obtained an MBA in finance and investments from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Allen's first post-graduate position was as an investment manager for Ross Perot. His other private sector experience has spanned oil and gas exploration, real estate marketing, and mortgage lending. He has been vice president of a bank, president of three oil service companies, and co-founder of a real estate investment company in Texas.
Allen's impassioned commitment to public service and to helping veterans began with an appointment in 1979 as the Special Assistant for Administration to Texas Governor William P. Clements, Jr. In 1981, Allen was President Ronald Reagan's selection to be Deputy Administrator for the Veterans Administration (now the Department of Veterans Affairs). However, he chose to remain in Texas where in 1982 he received the Texas Republican Party's nomination to run for State Treasurer in a race that was won by former Texas State Governor Ann Richards.
In 1989, he was nominated by President George H.W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary for Veterans Liaison and Program Coordination at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In 1991, he received his second VA confirmation as Director of the National Cemetery System, a position in which he served until the end of the President George H. W. Bush administration.
Allen's dedicated efforts to support veteran's causes at the national and state levels were recognized with his selection in 2011 by the Texas state Disabled American Veterans organization as their Outstanding Disabled American
He retired in 2005 as the Public Affairs Officer of the VA North Texas Health Care System in Dallas, Texas. His current lay ministry, Combat Faith is involved in outreach efforts to help active duty military personnel and veterans recover from the traumas of combat and their adverse wartime experiences. Allen participates in many community and civic activities, including regularly speaking at warrior transition battalions, military post chapels, high schools and colleges, service and veteran groups, youth conferences, and churches. He has addressed many audiences nationwide as a public official, motivational speaker, and political candidate.
www.combatfaith.com
Dr Thaer Ahmad (Unifying Faiths in Gaza, Healing through Storytelling and the Rebirth of Humanity) - Episode 1297
2026/10/18
Dr. Thaer Ahmad, MD is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, global health expert, educator, and humanitarian who has provided medical relief and healthcare capacity-building in some of the world's most devastated conflict zones for over fifteen years.
A Palestinian-American raised on Chicago's South Side, Dr. Ahmad first traveled to Gaza in 2009 on a medical mission and has returned multiple times since. After borders reopened in late 2023, he was deployed by the World Health Organization as part of an Emergency Medical Team to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in 2024, where he worked in the emergency department's resuscitation room.
His humanitarian medical work has also taken him to Lebanon (missions in October 2024 and May 2026) and to the West Bank (four medical missions, most recently July 2026), with capacity-building across Syria, Türkiye, Jordan, and Kenya, and refugee-health work across Europe and the Middle East.
Since October 2024, Dr. Ahmad has been denied entry into Gaza by Israeli authorities on five separate occasions, most recently on July 29, 2026, despite planned humanitarian medical missions.
At home, he is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Global Emergency Medicine Academy at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) and on the advisory board of The Borgen Project. He is a board member of the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and a past board member of MedGlobal.
A three-time recipient of the Humanitarian Award from his medical staff and the 2025 SAEM Global Emergency Medicine Academy Humanitarian Service Award honoree, he has become a leading public voice — testifying before the United Nations, speaking with Refugees International, and now appearing in the documentary American Doctor (dir. Poh Si Teng), which premiered at Sundance and opens in select theaters from August 14, 2026.
https://thaerahmad.com/
Nick O'Kelly (Special Operations Aviation, Mental Health and Operational Readiness) - Episode 837
2026/10/18
Nick O'Kelly is a former U.S. Army Green Beret and Special Operations Blackhawk Pilot. We discuss his early life, his journey into the military, Special Forces selection, serving in South East Asia, transitioning into Aviation, Organizational Stress, returning to the SF community as a pilot, his own powerful mental health story, NuCalm and so much more.
Podcast reviews
Read Behind The Shield podcast reviews
Holls8915 2025/11/12
Great support and stories to relate to
As a retired first responder, this podcast is an amazing emotional support. Not only for first responders, but everyone who needs mental health suppor...
russally 2025/07/04
Holds my interest
Great topics and interviews. Keep it up!
MLBRallyPossum 2025/07/01
Top notch
James does an amazing job as the host of Behind The Shield. He consistently has top notch guests and always asks thoughtful questions, while allowing ...
tipotropical 2025/06/09
Great show
Great podcast. Really cool guests and the host dirás a great job keeping the conversation going
Freddie_U 2025/01/15
Melissa Mercado Episode
Good Stuff
Supermen1010 2024/08/09
“The act of telling your story is an act of courage”
“The act of telling your story is an act of courage” Gédéon Naudet on episode 404. I love this podcast, and I appreciate the courage of everyone who...
Mjzman 2024/04/15
Engaging and enlightening
Consistently excellent interviews that always give me much to ponder.
Thank you for the work you do.
@Pugslove 2024/01/13
Absolutely love your podcast
I found you because of your interview with Royce Gracie and he is one of my favorite people of all time so I thought I’d listen to him and it was such...
Saturn Pony 2024/01/01
Great and important show!
James is a champion for first responders and military personnel. He asks smart questions and I always learn something from his shows.
BP Writer 2023/11/16
Love this podcast, such helpful info!
Loved episode 821 and your conversation with Dr. Jim Jackson. What really resonated with me was learning about delirium and how trauma can come in ma...
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