Behind The Shield Behind The Shield Podcast

Ben Timberlake is a former SAS soldier, Contractor, archaeologist and the author of "High Risk".
We discuss his early life, joining the British Special Forces, the horrors of war, kindness in combat, his powerful and unique addiction story, his full circle back into archaeology and so much more.
High Risk:
This is a dark, raw and uncompromising tale of the human condition in extremis, drawing on the many lives of Ben Timberlake: as an archaeologist, Special Forces soldier, combat medic and drug addict.
Starting with Ben’s first near-death experience—in a Nazi-themed bar in wartime Yugoslavia—High Risk is a whirlwind tour of everything from service in the SAS, combat in Iraq, and encounters with a gambling-obsessed 9/11 hijacker, to veterans blissed out on MDMA, hook-ups in the world of extreme sex, and battling a heroin habit on a remote Scottish island.
Ben pursued the rush, and the chase often took him over the edge. Instead of asking why, he asked, why not? Blending confessional narrative, classic reportage and acerbic humour, this memoir takes a gonzo look at terrorists, junkies, soldiers and strippers, through the tale of one extraordinary life.
https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/high-risk/

Thomas Ansu is a former New York EMT, current FDNY Squad firefighter and the founder of The Burn Box.
We discuss growing up in New York, the importance of mentorship, his experiences as an EMT, his journey into the Fire service, servant leadership, special operations firefighting, entreprenurship, The Burn Box and so much more.
Burn Box was founded in 2020 by Thomas, an active FDNY firefighter with the mission to enable people everywhere to support firefighters. Every Burn Box features a collection of items and firefighter apparel designed to raise awareness about fire safety and also about the fact that local firefighters are working hard and staying vigilant every day to keep their communities safe.
https://www.theburnbox.com/

Tom Hewitt MBE, is founder and CEO of Surfers Not Street Children. He has worked in the field with street children in Africa for over 28 years. In 1998 he founded the Durban Street Team which went on to be renamed Surfers Not Street Children in 2012. Tom was awarded and MBE by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 for his work with street children in Africa.
Tom is perhaps most well known for his successful advocacy campaign to end the forced removals of street children in Durban, South Africa. These round-ups used to take place to “clean” the streets ahead of international conferences and events. He called for compassionate responses to street children based on psychosocial care. Tom is also well known for his model of fusing surfing with mentorship to empower street children in Durban. He assisted the national Department of Social Development in South Africa with its development of new policies around working with street children there. Tom has visited and often assisted street children projects in many different parts fo the world.

Angela Lee Pucci held the One Championship Atom Weight title for six years. Whilst announcing her retirement, she revealed that she had tried to take her own life a few years prior. In 2022, Angela lost her sister Victoria to suicide. This lead her to create her non-profit Fight Story.
In this powerful and important conversation we discuss her journey into the martial arts, the pressure put on youth athletes, her success in the cage, her powerful mental health story, the healing power of motherhood, weight cutting, Foundation Training and so much more.
Angela is breaking through barriers, entering a new space of one that is mental health & wellness with fight story Inc. Angela has been a professional mma fighter since 2015 and is a 6x mma world champion in one championship.
While the world has only seen her in this light, she has been dedicated to the creation and development of this organization since losing her younger sister, Victoria to suicide in December 2022. Angela has been endlessly working in both her professional, and interpersonal life to ensure that narratives of mental health and illness are not left in the dark. She wishes to use her platform on social media and the world of mma to leave a positive impact on the world.
For this reason, she has founded the mental health non-profit organization, fight story in honor of her younger sister, Victoria lee.
Angela believes in the power of sharing personal stories and connecting through our lived experiences. She has since opened up and shared her own experiences with overcoming battles with mental health and illness. Angela understands the urgent need to talk more about mental health and is determined to help those battling in silence
Though you may feel lonely in your battle with mental health,
You are not alone.
https://fightstory.org/

Scott Howell is a strength and conditioning coach, podcaster and the founder of Red Dot Fitness.

We discuss youth athletics, his journey into personal training, gym management, the entrepreneur's leap of faith, the pandemic's impact on gym owners, training the tactical athlete, weapons training and so much more.

Founder of Red Dot Fitness, Scott Howell is a dedicated certified health and fitness professional with over 2 decades of real world, practical, hands-on experience. Following his passion for helping people and living a healthy lifestyle, Scott began his professional career in 1996 as a personal trainer while pursuing a degree in business at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California. He began working in small intimate fitness and training facilities then later took the plunge into the world of commercial & corporate fitness.
As a National Director of Personal Training, he was a senior director/operator and personal training educator for one of the world’s largest fitness corporations nearly 400 clubs strong. After more than 10 years of commercial & corporate fitness, Scott made the life altering decision to stop traveling the country in 2010 and focus his skills locally to those clients who truly want to improve their health & fitness, performance, body image, and lifestyle. In April 2010 he launched Red Dot Fitness.
Scott's dynamic and innovative approach to training incorporates both an art and science. He's achieved certifications through several industry organizations and authorites including the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and USA Weightlifting (USAW). He has created and authored several training programs and manuals, and serves as a mentor to select health and fitness professionals. He has competed in a multitude of sports disciplines including bodybuilding, collegiate football, and multi-sport events from adventure racing to triathlon. Scott takes pride in his diverse training and client experience that spans multiple fitness services and market segments. He guarantees an intense and motivating training experience EVERY time.

Tulsi Gabbard is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, 4-term Congresswoman, 2020 Presidential candidate and author.
We discuss addressing the obesity epidemic, mental health and addiction, proactive healthcare, the prison system, the importance of diplomacy, how we can recruit trusted leaders, the military-industrial complex, the first responder professions, the Hawaii wildfires, kindness, community and so much more.
Tulsi Gabbard is a combat veteran with deployments to the Middle East and Africa. She currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves working as a Civil Affairs officer. She first served in elected office in the Hawaii State House of Representatives when she was 21 years old. Due to the attacks on 9/11, she enlisted in the Army National Guard.
In 2004, Tulsi gave up an easy re-election campaign and volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team where she served in a medical unit. After returning home in 2006, she worked in the U.S. Senate as a legislative aide to the late Senator Danny Akaka, who was Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She then volunteered for a second Middle East deployment as a Platoon Leader. Having experienced first-hand the true cost of war, and in memory of her brothers and sisters in uniform, she ran for Congress at 31 years old, vowing to honor their lives and sacrifice.
Tulsi prevailed in a difficult election and went on to serve for eight years in Congress as a member of the Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Foreign Affairs Committees, where she dealt with highly sensitive national security issues. She has always done her best to put country before party and approaches every issue, domestic and foreign, through the lens of what will best ensure the safety, security, and freedom of the American people.