037 - James Geering - Firefighter, Paramedic and host of “Behind the Shield”

03/17/21 • 63 min

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own”

— Bruce Lee

Born in England on a farm, our guest for Episode 037 James Geering had always dreamed of becoming a Firefighter but was told because of color blindness he was unable to serve. James, now a podcast host, author and firefighter and paramedic of 15 years, joins Jason and Rich after a ruck on the Jacksonville Beach to talk about his winding road from lifeguard, to stuntman in Japan, to naturalized American citizen living his dream of service.

James traces his work ethic and humility in training to his early martial arts training. The idea of using information and skills from different disciplines to constantly improve is now a common thread in his work. He continues to serve by using his platforms to educate the public through his lens as a first responder.

Throughout his career, he also witnessed a giant void in the area of First Responder wellness -- and is blunt about how the mental and emotional costs of service simply weren't talked about in his training or early years -- but the conversations are changing now. Some of those conversations happen on James’s podcast “Behind the Shield” and are chronicled in his book, One More Light, which takes readers through heart-wrenching stories that are coupled with a unique and mental health perspective about preventing tragedy and unnecessary suffering. An “incurable optimist,” James in One More Light ultimately leaves the reader with the hope that, with us at our best, we have a fighting chance to thrive in an uncertain world.

James talks about not just saving lives as a first responder but improving quality of life for those serving and all of us. James’ years of selfless service and dedication to humanity are two qualities we aspire to achieve here at GORUCK and we’re happy to welcome this Glorious Professional as our first firefighter to the podcast.

Links:

James Geering of the Behind the Shield podcast
One More Light by James Geering with foreward by Josh Brolin
Glorious Professionals Episode 035 - Roger Sparks
Learn more about GORUCK and Ruck Clubs

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own”

— Bruce Lee

Links:

James Geering of the Behind the Shield podcast
One More Light by James Geering with foreward by Josh Brolin
Glorious Professionals Episode 035 - Roger Sparks
Learn more about GORUCK and Ruck Clubs

Previous Episode

undefined - 036 - Dr. Doug Kechijian - Air Force Pararescueman (PJ), Physical Therapist & Performance Coach, Co-founder of Resilient Performance Systems

036 - Dr. Doug Kechijian - Air Force Pararescueman (PJ), Physical Therapist & Performance Coach, Co-founder of Resilient Performance Systems

"These Things We Do, That Others May Live."

Dr. Doug Kechijian (Dr. K) is a former Pararescueman, or PJ, in the US Air Force and now a Doctor of Physical Therapy and CEO / co-founder of Resilient Systems; he talks professionalism, procedure, self discipline, human performance and getting the call with Jason and Rich for Episode 036.

In his senior year at Brown -- not a typical military feeder school -- the events of 9/11 steered Doug onto a different path in medicine than the one he had been planning. He was particularly drawn to the mission of the PJs. Through his 13-year military service in the “911 of the military,” including being named as the Air National Guard's 2015 Outstanding Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Doug learned the importance of smart training, being really really prepared and strategies to cope with challenges (medical and otherwise).

Dr. K now works with athletes and operators at every level from Major League Baseball to the NCAA to Special Operations Forces. He has been featured in Men’s Health advocating for rucking along with other items from his “menu” of training (mobility, structure, power and capacity -- all with variety). He shares his philosophy of human performance and approach to physical therapy -- which is informed by his time at the tip of the spear so is grounded, accessible and a little different than most.

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Next Episode

038 - Richard Rice on his piece of Operation Cyclone aka “Charlie Wilson’s War”

110 Days, 3 Missions over an 11,000 foot mountain, 45 “Sensitive Items,” and 10 rather small donkeys

For Episode 038 Rich and Jason are alone in the SCIF at GORUCK HQ for an oral history of Rich’s experiences in Operation Cyclone, also known as “Charlie Wilson’s War.” Rich picks up his story a bit where Episode 003 left off, just after his two tours in Vietnam, and shares what led -- from the fall of Saigon, to SAS Selection in Wales, to the first enlisted person in financial training in Indiana -- to working as a “cog” on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

While it might be helpful to have read George Crile’s book “Charlie Wilson’s War,” or have seen the movie starring Tom Hanks based on it, you don’t need to have to appreciate Rich’s tales. Briefly: in the 1980s, a Congressman from Texas named Charlie Wison made it his mission to secretly arm the Afghan mujahideen against an invasion by the Soviet Union at the height of the cold war. To hide American involvement, support went through Pakistan and was coordinated by an OGA (Other Government Agency aka the CIA) and came in the form of guns, ammo, medical supplies and eventually Stinger Missiles to take down especially Soviet Mi-24 Hind Helicopters.

This is not a typical “by, with and through” Green Beret ODA mission but a Cold War “OGA” Operation. Still it is a story about making a difference -- not a silver bullet but piece by piece -- and as Rich says “it really feels good to have done that.” Make sure to stay tuned for the “it’s a small world” kicker story in Fayetteville, NC.

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