Retired DEA Group Supervisor Pat Bagley spent 28 years inside the world of federal drug enforcement — a career that took him from New York during 9/11, to the streets of Chicago, and deep into international operations in Bangkok, Thailand.

This episode walks through the reality of long-term federal service: the pressure, the responsibility, and the unseen toll that comes with operating at the highest levels of law enforcement. Pat breaks down what it was like working major cases, leading teams, and navigating the chaos of a post-9/11 world while the mission never slowed down.

From domestic operations to overseas assignments, Pat shares how the job evolves, how agents adapt, and how identity can become fused with the badge when the work never truly stops. It’s a rare look at a career few ever see — told by someone who lived it for nearly three decades.

A grounded, honest conversation about service, sacrifice, and what remains after the career ends.

Still Here 🤙🏻

🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes that bring you inside the minds of America’s warriors — after the mission ends.
BTD Website: https://www.BeyondtheDispatch.com

BTD Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jRR6F60PV7sTWWNIsLVJF?si=tkmapUPKS4SIyvMA_pqI4g

#PatBagley #DEA #FederalLawEnforcement #DrugEnforcementAdministration #BeyondTheDispatch #FirstResponderStories #LawEnforcementPodcast

Before the VA ever failed him… before the mindfulness training… before the mental clarity that helped him survive that flight…
Marine infantry combat veteran Matt Spaid suffered a total psychological collapse that nearly ended everything.

After two deployments with the Corps, years of blast exposure, a traumatic brain injury no one recognized, and nonstop trauma in the fire service, Matt’s life finally buckled. He lost his sense of direction, couldn’t find his way home, slipped into paranoia, thought contractors were following him, and spiraled into a full psychotic break the system wasn’t prepared to handle — or willing to.

And when he reached out for help, the VA turned him away.
Misdiagnosed. Overmedicated. Gaslit. Ignored.
Just like thousands of other combat vets who come home and discover the war didn’t end — it just changed shape.

Months later, when a wave of flashbacks hit him on a flight from Montana to Anchorage, Matt didn’t break. He stayed aware. He stayed present. He regulated. It was the moment he realized he was rebuilding.

This episode follows Matt’s entire arc — Iraq to Afghanistan-era training, two deployments, the collapse after firefighting, the VA psych ward, Camp Hope, the brain clinic, and ultimately the birth of Operation Antifragile, a program designed to save the men the system continues to fail.

This is one of the rawest mental health journeys we’ve put on the mic. Heavy, honest, and human.

Still Here 🤙🏻

👉 Follow Beyond the Dispatch for raw stories that bring our heroes out of the shadows — and give them the mic.
BTD Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2jRR6F60PV7sTWWNIsLVJF?si=tkmapUPKS4SIyvMA_pqI4g
BTD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theBTDpod
BTD Merch: https://www.BeyondtheDispatch.com

(Include YouTube episode link once uploaded.)

They’re not just visiting sick kids. They’re helping them live better—sometimes until their final day.Kurt DeGroot created Project Fire Buddies to connect firefighters with children battling life-threatening illnesses. It started small—one crew, one family, one moment of joy. Now it’s a national movement built on heart, humanity, and the kind of strength you can’t fake.🎧 Subscribe for weekly episodes that bring you inside the minds of America’s warriors — after the fight ends.Chapters00:00 Intro – Kurt DeGroot & Project Fire Buddies 00:03:15 Why Firefighters Are Built for This Mission 00:08:24 The First Family That Changed Everything 00:15:42 Building Fire Buddies from the Ground Up 00:22:50 Pediatric Cancer and the Role of Community 00:30:33 When the Job Becomes Personal 00:37:58 The Story of Noah – One More Good Day 00:46:18 Expanding Nationally & Growing the Impact 00:55:06 What the Public Doesn’t See 01:03:44 Kurt’s Advice to Firefighters Everywhere 01:10:21 Final Reflections – Why the Work Must Continue#ProjectFireBuddies #FirefighterStories #KurtDeGroot #BeyondTheDispatch #ChildhoodCancerAwareness