Marine to SWAT K9 to Peer Support: Jeff McGreevey on Resilience, Wellness, and the Victory Mindset

In this episode of The Resilient Edge, host Dave Wyner speaks with retired law enforcement veteran and Marine Corps alumnus Jeff McGreevey, founder of Tombstone Courage, about resilience across a 29-year career spanning SWAT, patrol, explosive detection K9, gang enforcement, detective work, and neighborhood policing leadership. McGreevey explains why he chose the Marine Corps, reflects on generational differences in decompression after combat, and defines "tombstone courage" as both avoidable risk-taking and the everyday bravery of first responders. He discusses lessons from high-liability units, the strategic use of K9, and how community policing and decentralized leadership (influenced by Extreme Ownership) built stronger teams. He also details building trauma/peer support since 2004, the need for policy and funding, the impact of CIT and de-escalation, and why he created the Victory Mindset Leadership and Resilience Summit to help first responders achieve healthy careers, families, and retirements.

About Jeff McGreevy -

Sergeant Jeff McGreevy (Ret.) Jeff McGreevy began his career of service when he joined the United States Marine Corps at age 17 and entered the police academy at 21. He went on to serve more than 29 years in law enforcement, building a career that combined frontline operational experience, leadership, and a commitment to the mental health and wellness of first responders. During his career, Jeff served in patrol, community policing, field training, special enforcement, and investigations. He spent 10 years as a SWAT team member, served as a patrol and explosive-detection K-9 handler, worked with an FBI Gang Task Force, and investigated gang and robbery cases as a Detective. As a Sergeant, he supervised the Neighborhood Policing Team and coordinated his department's Crisis Intervention Team and Peer Support Programs. Jeff has been involved in trauma support and peer support since 2004 and has become a recognized expert for building effective, culturally competent wellness and peer support programs within public safety organizations. He regularly teaches first responders and public safety leaders about peer support team development, implementation, leadership, resilience, and officer wellness. Jeff is an instructor with The Counseling Team International and serves as a Public Safety Advocate for First Responder Wellness. In 2024, he created the Victory Mindset Leadership & Resilience Summit for First Responders, bringing together experts in mental health, leadership, physical readiness, and human performance to help first responders perform well on the job while building healthier and more resilient lives.

Links:

Website - www.tombstonecourage.com

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-mcgreevy/

Training to Fight While Injured: Tim Pierce on AU Fire and Accuracy Under Fire

In this episode of The Resilient Edge, host Dave Weiner sits down with former LAPD officer Tim Pearce, founder of AU Fire (Accuracy Under Fire), to explore a major training gap: most force-on-force scenarios don't replicate what happens when someone is actually shot and the body stops cooperating. Pearce shares the personal and professional origins of the system, including the shooting of his wife, LAPD officer Christina Repati, and how physical therapy e-stim technology inspired a wearable solution that creates involuntary muscle contractions when a trainee "takes a hit." They discuss how AU Fire builds true stress inoculation and decision-making under injury, the device's vest-and-sleeve design and remote controls, safety steps including FDA review and medical testing, early law-enforcement adoption across 80+ agencies, expansion to military needs beyond MILES, and applications for civilians, security, and active-shooter response training.

About Tim - Tim Pearce is a retired Los Angeles Police Department officer and the founder of A.U.FIRE (Accuracy Under Fire), the wearable consequence system that's changing how warfighters and law enforcement train. AUFIRE's patented, FDA-cleared muscle-stimulation technology delivers a safe, involuntary muscle contraction the instant a trainee is hit — bringing real consequences, and real stress inoculation, to force-on-force training for the first time. Adopted by 80+ law enforcement agencies in its first 24 months, A.U.FIRE is now under contract with U.S. Army PEO STRI / CPE ST3 to prototype and integrate with the Army's MILES training systems, alongside active U.S. Air Force SBIR work. See it in action at www.aufire.com/videos.

Links:

WEBSITE - https://www.aufire.com

IG - @aufiretraining

Carrying a firearm is a responsibility that goes well past range day.

In this episode, Dave Weiner sits down with his good friend Joel Persinger, founder and Chief Instructor at Practical Defense Systems in San Diego, to talk about what responsible gun ownership looks like in the real world.

Joel and his team have spent almost 20 years training more than 32,000 students in CCW, guard card, firearms, and defensive tactics. His background spans executive protection, physical security penetration testing, and church security operations. He also hosts GunGuyTV, a security and protection YouTube channel with more than 200,000 subscribers.

In this conversation:

The gap between what new CCW holders expect from training and what they need The emotional weight of carrying, apart from the mechanics of shooting

Why shooting is a perishable skill, and the daily habits that keep you ready

Thinking through the legal aftermath of a self-defense shooting before it ever happens Building church security that keeps doors open and people safe

Training volunteer church security teams versus paid professionals

Whether you just bought your first handgun or you've carried for years, this one will make you rethink how you train.

Connect with Joel -

Practical Defense Systems: https://pdsclasses.com

GunGuyTV: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealGunGuyTV

GGTV Crew on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gunguytv

GGTV Crew on Locals: https://gunguytv.locals.com

About The Resilient Edge The Resilient Edge is the Secure Measures podcast on resilience in safety, security, crisis intervention, and leadership. Host Dave Weiner brings you expert insights, real-world stories, and practical strategies to stay prepared in an unpredictable world.

Train with Secure Measures: https://secure-measures.com

In Episode 8 of The Resilient Edge, Dave Weiner is joined by Dr. Piero D'Ingillo to break down ROAR through a full-picture lens—where situational awareness includes not only the environment and the threat, but the responder's own stress state, decision-making, and presence. Dr. Piero explains how self-awareness and nervous system regulation directly impact judgment, communication, and de-escalation outcomes in high-pressure moments. The conversation reframes safety as both a tactical discipline and a human skill—because how you show up can change what happens next.

About Dr. Pietro "Piero" D'Ingillo -

Dr. Pietro "Piero" D'Ingillo is a licensed clinical, law enforcement and forensic psychologist. His early career work began in the late 1990s with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD). From 2006 until 2016, he attained extensive community-based experience while working for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health where his primary duty was responding to psychiatric crises. For a period of ten years, he responded with sworn officers to community-based psychiatric emergencies and was a member of the Los Angeles Police Department Mental Evaluation Unit and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Mental Evaluation Team. He has collaborated in hundreds of cases with local, federal, and international authorities and gained extensive experience with violence risk assessments as they relate to mentally unstable individuals. Since the year 2004, he has provided trainings to sworn officers on mental illness, as well as de-escalation and management of volatile situations. In 2016 Dr. D'Ingillo re-joined LASD and participated in the development of the Crisis Intervention Training-360 (CIT360) Training where he functions as a full-time instructor. In addition, he also assists the LASD Risk Assessment Management Program on high violence risk cases in the community.

"Situational awareness isn't just noticing what's happening around you—it's noticing what's happening inside you." — Dr. Piero D'Ingillo

"The most overlooked variable in safety is the responder—because you bring your nervous system into every situation." — Dr. Piero D'Ingillo

"When your body is regulated, your decisions are clearer—and clarity is what keeps people safe." — Dr. Piero D'Ingillo

In Episode 7 of The Resilient Edge, Dave Weiner sits down with Scot Walker to explore the often-overlooked intersection between law enforcement and corporate security. Drawing on decades of experience across federal law enforcement, military service, and global corporate investigations, Scot breaks down how generational shifts, workforce attrition, and evolving threat landscapes are reshaping both fields—and why organizations must rethink how they approach investigations, prevention, and risk management. The conversation highlights why collaboration, adaptability, and human-centered security strategies are no longer optional, but essential.

About Scot Walker -

Scot Walker is a seasoned Investigations and Corporate Security Leader with over two decades of federal law enforcement and military service, including roles as a Special Agent and Task Force Officer. He has led corporate investigations for global companies such as NVIDIA, Facebook, and Domtar, specializing in internal misconduct, fraud, workplace violence, and protective intelligence. Scot has built investigation programs, safeguarded executives on high-risk international travel, and advised firms on fraud prevention, protective intelligence, and physical security strategies.

Scot holds a Master's in Organizational Management and a Bachelor's in Strategic Security, as well as certifications as a Professional Certified Investigator (ASIS International), a Licensed Arizona Private Investigator, and multiple specialized credentials in cybercrime.

Links:

Website - https://www.walkerinvestigations.page/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotwalker1811/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ScotWalkersProtectiveFuture

In episode 6 of The Resilient Edge, Dave Weiner sits down with Sara Correll for an honest conversation about the human side of service. Through personal stories and reflection, Sara shares what strength really looks like beyond the uniform—how service shapes identity, relationships, and life long after the job ends. The episode centers lived experience, reminding listeners that resilience is built not through isolation, but through connection, understanding, and shared humanity.

About Sara Corell -

Sara Correll is a wife, mom of four boys, and proud grandma to two little ones. With a Master's in Crisis Response and Trauma Counseling for Veterans and First Responders, a coaching certification, and time spent as a drug & alcohol counselor to addicted homeless and convicted felons, she's walked alongside Veterans, First Responders, homeless men, and convicted felons given a second chance as they faced some of life's hardest moments.

What she kept noticing was simple but profound: when people finally tell their stories in a safe community, healing begins. That belief led Sara to found The Power of Our Story—warm, hope-filled "Coffee & Conversation" groups for Veterans, First Responders, and Gold Star families. Sara's heart is to remind every guest (and every listener): your story matters, you are not alone, and there is still light ahead.

OUR MISSION -

We are a community of Protectors (Active Duty, Veterans, Active and Retired First Responders, and Caring Supporters) passionate about reducing stigma and providing a place of safety in a no-judgment zone for those needing a community to process the journey of mental and emotional adversities from the job. Through storytelling and conversation, we provide a personal and unique platform to support the transition process, share inspiration, and encourage that empowering spirit to get up and continue the fight. We are a tribe that grows stronger together. Our stories deliver HOPE.

"Strength isn't never struggling—it's continuing to show up, even when the weight is heavy." — Sara Correll

"Service doesn't end when the job does—the impact stays with you." — Sara Correll

"Before the uniform, before the title—we're people first, carrying real lives into this work." — Sara Correll

Links:

Website - https://www.thepowerofourstory.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-correll-09b78625/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMzmBm0cvhH69sIPUipsAGQ

Faceboook - https://www.facebook.com/ThePowerOfOurStory

In episode 5 of The Resilient Edge, Dave Weiner speaks with Dr. Amber McDonald about the growing role of co-response models in improving safety outcomes for individuals, responders, and communities. Amber explains how pairing law enforcement with behavioral health and support professionals allows for more appropriate, humane, and effective responses—especially in complex or emotionally charged situations. The conversation highlights why coordination, early intervention, and shared responsibility are key to reducing escalation and creating safer, more sustainable response systems.

About Dr. Amber McDonald -

Dr. Amber McDonald is a licensed clinical social worker, educator, and researcher specializing in trauma, behavioral health, and public safety. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Deputy Director of the Stress, Trauma, Adversity, Research, and Treatment (START) Center. Her research—funded by agencies including SAMHSA and Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute —focuses on trauma, co-responder models, law enforcement wellness, and violence risk and threat assessment and management.

In addition to her academic role, Dr. McDonald is the owner of Dr. Amber R. McDonald, LLC where she provides consultation, training and program development support to government, nonprofit, and private sector agencies. She specializes in advancing person-centered collaborative responses to behavioral health crises and the prevention of violent mass casualty events. Dr. McDonald advises for the Denver's FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

A sought-after speaker and consultant, she has trained professionals nationally and internationally on trauma-informed assessment, intervention and violence prevention.

"The core of what we do is preserving human dignity when people are at their worst. And, doing this in partnership with public safety benefits everyone." – Dr.Amber McDonald

"Not every crisis needs the same response—but every response needs coordination." — Dr.Amber McDonald

"Safety improves when law enforcement doesn't have to carry every part of the response alone." — Dr. Amber McDonald

Links:

Website - https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/psychiatry/PatientCare/STARTcenter

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-mcdonald-phd-lcsw-msw-72732694/