This week, the boys sit down with Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Joseph Fitzgerald, a Marine Corps veteran turned lawman whose career spans the Marine Corps, the range, and the front lines of California policing. Fitzgerald began his adult life as a machine gunner with 2/4 Marines before earning a spot as a Pig in the Scout Sniper Platoon. After his first enlistment, he stepped away to work as a carpenter, only to return to the Corps in 2002 and later transition into law enforcement — a path that would define the next few decades of his life.As a young deputy, Fitzgerald cut his teeth in custody before moving to patrol at the Moreno Valley Station. He was soon selected for the Emergency Services Team (SWAT), where he spent 10 years working proactive enforcement, off‑road operations, and cross‑sworn fugitive work with the U.S. Marshals Service. Promoted to corporal, he returned to proactive enforcement before taking on assignments at the Sheriff’s range. By 2020, Fitzgerald had risen to sergeant, leading patrol teams, POP units, and gang enforcement before his promotion to lieutenant in 2023, where he served as a regional Watch Commander covering Hemet, San Jacinto, and Cabazon stations.The episode turns personal as Fitzgerald reflects on the transitions between military and civilian life, the toll of high‑risk assignments, and the lessons learned from a decade on SWAT. He speaks candidly about officer wellness, the signs of burnout he’s seen in his teams, and the leadership choices that shape resilience in the face of trauma. Away from the badge, Fitzgerald is an avid hunter — a pursuit that grounds him outside the uniform and connects him back to the discipline and patience forged in the Corps.This isn’t just a story about tactical calls and promotions; it’s about the human side of service, the quiet routines that sustain a career, and the bonds that carry officers through the hardest moments. From sniper platoons to watch command, Fitzgerald shares hard‑won lessons on survival, leadership, and the balance between toughness and vulnerability.🎯 For the veteran wondering how military grit translates to policing.🎯 For the deputy navigating the stress of high‑risk assignments.🎯 For anyone curious about the resilience behind the badge.Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.#WhiskeyAndWarStories #JosephFitzgerald #RiversideSheriff #USMC #SWAT #OfficerWellness #Leadership #Resilience #Podcast

This week, the boys sit down with El Monte Police Department Sergeant Gary Gall, a 31‑year veteran who began his career after graduating from the LA County Sheriff’s Academy and spent more than three decades serving the citizens of El Monte. A longtime SWAT operator, range instructor, and frontline supervisor, Gall brings a rare blend of street‑level experience, tactical expertise, and hard‑won perspective on survival and brotherhood.A decorated sergeant, Gary walks us through his path into law enforcement, the assignments that defined him — patrol, FTO, motor officer, detective, 13 years on SWAT, and over two decades on the range staff. He recounts two officer‑involved shootings, surviving a shooting while on SWAT, and the long shadow those moments cast over his life and leadership.The episode turns personal when Gary talks about the toll of long service: the department’s recovery after losing two officers in 2022, the slow work of healing after two shoulder surgeries, and the quiet, everyday choices that keep a career intact. He shares candid lessons on resilience, the signs of burnout he wishes officers recognized sooner, and the leadership decisions that shaped his unit — lessons born from the street and refined in the aftermath of trauma.This isn’t just a story about medals and headlines; it’s about the cost of the badge, the bonds that hold a department together, and the small acts of service that rarely make the news. From tactical calls to family conversations, Gary explains how he navigated duty, loss, and recovery — and what he hopes younger officers take with them into a long career.🎯 For the patrol officer wondering how to last 20+ years. 🎯 For the sergeant trying to build a healthier unit. 🎯 For anyone curious about the human side of policing beyond the headlines.Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.#WhiskeyAndWarStories #GaryGall #ElMontePD #SWAT #MedalOfValor #OfficerWellness #LawEnforcementLeadership #ResilienceInPolicing #Podcast

This week, the boys sit down with retired Tustin Police Chief Charles Celano, a 27-year veteran who rose through every rank of the department before retiring early after a life-altering heart condition. A graduate of the FBI National Academy (#258) and now founder of Chief Leadership, Celano brings a rare blend of street-level experience, executive insight, and personal resilience to the conversation.Charles walks us through his upbringing, his unexpected path into law enforcement, and the lessons learned as he transitioned from managing people to truly leading them. He shares the pivotal leadership decisions that shaped his career trajectory, the failures that forced him to adapt, and the cultural shifts he fought to embed at Tustin PD, shifts rooted in wellness, accountability, and community trust.The episode takes a turn when Celano recounts the wake-up call of his heart condition: the moment he had to ask himself hard questions about priorities, health, and legacy. From rebuilding his own resilience to coaching leaders today, he explains the daily practices that move the needle, why so many fail to adopt them, and how chiefs and supervisors can balance high-stress policing with authentic self-care.This isn’t just a story about retirement, it’s about the intersection of health, leadership, and legacy, and how one chief turned a personal crisis into a mission to help leaders survive and thrive.🎯 For the officer climbing the ranks and wondering what leadership really means. 🎯 For the chief who knows culture change is hard but necessary. 🎯 For the leader facing their own wake-up call and searching for resilience.Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.#WhiskeyAndWarstories #CharlesCelano #TustinPD #ChiefLeadership #FBINationalAcademy #LawEnforcementLeadership #OfficerWellness #ResilienceInPolicing #CommunityTrust #Podcast

This week, the boys sit down with Glendale Police Department Deputy Chief Robert William, an FBI National Academy graduate and a lifelong Glendale resident who started as a cadet and built a two-decade career across patrol, Special Enforcement Detail, detective, SWAT, before moving through the ranks earning his current rank of Deputy Chief. Robert shares the night he was shot during a chaotic foot pursuit in 2008, the immediate shock of survival, and the years that followed as delayed PTSD surfaced after his promotion to Sergeant.From the first sensory memory of that night to the reality of receiving a single mandatory psych meeting and no sustained follow-up, Robert explains how institutional gaps shaped his healing and his leadership. He walks through the slow onset of trauma, the role fatherhood played in recovery, and how those experiences drove him to help transform his department’s approach to peer support, counseling, and officer wellness.This isn’t just a story about a shooting—it’s about the long arc of recovery, the responsibility of leadership, and a leader who turned personal hardship into systemic change.🎯 For the officer who survived the shot and stayed to make the system better. 🎯 For the leader who learned resilience the hard way and now builds support for others. 🎯 For the family members who quietly bear the weight alongside those in uniform.Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.#WhiskeyAndWarstories #RobertWilliam #GlendalePD #OfficerInvolvedShooting #PTSDinPolicing #PeerSupport #Leadership #FirstResponderWellness #LawEnforcementResilience #Podcast

This week, the boys sit down with Travis Tibbets, La Verne PD Captain, former West Covina SWAT sniper, and the department’s (West Covina) first second-generation officer, whose career has been shaped by legacy, precision, and the kind of high-stakes moments that leave no room for error.From two successful hostage rescues to training with Blackwater and Ron Avery, Travis opens up about the sniper’s mindset, the weight of the trigger, and the quiet aftermath of officer-involved shootings. He shares what it’s like to carry both a badge and a legacy, the lessons learned from critical incidents, and how he’s helping shape the next generation of law enforcement leaders through statewide training and emotional resilience.This isn’t just a story about tactics—it’s about identity, pressure, and the evolution of a cop who’s walked through the fire and come out focused, grounded, and ready to lead.🎯 For the son who became his own kind of warrior.🎯 For the sniper who saw the silence before the shot—and the lives saved.

🎯 For the captain who teaches precision and heart in equal measure.Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.#WhiskeyAndWarstories #TravisTibbets #SWATSniper #HostageRescue #LawEnforcementLeadership #OIS #CriticalIncidentTraining #LegacyAndLeadership #FirstResponderResilience #Podcast

This week, the boys sit down with Willie Morataya, a Navy veteran, former Pomona PD Officer, and now hospital security director — whose career has been defined by service, split‑second decisions, and the kind of loss that leaves a permanent mark.From surviving two officer‑involved shootings to navigating the aftermath of losing his best friend and partner in blue to suicide, Willie opens up about the moments that tested his courage, his faith, and his will to keep going. He shares the transition from the streets to the hospital halls, the lessons learned in leadership, and the quiet battles that come long after the gunfire stops.This is more than a story about the dangers of the job, it’s about brotherhood, grief, and the resilience it takes to keep serving when the uniform changes but the mission remains.💔 For the friend whose watch ended too soon.⚓ For the sailor who became a cop, then a protector in a new arena.🥃 For the man who carries the weight and still shows up.Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.#WhiskeyAndWarstories #WillieMorataya #LawEnforcementStories #OIS #PoliceSuicideAwareness #FirstResponderMentalHealth #Resilience #LifeAfterTheBadge #Podcast

In this deeply reflective episode, the boys sit down with Jason Astorga, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Navy submariner veteran, and founder of Astorga Counseling. As a Filipino immigrant and first-generation college graduate, Jason brings a rare blend of cultural insight, clinical expertise, and personal vulnerability to the conversation.Together, we explore:-The emotional cost of suppressing trauma and the path to rebuilding self-worth-How attachment theory helps survivors of abandonment and betrayal find safety-The role of cultural identity in shaping mental health and therapeutic connection-Common PTSD triggers for veterans—and how to navigate them with compassion-Jason’s own journey through therapy, and the moment he chose to help others healWith warmth and wisdom, Jason shares how he creates safe, client-centered spaces for those who’ve long felt unseen, especially veterans and survivors of complex trauma. His approach blends evidence-based modalities with deep empathy, offering hope to anyone who’s ever felt like their pain was “too much” to be understood.🔗 Learn more about Jason’s work at astorgacounseling.com🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music📺 Subscribe for more legacy-driven conversations that honor service, resilience, and the human spirit.#EchoesOfTheMind #JasonAstorga #AstorgaCounseling #MentalHealthMatters #PTSDRecovery #TraumaHealing #VeteranTherapist #AttachmentTheory #CulturallyResponsiveCare #FilipinoAmericanVoices #LegacyPodcast #WhiskeyAndWarstories #EmotionalResilience #HealingJourney #SafeSpaceTherapy #ImmigrantMentalHealth #ComplexTrauma #TherapyTalks #PodcastInterview #FirstResponderWellness

This week, the boys sit down with Jacquelyn Rodriguez, a proud Air Force veteran, Public Affairs Officer, certified leadership coach, and fighter in every sense of the word.

Born into a lineage of service, Jacquelyn carries the weight of legacy with grace and grit. From capturing military narratives to coaching leaders and stepping into the ring for Battle of the Badges, her life is a testament to strength—both seen and unseen.

She opens up about the loss of her father, a Colton PD detective whose quiet strength shaped her own. Through grief, gloves, and growth, Jacquelyn found new purpose—not just in service, but in motherhood, marriage, and mental health advocacy.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever fought through silence, led with heart, or found healing in motion.

📷 For the storyteller who honors service through every frame.

🥊 For the fighter who channels grief into power.

🏡 For the mom who leads from the frontlines of home.

🥃 Pull up a chair, pour a glass, and join the conversation.

🔔 Subscribe for more real stories from the front lines.

#WhiskeyAndWarstories #JacquelynDiana #VeteranVoices #BattleOfTheBadges #WomenWhoLead #GriefAndGrowth #LegacyInMotion #BoxingForHealing #Podcast