Emma Gray lost her husband, Royal Marine Si Gray, at only 38 years old after a long and difficult illness. Their journey through hope, decline and heartbreak shaped her understanding of grief in a way few ever experience.

In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield Emma speaks openly about caring for Si during his illness, the emotional collapse that followed his passing and the long process of rebuilding a life that was never meant to be lived alone. She explains how grief affects identity, how it impacts the body and mind and why healing does not mean forgetting.

Today Emma supports others through grief and loss with her work at Rainbow Hunting, offering guidance rooted in lived experience, compassion and emotional resilience.

This conversation is one of the most moving and powerful stories we have shared. It is a reminder that love, loss and healing are all part of what makes us human.

🌐 www.warriorwellnessmovement.com

Beyond the Battlefield is available on all major podcast platforms.

Before joining the Royal Marines, Lee Drinkwater endured devastating personal loss — his son, his brother and his nana all passed away within a short period of time. The grief and confusion left him without identity, direction or purpose.

For four years he asked himself one question every night — “Have you been your best today” — and for four years the answer was no. He no longer recognised who he was.

Joining the Royal Marines Commandos changed everything. The Corps gave him identity, standards and belonging. Rising to Warrant Officer, Lee learned that leadership is not about authority but about compassion, empathy and strength under pressure.

Today, Lee is the founder of Solace International, working with leaders and organisations worldwide to build resilience and thrive through adversity. His work is built around the R.E.A.L.® Protocol — Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, Agility and Leadership.

This is a raw, emotional and deeply human conversation about loss, identity, leadership and the power of turning grief into purpose.

🌐 www.warriorwellnessmovement.com

Beyond the Battlefield is available on all major podcast platforms.

#LeeDrinkwater #BeyondTheBattlefield #Leadership #RoyalMarines #Resilience #Grief #SolaceInternational #REALProtocol #WarriorWellnessMovement

⚠️ Warning: Contains discussion of extreme violence, sexual assault and trauma. Listener discretion advised.

At just 12 years old, Dave Pounds woke in the night to face the unimaginable. He witnessed the aftermath of his mother’s brutal murder — an experience that changed the course of his life forever.

The next morning, he went to school as if nothing had happened. For decades, he carried that trauma in silence, battling PTSD, alcohol dependence, and the weight of grief that no child should ever endure.

After more than 30 failed therapies, Dave reached breaking point before finally discovering that strength and recovery come from within.

Today, he is the founder of Design For Life, a speaker and coach teaching others what he calls true resilience — rebuilding your life from the inside out.

This episode of Beyond the Battlefield is one of the most powerful and emotional yet. It’s a story of trauma, survival and the power of the human spirit to rebuild after unimaginable loss.

🎧 Beyond the Battlefield gives veterans, leaders, and everyday people a voice to share stories of resilience, recovery and strength through adversity.

🌐 www.warriorwellnessmovement.com

The Holistic Approach to Health, Wellness & Performance.

#DavePounds #BeyondTheBattlefield #Resilience #TraumaSurvivor #PTSD #MentalHealthAwareness #Healing #AddictionRecovery #TrueResilience #WarriorWellnessMovement

When Helping Others Breaks You – Aaron Clark’s Burnout Story

Aaron Clark built something powerful a not-for-profit organisation called Mental Health Muscle that was changing lives across the UK.

What started as a mission to support others quickly exploded beyond anything Aaron imagined. At its peak, Mental Health Muscle was impacting tens of thousands of people and attracting thousands of messages every single week. But behind the scenes, Aaron was unravelling.

The pace was relentless. The responsibility was overwhelming.
And as the pressure mounted, Aaron’s own mental health collapsed. What began as passion turned into exhaustion, anxiety, and a complete burnout. It was a moment of truth: continue and risk everything, or step away and save his health.

In this raw and honest conversation, Aaron shares:

The rise of Mental Health Muscle and its powerful impact

The hidden cost of success and helping others

The signs of burnout he ignored and the consequences

How his breakdown changed his life and priorities

Why protecting your health is non-negotiable, no matter the mission

Aaron’s story is a cautionary tale for anyone driven by purpose and a powerful reminder that you cannot pour from an empty cup.

🎙 Beyond the Battlefield is now streaming on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.

📲 Subscribe now so not to miss any early releases or new episodes
🌐 www.warriorwellnessmovement.com

The Holistic Approach to Health, Wellness & Performance.

#AaronClark #MentalHealthMuscle #Burnout #BeyondTheBattlefield #MentalHealthAwareness #BurnoutRecovery #Leadership #HelpingOthers #Resilience #Wellness

Zane McCormack knows what it means to hit breaking point.

Raised in New Zealand, Zane moved to the UK to play rugby before joining the UK Police. For years he faced the relentless strain of frontline policing — trauma, stress, and pressure few outside the uniform ever see.

Eventually, it caught up with him. Zane suffered a severe health crash, blacking out for days at a time and losing all memory of what happened. What he now understands as burnout almost cost him everything.

In this conversation, Zane talks openly about:

• The hidden mental health toll of policing
• The experience of saving someone’s life, only to later question his own
• How constant stress and public criticism push officers to the edge
• His journey back to health and life after service

Today, Zane has turned his pain into purpose. He is now a Burnout Prevention Coach, helping others recognise the signs, prevent collapse, and rebuild resilience.

This is a story about service, sacrifice, and the silent battles behind the badge.

When former Royal Navy Wren Christine Nicholson left service in the 1990s, she found herself homeless—not once, but twice. She turned to hostels seeking safety, only to face sexual abuse on multiple occasions.

Christine’s powerful account shines a light on female veteran homelessness, the trauma of unsafe accommodation, and the resilience required to rebuild when support for women leaving the military was virtually non-existent.

Today, Christine is a multi-award-winning business mentor, bestselling author, and keynote speaker—recognised for her expertise in performance strategies and exit planning. Her story reminds us of the human cost behind the uniform and the need to ensure every veteran is supported when they transition back to civilian life.

Andy Gallie shares his raw, unfiltered story of living with a 33-year gambling addiction that began at age 9 and eventually led to prison. A former Royal Navy serviceman, Andy speaks openly about how military culture fuelled his destructive habits, the emotional toll on his family, and his powerful journey through addiction recovery. Now a leading voice in veteran support through the Battling the Odds campaign and Beacon Counselling Trust, Andy helps others escape the same darkness.

A vital listen for anyone affected by addiction, military mental health issues, or the unseen struggles of veterans.

What does it cost to give your entire life to service?

In Episode 15 of Beyond the Battlefield, I sit down with Dai Charles — a man who dedicated nearly 40 years to protecting his country.

Dai joined the Royal Navy in 1978 before transferring to the Royal Marines Commandos in the thick of the Falklands War. From there, he deployed to nearly every major conflict over the last four decades: Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan — and more.

After a lifetime in uniform, Dai didn’t stop serving. Today, he works with Border Force, guarding the UK’s borders, fighting smuggling and immigration crime, and keeping the nation safe behind the scenes.

But this conversation isn’t just about medals and deployments.
It’s about the real human cost. The guilt that never goes away when men under your command take their own lives.
It’s about the weight of leaving the Corps after nearly 40 years and the struggles that follow when the brotherhood is gone.

Dai also talks about founding the RMA Riders — a motorcycle group for former Royal Marines who still crave that sense of belonging, camaraderie, and shared humour only the Corps understands.

His story is about loyalty, loss, pride, and the silent battles veterans still fight long after the battlefield is behind them.

🎙 Beyond the Battlefield gives veterans a voice. Real stories. Raw truth. Shared to inspire and remind us all that strength isn’t just about what you survive — it’s about who you stand beside.

🔎 Topics Covered:
Royal Navy and Royal Marines career

Operational deployments: Falklands, Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Northern Ireland

The hidden world of Border Force

Veteran suicide and survivor’s guilt

Brotherhood and the power of staying connected

Founding the RMA Riders

Transitioning out of the military after nearly 40 years

Parenting the next generation of Royal Marines

Purpose and resilience after service

🎙 Beyond the Battlefield is streaming now on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.
📲 Subscribe now so not to miss any early releases or new episodes.

🌐 www.warriorwellnessmovement.com
The Holistic Approach to Health, Wellness & Performance.

#DaiCharles #RoyalMarines #RoyalNavy #BeyondTheBattlefield #VeteranStories #FalklandsWar #AfghanistanVeteran #BosniaConflict #NorthernIreland #BorderForce #RMA #RMA Riders #MilitaryBrotherhood #LifeAfterService #VeteranCommunity #WarriorWellness #MilitaryPodcast #VeteranMentalHealth #SuicideAwareness #BrotherhoodForever #CombatStories