They’re the ones we call in our worst moments—the firefighters who charge into burning buildings, the police officers who respond to shots fired, the medics who fight to save lives on the side of the road. We see them in flashes of bravery, in uniforms and sirens. But what happens when the lights fade? Who are these men and women when the world stops watching?

In his latest book, Behind the Badge: Answering the Call to Serve on America’s Homefront, best-selling author and decorated Marine veteran Johnny Joey Jones delivers something rare and raw—an unfiltered look into the real lives of America’s first responders. It’s not just a tribute. It’s a reckoning.

Jones, who lost both legs above the knee while serving in Afghanistan, knows firsthand the hidden weight of service. But through this book, he shifts the spotlight from the battlefield to the front lines of America’s cities and small towns—where ordinary people face extraordinary situations every single day. With empathy and clarity, Jones pulls back the curtain on their world, giving voice to the heartbreak, the grit, and the purpose that drive them.

The book, released during Military Appreciation Month, gathers stories of first responders from across the country—some well-known, others quietly heroic. There’s Katelyn Kotfila, who joined the sheriff’s office after her brother was killed in the line of duty. There’s Vincent Vargas, a veteran-turned-entertainer whose journey reflects the emotional toll many responders carry. There’s Keith Dempsey, Jones’s own brother-in-law and a firefighter, and Sheriff Mark Lamb, a man whose public role masks deeply personal convictions.

Each story in Behind the Badge is a thread in a larger tapestry of sacrifice and strength. The rescues are dramatic. The losses, gut-wrenching. But Jones doesn’t dwell on spectacle. Instead, he focuses on what it means to keep showing up—to face trauma and keep going, not because it’s easy, but because it matters.

“I wanted to tell the stories people don’t see,” Jones said. “First responders run toward what others run from. They don’t do it for recognition. They do it because someone has to.”

With his trademark honesty and deep respect for those who serve, Jones captures the emotional reality behind the badge: the sleepless nights, the fractured families, the moments that haunt long after a shift ends. And yet, woven through every chapter is something else—resilience. Purpose. Pride.

This isn’t Jones’s first literary success. His previous title, Unbroken Bonds of Battle, spent eight weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, selling over 100,000 copies. And now, with Behind the Badge, he has tapped into something even deeper: the collective heartbeat of those who hold the line at home.

Published by FOX News Books in partnership with HarperCollins, the title is already making waves, joining a catalog that has sold over 3 million copies since 2020. And while the publisher’s numbers are impressive, what sets Behind the Badge apart is its mission—to honor not just the act of service, but the people behind it.

It forces a question: Are we really seeing our first responders? Or are we just watching the uniform?

Behind the Badge doesn’t offer easy answers. It doesn’t glorify. It humanizes. And in doing so, it challenges readers to look beyond the headlines and into the hearts of those who answer the call—day after day, year after year.

Whether you’re a firefighter’s daughter, a veteran’s friend, or simply someone who’s ever dialed 911, this book will stay with you. Not because it shocks, but because it sees.

And sometimes, being seen is the most powerful kind of honor there is.