DTD PODCAST

Bryan Bean is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in numerous leadership positions in Special Operations Aviation, retiring in 2004 after a 20 year career. He earned a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management in 1993 and was a Distinguished Military Graduate of George Mason University in 1984.

Prior to entering the Special Operations community, he served as a senior trainer at the Joint Readiness Training Center and developed extensive experience in the design, conduct, evaluation and management of field training exercises. He served as an Attack Helicopter Company Commander and Platoon leader in the 7th Infantry Division (Light). Joining the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment on 1993, Bryan served two consecutive tours in 1st Battalion. He served as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Mission Commander for the Nation’s only Light Assault Helicopter unit. This assignment at the tactical level included numerous deployments including Operation Uphold Democracy. A truly Joint Officer, Bryan served as a Liaison Officer to a US Navy SEAL Team, and was responsible for maritime training and integration with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Following the Command and General Staff College, Bryan served as the Task Force Operations Officer for the Nation’s most deployable Aviation Task Force, synchronizing operations and training for multi-service units, other government agencies, and federal and local law enforcement. He planned and executed numerous sensitive deployments in support of high-priority missions in the Baltics, Middle East, and SOUTHCOM Areas of Responsibility.

Bryan finished his Active Duty career serving in the USSOCOM Assessment Directorate where he helped prioritize and allocate resources for the transformation of SOF following 9/11. Though selected to command an Assault Helicopter Battalion in the 101st Airborne Division, Bryan elected to retire and address important family issues. He has specialized training from a wide range of defense-related courses and institutions, including the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Joint Special Operations Planning Course, He holds the rating of Master Army Aviator.

Sergeant Major (ret) John McPhee AKA “The Sheriff of Baghdad” served a distinguished career in U.S. Army Special Operations for over 20 years, retiring in 2011. Better known for his call sign “SHREK”, John created the S.O.B. brand to provide his knowledge to civilians, law-enforcement, and militaries around the world. John has spent his adult life in Special Operations and Special Mission Units. He has trained countless U.S. Special Operations forces, thousands of International Tier 1 Operators and Special Forces around the world. He is one of the handful of operators with over a decade of combat having served in multiple theaters from Bosnia and South America to recent war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a Master Instructor in all aspects of special activities, missions and operations. With over 10 years of private special activities consulting John is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in: Special Activities, Operational Preparations, Limited Signature Operations, Reconnaissance, Singleton Operations, High Threat Dignitary Protective Services, Extreme Long Range, Designated Marksman, Advanced Precision Rifle Marksmanship, Combat Marksmanship, Live Fire CQB/CQC, Advanced Pistol Marksmanship, Advanced Carbine Marksmanship, Aerial Gunnery (Rifles, Shotguns, Aerial Personnel, and Vehicle Interdictions), Mechanical, Ballistic, and Explosive Breaching, Freefall Instructor Programs, Infiltration/Exfiltration Techniques, Ground Mobility, Unit Pre-Deployment Training, and Research and Development of: Soldier Systems, Weapons, Ammunition, Thermal and Night Optics.

A.F. Branco was born and raised in Mendocino County, California, and later relocated to northwest Washington. He served in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, which offered him the opportunity to attend college on the GI Bill. He is a talented musician -- guitar, bass and singing -- who played gigs all over the Northwest with his band, Tony and the Tigers. Over the years, Branco created cartoons as a hobby. Once he saw America under assault by radical leftists, the hobby became a calling and another form of service to the country he loves and swore to protect from “all enemies, foreign and domestic.” His toons resonate and inform with razor-sharp humor, accruing a following of patriots everywhere. Branco has appeared on Fox News, “The Larry Elder Show,” “The Lars Larson Show” and more. His first book, “Comically Incorrect: A Collection of Politically Incorrect Comics: Volume 1,” published in November 2015, was well-received. His calendars sell out each year, as the demand for humorous cartoons increases in an otherwise mean-spirited political climate, and now, with his book “Make America Laugh Again,” A.F Branco continues slaying the dragons of Leftist Lunacy via the power of the cartoonist’s pencil.

This week with Don Bentley to talk about his book that dropped and is a New York Times Bestseller TARGET ACQUIRED (a Jack Ryan Jr. novel). There will possibly be some 80's trivia and talk about his 3rd Matt Drake series book HOSTILE INTENT. In the meantime go pick up this amazing book at the following links.

Links:

https://donbentleybooks.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Clancy-Target-Acquired/dp/B08MBBVNC7/ref=sr_1_3?crid=C0CDT7WBFD

Amtac Shooting’s owner and lead instructor is Bill Rapier. He is recently retired after twenty years in the Navy, where his duty assignments included several years at SEAL Team 3 and over 14 years at Naval Special Warfare Development Group. Positions held include assaulter, breacher, sniper, team leader, troop chief and military working dog department senior enlisted adviser. He has always been an avid shooter and is heavily involved in combatives.

Much has been written about the April 11, 1986 “FBI Miami Shootout”. Two murderous ex-military bank robbers. Eight FBI agents. One hundred and fifty shots fired. In five minutes two bank robbers and two FBI agents were dead, Five other agents were wounded, three critically. This incident would change FBI and law enforcement training, tactics and weaponry forever. My name is Ed Mireles, and this is my story of survival and the fight to save the lives of my brother agents on that fateful day.

Nick is an active duty member of The United States Army Special Forces. Commonly known as Green Berets, the Special Forces perform critical missions including direct action, counterinsurgency, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, and unconventional warfare. In 2013, on Nick's second combat rotation to Afghanistan, he and his Detachment fell victim to an insider attack ultimately resulting in the loss of his leg.

Following a year of surgeries and initial recovery including the use of a prosthetic at Walter Reed National Medical Military Center, he returned to his unit. Refusing a military medical retirement, Nick set his sights on returning to operational status. In 2015, at the conclusion of a challenging, comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate Nick's abilities to operate, he returned to his Detachment and was subsequently deployed once again to Afghanistan conducting full spectrum combat operations. Nick is considered the first Green Beret to return to combat as an above the knee amputee.

Nick is currently serving the United States citizens as a Special Forces Warrant Officer, Assistant Detachment Commander and is widely recognized as an experienced subject matter expert in special operations, intelligence fusion, and mission planning and execution across all operational continuums. A former Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, Nick is Airborne and Combat Diver qualified, holds instructor certifications in Modern Army Combatives (MACP) and Special Operations Combatives (SOCP) programs, and is a graduate of both the Network Development course and Unconventional Warfare Operational Design course. Nick is the first amputee to complete the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification course, the SOCP Instructor course, and the Combat Diver Qualification course in military history.

Nick's awards include the Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, Bronze Star with “V” for valor, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the OSS Society Peter Ortiz Award, and the Special Operations Command Excalibur Award. An extensive world traveler, Nick provides training and motivational speeches to private sector corporations, schools and universities, sports teams, and a variety of non-profit organizations. In his TEDx Talk ‘Living by an Ethos,’ Nick speaks about the Warrior Mindset and the importance of sacrifice, determination, and work ethic. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Nick is a husband, father, athlete, student, and author. He speaks multiple languages and has earned a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

This episode.. In the studio Lino Miani. He is a former Special Forces soldier and is now the President of the Combat Diver Foundation. They are getting ready for the Deep Dive 2021. Go to the links below for the Charity raffle, 5k, and Dive. This year the celebration in honor of WO1 John Michael Wirka Jr.

Seeking a higher purpose, John enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2010 and immediately gravitated to the Special Operations community, specifically U.S. Army Special Forces. After successfully completing the Special Forces Qualification Course in February 2012, SGT Wirka was assigned to 3rd BN, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), FL. As a member of Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha (SFOD-A) 7325, he deployed multiple times in support of USSOUTHCOM, USNORTHCOM, and Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan. SSG Wirka later served as the Senior Instructor at the Maritime Operations Training Detachment from 2016-2018, deploying to Afghanistan as a SFC with SFOD-A 7225 in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was commissioned as a Special Forces Warrant Officer in 2020 and assigned as the Assistant Detachment Commander for SFOD-A 7215. A close teammate of John’s while on SFOD-A 7225, described him as “quiet, but when he spoke, he spoke with intention. As a dive instructor, he always brightened the students’ moods when times were hard. John was the epitome of what a Green Beret should be; hardworking, intelligent, humble, funny, kind, and dedicated. He was one of the few people that even when everything was going wrong, he found the positive side and would make a joke to keep the guys going.” On 14 January 2021, WO1 Wirka passed away due to a non-combat-related event in San Salvador, El Salvador. WO1 John Michael Wirka Jr. is survived by his wife, Erica Anne Wirka, his daughter, Audrey Mae Wirka, and their dog, Archer.

DEEP DIVE 2021 LINK:

https://combatdiver.org/deep-dive-2021

Clint is a retired Navy SEAL with more than 20 years of service. He continues to serve by empowering good people with safety and security skills at home, at work and abroad. His services have helped Fortune 500 companies, politicians, celebrities, and more. He is the author of 4 books, the Host of the Can You Survive This Podcast, and Founder of the Violent Nomad Clothing line. Find him at the below link. https://clintemerson.com/

SGM Baylis entered Special Forces in July of 1983 and completed the Special Forces Qualifications Course in August 84. His assignments have been with C co 1st Bn 5th SFG(A) on ODB 530 as the Weapons Sergeant and ODA 533 as the Junior Communications Sergeant from July 83-December 85; Receiver Section Chief and Platoon Sergeant in Signal Company 1st SFG(A) Fort Lewis Washington for 1986: as a Communication Sergeant in B Co 3d Bn 7th SFG(A) on ODAs 783 and 782(MFF) from January 1987 to January 1990 as an original member of Observer Controller Team One (MFF) in the Special Operations Division of the Joint Readiness Training Center from February 90 to June 93; as an Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant and Team Sergeant on ODAs 131 and 114 on Torii Station Okinawa from June 93 to June 98; as First Sergeant for Communications Training at E Co 1st Bn 1stSWTG(A), Fort Bragg, NC; Battalion Operations Sergeant Major 3d Bn 5th SFG(A) June 01 to May 02; Team Sergeant for ODA 591 June 02 to June 03; Detachment Sergeant of the 5th SFG(A) Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course from July 03 to May 04; Bn Operations Sergeant major 2d Bn 5th SFG(A) May – July 04. His last assignment was serving as the Company Sergeant Major for A Co 2d Bn 7th SFG(A). He was medically retired for injuries received in combat in April of 2007. Sergeant Major Baylis’s combat tours are with the 7th SFG (A) during Operation JUST CAUSE from December 89- January 90 and the 5th SFG(A) during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from October 01 to February 02, IRAQI FREEDOM from January 03 to June 03 and IRAQI FREEDOM 2 from May 04 to July 04. SGM Baylis participated in Demining Operations in Cambodia, Counter Narcotic Operations in Columbia and Bolivia, a Contingency Operation in Cambodia and Thailand and an in-extremis force deployment to India. SGM Baylis’s holds an AAS from Vincennes University and a BS in history and business from The University of the State of New York. His military education includes Ranger School, PNCOC, ANCOC, 1SG Course, Battle Staff NCO Course and the SGM course as part of the Noncommissioned Officers Education System, SFARTAETC, Basic and Advance Airborne Courses, Basic and Advance Military Freefall Courses, Joint Intelligence Center Information Operations Course, Basic and Advanced Off Road Vehicle Operators Courses, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic Course, Special forces Operations and Intelligence Course, and Special Forces Heavy Weapons, Engineer, Communications Sergeant Courses, the Pathfinder Course (MTT in Thailand) and the Joint SOF Senior Enlisted Course. His awards and Decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLC) , Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC) , Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge (1 star-3 awards) Expert Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Ranger and Special forces Tabs, Foreign awards include Thai, and Singapore parachutist Badges. He is the founder and CEO of the VALOR Clinic Foundation. https://valorclinic.org/about/