May 18, 2024

FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) Operator | SWAT & FBI Agent | Drug Squad | Bicycle Bandit | Operation Black Widow | Shaffer Security | Greg Shaffer

1 hour 30 minutes

Today we have a Combat Story first with Greg Shaffer, who spent a career in the FBI as an Agent, SWAT member, and Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) operator. He also started his career leading a patrol boat team in the Coast Guard before moving over to the Bureau.

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In this episode, we talk about the selection and entry process to both the FBI and HRT, the origins and mission of the HRT - which numbers fewer than 500 members since its inception in the early 1980s, one of the most successful surveillance and bust operations you’ll ever hear against the Bicycle Bandit, Operation Black Widow, border security, taking down targets and the hunting the deck of cards in Iraq with Delta Force and more.

Greg now runs Shaffer Security Group that provides executive protection, active shooter response, investigations, firearms training and more. He also wrote Stay Safe: Security Secrets for Today’s Dangerous World, which provides practical lessons on mindset, situational awareness, and self-defense.

It took us too long to have our first Bureau agent and HRT operator on the show and we’ll absolutely be looking to have more. With that, please enjoy this hilarious but inspiring discussion with former FBI Agent and HRT operator Greg Shaffer.

🎙️ Find Greg online:

Shaffer Security Group - https://shaffersecuritygroup.com/our-founder/
Stay Safe: Security Secrets for Today’s Dangerous World https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Safe-Security-Secrets-Dangerous/dp/1948484579

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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

⏰ Show Notes:

00:00 - Intro
00:46 Guest Intro: Greg Schaefer's Journey from Coast Guard to FBI
02:27 The Threat Landscape: Border Security and National Safety
05:14 The Significance of a Special Painting: HRT Brotherhood
08:10 Choosing a Career in Law Enforcement: It's in the Blood
08:57 From the Coast Guard to FBI: A Path of Service
16:00 The Rigorous FBI Selection Process
28:34 First Steps and Early Successes in the FBI
40:10 The Dynamics of SWAT Operations
45:10 The Mental Toll of Law Enforcement Work
45:49 Undercover Challenges and Mental Separation
46:35 Comparing Military and Law Enforcement Stress
47:17 The Importance of Mental Resilience
48:19 Transitioning to HRT and Selection Process Insights
48:44 Sponsor Break: Mint Mobile's Offer
49:58 HRT Selection: A Grueling Process
54:26 Tactical Training and Surveillance in HRT
55:36 The Origins and Mission of HRT
01:01:14 Challenges and Operations with HRT
01:13:12 Public Perception of Law Enforcement
01:16:36 Writing a Book on Active Shooter Survival
01:26:37 Reflections and Advice for Future Generations

Greg is a former FBI agent, SWAT team member, and HRT operator. Discover the intensity of his career, including in-depth insights into high-stakes operations such as the Bicycle Bandit and DC Sniper cases. Greg discusses the complexities of HRT selection, major national security concerns, especially regarding border security, and the adrenaline-fueled world of elite FBI missions. Learn about his background, transition from the Coast Guard to the FBI, and the indispensable qualities required in law enforcement. This narrative provides a compelling look at true crime, FBI operations, and military strategies.

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By Ryan Fugit

4.8