Jim explains how to analyze, exploit, and change the terrain you are fighting in to gain an unfair advantage over your opponent - whether in a parking lot or a battlefield. Walking you from Thermopylae to the Taiwan Straits to the engine block of your police car and the desks of your classroom, we help you assess and understand your operating environment.

Red Platoon by Clinton Romesha

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One of our favorite and recurring guests, Isaac, just got back from Army Basic Training and shares some insights and stories that might help anyone getting ready to ship out as an enlisted soldier. This is a useful conversation if you want to know what to expect from Basic Training aka Army OSUT (One Station Unit Training). He is one step closer to his dream of becoming a Special Forces Soldier/Green Beret.

Past Issac Episodes: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

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In the mid-90s a little girl was reported to be kidnapped but was later found dead in the basement of her large, Boulder CO home. The case remains unsolved today, and several procedural errors on behalf of the officers and investigators who responded to the scene tainted our best chances to identify and prosecute Jon Benet's killer. Many believe the parents or her older brother were to blame. We may not ever know the truth. Mike and Jim give a synopsis and talk about some of the lessons.

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Most of us have daydreamed, imagined, and rehearsed what certain survival or self-defense encounters will look like in our minds, so we are going to make fun of our younger-selves and shed some light on something we are all guilty of: The Tactical Fantasy. This episode is about making sure that we ground those fantasies in reality. This goes beyond truck guns and the Zombie Apocalypse, it also speaks to the OODA loop, tactics, risk management, and other important concepts. Mike and Jim walk through some practical steps to stage our equipment, preparedness, and mindset accordingly.

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A terror plot at the turn of the century was thwarted by the professionalism of CBP Agent Diana Dean. For those of us old enough to remember the Y2K drama, you might not have heard of the foiled plot to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport amidst New Year's celebrations for the year 2000. This Al Qaeda sponsored terrorist attack was halted in its tracks by a squared away Customs and Immigration Agent, who noted Ahmed Ressam's suspicious behavior and sent him to a secondary inspection.  Mike and Jim share their overview and analysis of the event to help you stay vigilant as we approach the 20th anniversary of this success story. We also touch on pre-attack indicators, the radicalization process, and a defense and risk mitigation strategy called "The Swiss Cheese Model."

The Seattle Times: The Terrorist Within

Swiss Cheese Model (wikipedia)

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Chief Master Sergeant Keaton shares some war stories with us, including the time he won the Pitsenbarger Award after saving the lives of 5 women and children who were used as human shields by an enemy force in Afghanistan. Along the way he illustrates some lessons learned and leadership pointers that he picked up while leading some of America's most elite operators throughout his 30 year career working in special operations as a PJ and reaching the highest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force. 

Article about Chief Keaton's Pitsenbarger Award

"In the company of heroes:" Retirement announcement after 30 years of service

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Some of you might have experienced a crisis that was later described as a "Charlie Foxtrot," which is an acronym for the sort of situation known for being chaotic, overwhelming, and difficult to manage. Mike and Jim discuss the doctrinal definitions of fog and friction and talk about some coping strategies and training philosophies that will help you deal with these kinds of problems. This is not terribly different than managing stress, but often has to do more with groups than individuals. Listen to learn about ways to communicate and interact with your team and plan for when things get weird. 

Aurora Colorado Shooting Police Radio Traffic

RAND Paper on Performance Under Stress

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Intro music credit Bensound.com Photo credit: Jorge Ortiz

Dr. Daniel Blumberg is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor who has spent over 30 years working with several large law enforcement agencies in the realm of pre-employment screenings, management consulting, and services related to police officer wellness, ethics, and resilience. His research has shined a light on many of the moral risks that affect those of us in law enforcement: what they are, how they are related to critical incident stress, and what the implications are for police leaders and trainers. Mike's conversation with him is wide-ranging and covers things like organizational behavior and culture, leadership and management principles, integrity, and more. 

POWER Institute Police Officer Wellness, Ethics & Resilience 

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How do the rules change when you go from sports to the street? What changes on the ground vs. standing up? How should you apply your nunchuck skills in the context of self-defense? Mike and Cecil talk about all things martial arts and how they fit in to street fighting in real life. He specializes in an interdisciplinary approach to entanglement and close-range fights where weapons - including your own - are in play. 

Immediate Action Combatives 

ShivWorks

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John Huston was one of the first Americans to successfully complete an unsupported expedition to the North Pole. His expertise in cold weather survival and expedition planning has led him to opportunities training Special Operations Forces and he uses his experience as public speaking and training curriculum related to high-performing teams, operational planning and risk management, leadership, teamwork, and more. As a bonus, John also works with Sled Dogs, which is just cool. 

Find his book at JohnHuston.com

Training, Consulting, Expertise at skadigroup.com 

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Intro music credit Bensound.com