Ken Decker is a former 3/75 Ranger, and the current head of Long Range Training for Core Vision Training. As a subject expert, Kenny was one of the guest instructors at a charity event I attended a couple years ago and I've been working to get him on for a conversation ever since. Sitting down together this week, we took the opportunity to of course talk about scoped carbines, but also about some of the more interesting experiences he had with military recruiters, what led Ken to joining the Army, as well as obviously the desire to train and attain at higher levels. As with many of our guests, the conversation took some kooky left turns, hitting on social media, cartoon network, and plenty more. This was a terrifically fun conversation, and I'm looking forward to having Ken back on again soon!

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Dogs are fantastic. They are a strong and spirited companion, and a total force multiplier in the field, whether that's Law Enforcement or Military applications. To dive into this, I finally am able to sit down with my friend Tommy Marchitto and ask many of the questions I've had about working with dogs in tactical applications. Tommy is a Law Enforcement veteran of 13 years, spending a large portion of that working SWAT, and as a K9 handler. Having great experiences with a working dog earlier in life led to a career path partnering him with "Otto", his dog. We dig into all of the training that goes into making these four legged beasts into the partners they are, and spend plenty of time getting into how they're able to be use to solve problems, as well as how to take care of them so they have good productive careers of their own, in ways that they're able to be effective and successful. This is a discussion I've been looking forward to for a long time, and one I think you'll all really enjoy!

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John Ketteman served 11 years in the U.S. Army were he had the opportunity to train alongside many talented men and women, and attend the legendary Q course. From his experiences in the military, he's become an outstanding professional shooter, as well as educator, sharing his lessons learned in both the tactical and competitive realms. We dive into the overlapping concepts that exist between these two ideas of what shooting is, and bridge the gap, getting into things like "getting off the X", practical tools you can use to solve problems in stressful situations, discuss how to prioritize your own development and learning, and more. This was a great opportunity to highlight what we as prepared civilians can do to maximize our own opportunities, and challenge ourselves to grow. Check it out!

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January has flown by and brought with it some record setting weather, as well as a few unfortunate events in Minnesota. In this episode of The Sunday SITREP, we examine the rising tensions between ICE and protestors, and talk about two fatal incidents which could possibly have been avoided, but may possibly have been justified as well. With so much internet speculation and media input on both, it's becoming harder and harder to see the situations objectively. Further, we're witnessing our own "community" turn on itself and speak out against the very 2A rights that so many of us would normally champion, for the sake of supporting an administration that has not supported those same rights as promised on the campaign trail. As always, a lot of to talk about, as we dive into current events from the past month.

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The sports, hunting, and outdoor trade show, better known as SHOT show, takes place every year in Las Vegas, and for the first time, The Prepared Mindset was able to attend. This is something that I've been working towards and very much anticipating, as many do, for a long time, and was every bit the learning and networking opportunity that I had hoped it would be. Lexy and I sit down and recap the trip, talk about what we did, who we saw, and what we learned. Truly, if you've never attended, I'm just not sure that there are words that can sufficiently explain to you the sheer amount of "stuff" that you'll find throughout the show floor. From nylon gear to night vision, from ammo to armor, and obviously firearms galore, there's a ton to see out in the desert. I loved the trip, and loved the experience, and am already looking forward to next years event!

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For years, the phrase "Modern Minuteman" has been latched on to by those of us in the preparedness community as a way to self identify, and to a extent, justify our efforts. While it's a nifty idea and catchy label, I personally think that it's become one of the more detrimental ideologies in todays community. There's a certain amount of personal awareness, and accountability that is required when discussing the idea of a truly capable man, and prepared civilian. What many do seem to forget is that in the days of the original minuteman, the lack of training and false belief in ones skills, almost led us to certain defeat. If that had happened, our country, our culture, would never have even existed. I dive into my own experiences, and I do share some insight related to current events and community, that I think can help us steer out of those age-old bad habits.

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As a follow up from our previous discussion with Irish from Almost Covert, in this week's episode I sit down with the "other half" of the founders of A/C, the man called Bully. With a conventional background, one outside of military and law enforcement, this isn't exactly the kind of individual you would expect to find coordinating counter trafficking operations and devoting his life to helping save children. Our conversation started with personal fitness, training on and off the range, mindset, and accountability, and ended diving into the work that Tether Group is doing overseas in South Africa. This was truly a fantastic discussion on some of the absolute most horrific, yet real, topics in our world. I'm appreciative of the time away from this work, to be able to share the story of what Tether was formed for, as well as the insight into just how bad this issue is across the world. I urge you to give this episode a listen, and consider what you can do, to aid in the fight.

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With SHOT show just over a week away, it's only fitting that we have a discussion around the unique animal, which is the city of Las Vegas. More specifically, how the various impressive properties up and down the strip approach security, manage risk, and protect guests. I sit down with Gabe this week, who has had a relatively short but impressive career working in Vegas in multiple capacities, to unpack the many facets of securing some of the most well known casinos in the world. From SRT and ERT teams, to Cash Transport, to customer service and all of the various teaching and training that Gabe has done, we cover a lot of ground. These roles are very unique and provide many challenges that you may not typically find in standard security or law enforcement work. I'm looking forward to connecting with Gabe on my trip, and having him back on the pod in the future, as well.

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The official first episode AND first SITREP of the 2026 calendar year! While I initially didn't think there would be a whole lot to talk about when planning this a couple weeks ago, there's been a few developments as of late that really worked themselves up the list. As always, these discussions are the monthly opportunity to talk about current events both in the United States, as well as abroad, and give lots of opinion and a little context to help keep our audience informed. Certainly, getting into the new changes the NFA, diving into the fraud scandals with daycare centers throughout the country, and reacting to the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro, this SITREP is not short on that, at all. Happy to have you aboard as well roll full steam ahead, into the new year!

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The end of 2025 is here! Hard to believe as it may be, this is the last episode/discussion of the calendar, as we get ready to turn over, and dive head first into 2026. This past year been one of intense growth for me personally, and certainly for Prepared Mindset. The changes that came about this year in many cases were extremely challenging but in some ways very rewarding too. As with the other years gone by, I take this opportunity to walk through the highlights, and unfortunately some lowlights of this year, and talk about them. From the classes, to the range days, to some of the key developments that have contributed in shaping PMP into what it is today. I appreciate everyone who has contributed throughout the year and helped us find our successes, both large and small. I am eagerly looking forward to what's coming next!

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