The Protectors® with Jason Piccolo

Interesting discussion with USMC LTC (Ret.) Wayne Phelps about his book On Killing Remotely: The Psychology of Killing with Drones.  We discuss his military background as a drone operator, war, and his writing. 

About the book: Throughout history society has determined specific rules of engagement between adversaries in armed conflict. With advances in technology from armor in the Middle Ages to nerve gas in World War I to weapons of mass destruction in our own time, the rules have constantly evolved. Today, when killing the enemy can seem palpably risk-free and tantamount to playing a violent video game, what constitutes warfare? What is the effect of remote combat on individual warriors? And what are the unforeseen repercussions that could affect us all?

LtCol Wayne Phelps, a former commander of a remotely piloted aircraft squadron, addresses these questions and many others as he tells the story of the men and women of today's remote warriors. Exploring the ethics of remote military engagement, the misconceptions about PTSD among RPA operators, and the specter of military weaponry controlled by robots, this book is an urgent and compelling reminder that it should always be difficult to kill another human being lest we risk losing what makes us human.

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Incredible discussion with Donnelly Wilkes about his military time including his wartime tour in Iraq.  We also take a deep dive into Donnelly's book Code Red Fallujah.  

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Don’t miss this recorded live broadcast of The Protectors interview with Jeff Morris and Lauren Mickler.  We discuss their book LEGION RISING and the story behind bringing it to print.  

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KYLE MILLS, TALKS MITCH RAPP & ZOMBIES

About the book ENEMY AT THE GATES

Mitch Rapp has worked for a number of presidents over his career, but Anthony Cook is unlike any he’s encountered before. Cunning and autocratic, he feels no loyalty to America’s institutions and is distrustful of the influence Rapp and CIA director Irene Kennedy have in Washington.

When Kennedy discovers evidence of a mole scouring the Agency’s database for sensitive information on Nicholas Ward, the world’s first trillionaire, she convinces Rapp to take a job protecting him. In doing so, he finds himself walking an impossible tightrope: Keep the man alive, but also use him as bait to uncover a traitor who has seemingly unlimited access to government secrets.

As the attacks on Ward become increasingly dire, Rapp and Kennedy are dragged into a world where the lines between governments, multinational corporations, and the hyper-wealthy fade. An environment in which liberty, nationality, and loyalty are meaningless. Only the pursuit of power remains.

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Ray McPadden joined The Protectors to talk about his service, his new book WE MARCHED AT MIDNIGHT, and a ton more.  

Ray’s Book: We March at Midnight is a blood-spattered tour de force of growing up, leadership, the nature of war, and its aftermath.

About Ray:  Ray served as an infantry officer with 2nd Ranger Battalion and 10th Mountain Division, deploying four times and living almost two years on the Afghan-Pakistan border. He earned a Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars, and a medal for valor during his time in combat. His first novel, And The Whole Mountain Burned, won the American Library Association’s W. Y. Boyd Award in 2019. Ray lives in Montana with his wife, daughter and son.  

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Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo

Lenora Claire joined The Protectors to raise awareness about stalking and consulting in the TV/film industry to ensure productions are providing both a platform and a safe space for victims/survivors to share their stories with dignity during their most vulnerable moments. 

About Lenora:  After becoming the fixation of a dangerous stalker, Lenora began to speak out not only for herself but for the other 7.5 million Americans currently being stalked who find themselves without resources and living in fear.Lenora is a survivor of multiple violent crimes, advocate, activist, entertainment industry professional, CEO of Lenora Claire Consulting LLC, and member of the Los Angeles District Attorney Crime Victims Advisory Board.  Lenora also works as a consultant on television and film productions, advocating for victims and their families to ensure respectful depictions of their most traumatic and vulnerable moments.

Make sure to check out Lenora Claire Consulting!

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Jeff Morris, former U.S. Army Infantry Officer and author of LEGION RISING, joined The Protectors to talk about his book, transition, and a ton of other topics.  

The Book:  LEGION RISING. Not everyone has pulled shards of another man's skull from the palm of their hand. Not everyone has stood over the bodies of friends whose lives were lost in an instant. Not everyone has struggled to face their own reflection for years on end. But anyone who has experienced trauma or adversity will resonate with Legion Rising, the unflinchingly honest account of an army officer's journey through combat in the Iraq War and rising beyond the scars that trauma leaves behind. 

Experience an honest, unedited, and occasionally humorous glimpse of the rigors of military training through Jeff’s eyes. Follow Jeff through up-close, fast-paced accounts of the thrills and dangers of combat as a Platoon Leader in Iraq. Feel the weight of the gruesome and tragic loss of eight men whose lives were lost in the line of duty. Journey with Jeff through his battle to face the scars and shadows that followed him long after his time serving in the military was over.

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Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo

Everyday Protector Andrew

Another great chat with an everyday protector, those on the line right now, working on that thin line. Andrew joined me to talk about police life and importance of training. Andrew also talks about using his creative outlet of designing and making custom knives to destress. @hard_head_veterans @standwatchknives

Hard Head Veterans offers a $15 discount, use code: protector

This series is a partnership with Hard Head Veterans. Why did I team up with HHV? Well, as my friend would say, your body is holding up a soft-boiled egg, not a lot of protection from falls or bullets. Got a helmet available? On the job? Use it.
From the HHV Site: Tactical Helmets Are What We Do! Here's the deal, Hard Head Veterans is a veteran owned and operated small business selling tactical ballistic helmets like MICH helmets to the men and women who need them the most. We are veterans of the United States’ most current conflicts, and many of us continue to serve our country today through reserve or contracting roles. Every single member of our team is connected to the military or law enforcement, making us uniquely qualified to better understand and serve the needs of our customers

Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo

Excerpt “By December 2001, ten CIA teams—including Team Alpha and totaling a few dozen CIA officers—had secured victory across Afghanistan. Fighting alongside them was Special Forces troops operating symbiotically with US airpower. Among those troops was a unit from Britain’s Special Boat Service (SBS), operating in the tradition of their country’s Special Operations Executive (SOE), which inspired the OSS. Jettisoning a directive that restricted their ability to fight, the SBS headed toward the sound of gunfire.

The complexity of Afghanistan was apparent to Team Alpha. False surrenders, switching sides, warlord machinations, prisoner abuse, suicide attacks, and ethnic ferment were facts of life. This was a country—if it was a country at all—that could not be controlled. After the surviving members of Team Alpha left Afghanistan, the US military took over and American forces became occupiers rather than insurgents. Conventional troops poured into the country, and fortified bases were established.”

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In this interview, my good friends Brian Andrews & Jeff Wilson stopped by to talk about their new book DARK INTERCEPT, how they take a break from writing, what weapons to use in a zombie apocalypse and a bunch more.  ALSO…..BIG NEWS!  Dark Intercept optioned for TV!  

About the Book:  When dark forces rise, are faith and firepower enough? On the eve of his medical retirement, Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson receives a frantic call from his estranged childhood best friend David Yarnell. David’s daughter has been kidnapped off the streets of Nashville in broad daylight. The police have no suspects and no leads. The only clue: the body of a dead priest left behind at the scene. With the clock ticking, David is growing desperate, as is his wife, Rachel . . . Jed’s first love.

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Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo