The job trains you to win the fight, but it does not always train you to carry what comes after. From the middle of the TTPOA vendor floor, we sit down with Brad Ortiz (Science Shop) and Dwayne from the American Warrior Association to get brutally practical about officer wellness, resilience, and the kind of support that actually works for first responders, veterans, and families.

We dig into what “resiliency training” really means and why a proactive wellness framework matters just as much as firearms reps. The conversation gets specific on moral injury in law enforcement, how the steady drip of hard calls and broken systems rewires your stress response over time, and why the tipping point is rarely the one dramatic moment people expect. We also unpack culturally competent clinicians and why the right counselor has to understand the lifestyle, not just the diagnosis.

Then we zoom out to the bigger identity question: what happens when the badge becomes the whole self, and how do you build a life outside law enforcement without losing the mission to serve? Along the way, we connect the dots between SWAT culture, leadership, business decision-making, and relationship-driven integrity that lasts longer than any single purchase or contract.

If you care about first responder mental health, proactive resilience, and real-world tools for longevity, hit play, share this with your team, and subscribe so you do not miss what we are building next.

TTPOA Partnerships:

Jorge Pastore Foundation 

Law Enforcement training is essential for preparing officers to effectively and safely perform their duties. Everyone benefits from training, and by providing greater access to meaningful tactical training, we improve the lives of officers and the safety of our community. JPF was founded to honor the sacrifice of Officer Jorge Pastore and his passion for training.  We are proud to provide foundation-sponsored classes at no or low cost to law enforcement officers in various areas, including firearms training, defensive tactics & wellness.  In addition, we provide funding to officers seeking training outside of the central Texas area when approved by their department or association. 

https://www.jpastorefoundation.com/

The American Warrior Association

The American Warrior Association (AWA) is a faith-driven, research-based nonprofit dedicated to healing moral injury among service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. We provide faith-based healing, practical support, and comprehensive wellness programs to foster lasting resilience and spiritual strength.

https://www.awa-usa.org/programs/explore-awa-programs

The word “dynamic” gets thrown around like it means fast feet and reckless decisions, but that’s not what we see in real CQB. From the TTPOA conference floor in Round Rock, Texas, we take live questions and pull the conversation back to what actually keeps people alive: strong foundational skills, honest accountability, and the ability to move from task to task with zero delay when the fight starts.

We dig into what makes a shoot house useful for law enforcement training and what quietly sabotages learning, from obvious bullet traps to target setups that let people memorize “the right answer.” We talk about how to build a progression that develops visual discipline, decision-making, and scoring standards, plus why many real shootings look like officers “shooting the situation” instead of shooting their vision. If your team wants better performance, we argue you have to stop chasing fancy scenarios and rebuild the foundation that tactics sit on.

We also get very specific for the officers paying their own way. If you only have 100 rounds for a range day, we lay out a clear plan that balances predictive doubles, reactive shooting, movement, and a final live check of your dry work. And we close with a hard truth about culture: after action reviews only work when people own mistakes, cut excuses fast, and walk out as a stronger team.
If you would like to train with TTPOA, here is the training link: https://ttpoa.org/advanced-training

TTPOA Partnerships:

Jorge Pastore Foundation 

Law Enforcement training is essential for preparing officers to effectively and safely perform their duties. Everyone benefits from training, and by providing greater access to meaningful tactical training, we improve the lives of officers and the safety of our community. JPF was founded to honor the sacrifice of Officer Jorge Pastore and his passion for training.  We are proud to provide foundation-sponsored classes at no or low cost to law enforcement officers in various areas, including firearms training, defensive tactics & wellness.  In addition, we provide funding to officers seeking training outside of the central Texas area when approved by their department or association. 

https://www.jpastorefoundation.com/

The American Warrior Association

The American Warrior Association (AWA) is a faith-driven, research-based nonprofit dedicated to healing moral injury among service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. We provide faith-based healing, practical support, and comprehensive wellness programs to foster lasting resilience and spiritual strength.

https://www.awa-usa.org/programs/explore-awa-programs

We sit down with Matt Pranka to talk night vision as a real capability for law enforcement and SWAT, not a gear flex. The thread that ties it all together is simple: hard skills built through honest training create calm decisions when real fights unfold at full speed.
• night vision training built around application and shooting fundamentals
• positive identification limits at distance under white light and IR
• offsets, lasers, illuminators, and repeating reps to expose errors
• dry fire and efficient practice for busy officers and instructors
• separating real training from social media content and empty “systems”
• CQB mindset differences between winning the fight and trying not to lose
• why patrol shootings happen fast and why speed must be trained
• debriefs that focus on what went wrong and how to move forward
• setting training conditions that allow mistakes early and reduce defects later
• process-driven improvement over shortcuts and “easy button” promises
• the gap between basic qualifications and real operational readiness

If you would like to train with TTPOA, here is the training link: https://ttpoa.org/advanced-training

TTPOA Partnerships:

Jorge Pastore Foundation 

Law Enforcement training is essential for preparing officers to effectively and safely perform their duties. Everyone benefits from training, and by providing greater access to meaningful tactical training, we improve the lives of officers and the safety of our community. JPF was founded to honor the sacrifice of Officer Jorge Pastore and his passion for training.  We are proud to provide foundation-sponsored classes at no or low cost to law enforcement officers in various areas, including firearms training, defensive tactics & wellness.  In addition, we provide funding to officers seeking training outside of the central Texas area when approved by their department or association. 

https://www.jpastorefoundation.com/

The American Warrior Association

The American Warrior Association (AWA) is a faith-driven, research-based nonprofit dedicated to healing moral injury among service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. We provide faith-based healing, practical support, and comprehensive wellness programs to foster lasting resilience and spiritual strength.

https://www.awa-usa.org/programs/explore-awa-programs

In this episode, we had an inspiring conversation with Ed and Rick of Obsidian Spear Group. They shared their journey of starting a new company focused on law enforcement training after retirement, discussing what that experience has been like, how they’re giving back, and the valuable lessons they've learned along the way—lessons that have made them better professionals and people. “ That's Just Texas Talkin”

ED
Founder - Obsidian Spear Group

Ed  dedicated over 21 years in U.S. Army special operations. He served in the 75th Ranger Regiment as a Recce Team Leader, Platoon Sergeant, and Small Unit Tactics Instructor, shaping the next generation of elite warriors.

 In 2014, Ed was assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), where he operated globally as an Assaulter, Breacher, Sniper, and Senior Tactical Advisor. With multiple deployments around the world and deep combat experience, he now leads Obsidian Spear Group—bringing hard-earned lessons to those who face danger head-on

 "I started Obsidian Spear Group in 2024 to continue a calling that began in the Regiment—mentoring warriors. Some of my most rewarding moments in the military came from training new Rangers, helping them become more lethal, more decisive, and more resilient in chaos. I saw that same need in the law enforcement and civilian world. OSG was born to pass on not just what I learned from success, but also the hard lessons from failure—to equip today’s protectors with the mindset, skill, and heart to thrive in the fight."

If you would like to train with TTPOA, here is the training link: https://ttpoa.org/advanced-training

If you would like to be a vendor at our Conference, here is the link: https://ttpoa.org/conferences/2026-ttpoa-conference/vendors

TTPOA Partnerships:

Jorge Pastore Foundation 

Law Enforcement training is essential for preparing officers to effectively and safely perform their duties. Everyone benefits from training, and by providing greater access to meaningful tactical training, we improve the lives of officers and the safety of our community. JPF was founded to honor the sacrifice of Officer Jorge Pastore and his passion for training.  We are proud to provide foundation-sponsored classes at no or low cost to law enforcement officers in various areas, including firearms training, defensive tactics & wellness.  In addition, we provide funding to officers seeking training outside of the central Texas area when approved by their department or association. 

https://www.jpastorefoundation.com/

The American Warrior Association

The American Warrior Association (AWA) is a faith-driven, research-based nonprofit dedicated to healing moral injury among service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. We provide faith-based healing, practical support, and comprehensive wellness programs to foster lasting resilience and spiritual strength.

https://www.awa-usa.org/programs/explore-awa-programs

In this engaging episode, we talk with SOLGW co-founder Mike Mihalski and new CEO Nate Horvath about gun ownership in America, the creation of the most reliable AR platform, and the vision for SOLGW 2.0. Tune in for insights on the future of firearm innovation! A Texas gun company leading the way!

If you would like to train with TTPOA, here is the training link: https://ttpoa.org/advanced-training

If you would like to be a vendor at our Conference, here is the link: https://ttpoa.org/conferences/2026-ttpoa-conference/vendors

TTPOA Partnerships:

Jorge Pastore Foundation 

Law Enforcement training is essential for preparing officers to effectively and safely perform their duties. Everyone benefits from training, and by providing greater access to meaningful tactical training, we improve the lives of officers and the safety of our community. JPF was founded to honor the sacrifice of Officer Jorge Pastore and his passion for training.  We are proud to provide foundation-sponsored classes at no or low cost to law enforcement officers in various areas, including firearms training, defensive tactics & wellness.  In addition, we provide funding to officers seeking training outside of the central Texas area when approved by their department or association. 

https://www.jpastorefoundation.com/

The American Warrior Association

The American Warrior Association (AWA) is a faith-driven, research-based nonprofit dedicated to healing moral injury among service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. We provide faith-based healing, practical support, and comprehensive wellness programs to foster lasting resilience and spiritual strength.

https://www.awa-usa.org/programs/explore-awa-programs

In the exciting series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Brian and Chancey from Reticence Group. We explored how practical shooting training can be effectively incorporated into SWAT team training. The discussion covered strategies for aligning training goals, overcoming common challenges, and fostering team buy-in. Listeners will gain valuable insights on building strong communication between trainers and SWAT Teams to create impactful, real-world shooting programs.

 In Exciting series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Brain  and Chancey from Reticence Group. We explore how practical shooting training can be effectively implemented in partnership with law enforcement leadership. It delves into strategies for aligning training goals with administrative priorities, overcoming common challenges, and fostering collaboration to enhance officer skills and safety. Listeners will gain insights on building strong communication between trainers and law enforcement agencies to create impactful, real-world shooting programs.

In this exciting series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Brian and Chancey from Reticence Group. They shared insights on how they train active and veteran officers in practical shooting. Both Bryan and Chancey are instrumental in teaching at a major metro police department, integrating a practical and performance-based shooting approach into their firearms training program to better prepare officers. 

In this exciting series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Brian and Chancey from Reticence Group. They shared insights on how they train police recruits in practical shooting at the Academy. Both Bryan and Chancey are instrumental in teaching at a major metro police department, integrating a practical and performance-based shooting approach into their firearms training program to better prepare officers.

I sat down with Tanner and Coy. They and their teams are competing in this or any competition for the first time. We discuss lessons learned, equipment, training, and key takeaways to enhance your team's performance in real-world operations.