THE PODCAST
Elevating the conversation about all things tactical.
San Bernardino Active Shooter
In December 2015, a husband and wife who pledged allegiance to ISIS carried out an attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others in San Bernardino, California. The shooters fled the scene and engaged in a lengthy gunfight with police when they were located some time later. Lt. Gary Schulke of the SB Police Department was involved in that fight and shares the story of the event from start to finish, including accounts of the survivors and audio from the incident. The incident was the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States at the time post-9/11.
Performing Under Pressure with Dr. Michael Lauria
Dr. Michael Lauria was a United States Air Force Pararescueman (PJ), Flight Paramedic, Government Contractor, and is now doing his residency in Emergency Medicine at New Mexico’s only trauma center. Michael talks with us about his passion for human factors and performance. We discuss checklists, cognitive tools, and training implications.
Resilience and Mental Toughness
Our feelings on what resilience means in a tactical setting and how to make sure you are not an easy victim. Includes some thoughts on “resilience training” and where mental toughness comes from.
Sexual Assault
Jim walks us through a series of rape scandals at the Air Force Academy, and discusses practical ways to prevent and respond to assaults.
Preventing Heat Related Injuries – In Memory of Ken “K3” Sturgill
First, a toast: This episode is dedicated to Airman First Class Kenneth “K3” Sturgill, an Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) Specialist Trainee who perished in training as a result of heat stroke. K3’s father, K2, shares some stories about his childhood and the man he was. We learn about the mishap and what steps the Air Force is taking to prevent this sort of thing in the future. To wrap up, Mike and Jim talk a little about heat stress and how to mitigate heat related injuries.
Lessons from Ruby Ridge
One of the most emotional stand-offs in US history is the one between the Weaver family and the FBI at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. This all started when a group of US Marshals were attempting to arrest Randy Weaver for a weapons offense. After an exchange of gunfire that left people on both sides dead, the FBI HRT responded to resolve the issue in what became one of the most polarizing cases that touched everything from gun control, the use of deadly force by law enforcement, and federal oversight and over-reach.
Disaster Prep
Jim lays out the planning you need to do before a disaster strikes – arguing for a sane approach to “prepping.”
MJ the Marine Round 2
This is the second time MJ has joined Mike and Jim on the show. Today we discussed some of the differences between Air Force and Marine Corps culture. Obviously very different – but MJ and Jim are both pilots so there are some similarities in that regard. There are reasons for both and they each have their advantages and disadvantages. We also discuss how this applies to other areas, and of course relate it all back to the philosophy of John Boyd.
Teaching and Learning
Back in the day when we went to junior high or high school there was plenty of structure to learning but we were also easily distracted. It’s a little different when you fast forward into a profession or hobby built around saving your own life, so Mike and Jim discuss some thoughts for students and instructors on how to learn or teach well, whether it’s related to physical skills or the softer more academic stuff. Kind of administrative but relevant to learning how to fight, shoot, and perform.
Tests and Standards with John Johnston
John Johnston is the host of Ballistic Radio and teaches firearms with Melody Lauer at Citizen’s Defense Research. CDR has a one-day shooting class called Tests and Standards which is an entire day of assessments. We discuss how people identify metrics for performance and how they apply in context. CDR also has a course for The Armed Parent and Guardian, which led to an interesting discussion about the dichotomy of taking training and performance seriously while also enjoying life and having fun.
Countering the Stalker
Stalking is a problem that often isn’t recognized until it’s well out of hand, and advice from friends and relatives is often limited to platitudes about restraining orders or buying a gun. Our hosts take a look at the nuts and bolts of the problem with an eye to strategy and the recognition that legal solutions can be frustratingly time consuming.
Training: The Good, The Bad & The Dangerous
In a crossover episode of Tactical Tangents, Mike sits down with Danimal of The Thin Brewed Line to talk about setting up a training program to keep officers alive on the streets…and in the training environment. In a dangerous profession, the danger shouldn’t be coming from inside the program!
The Big Ideas: What We’re All About
What are we doing here and why are we doing it? With an assist from Mike, Jim lays out the secret; the keys to the whole mission of Tactical Tangents. These are the key concepts to helping the Doers do things better in the tactical world, whether military, law enforcement, or general personal defense.
From Waco to Uvalde, and Combat Planning to Zombie Prepping, Jim walks us through the key ideas in the Tactical Tangents Podcast. We hit OODA Loops, Flight Safety, Shooting Training, Talent Selection, and Personal Resilience.
Instant Expertise (just add experience)
It’s easy to find yourself thrust into a position where others regard you as an ”expert”, but what really constitutes expertise? Do you have it? Can it be acquired? When will you feel like you have it? (And why feeling like an expert should be a warning sign…)
What makes an expert? Are you one? Do your friends or your employer consider you one? How does one go about seeking expertise? Relatedly, it’s a big and confusing internet out there and every day you are confronted with people who claim to be experts. Jim and Mike have some tips for separating the expert wheat from the poser chaff, especially when that purported expert is in the mirror.
A War Waged Against Dallas PD
A lone gunman killed 5 Dallas police officers and wounded several others in this 2016 attack following a series of contested officer involved shootings throughout the country. Lessons include ambush and counter-ambush tactics, the militarization of law enforcement, and use of a bomb robot rigged with explosives to subdue the attacker.
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