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Elevating the conversation about all things tactical.
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Imagery and Instructor Development with Brian Willis
Brian Willis is a police trainer and speaker who founded a company called Winning Mind Training, which focuses on leadership and professional development for law enforcement but is also relevant to others in the military, public safety, or who are serious about survival and personal defense. He also did a TED talk which exemplifies what a good presentation should look like. Hear his thoughts on lesson plan design, use of visual aids, improving engagement, and the role of imagery and mental rehearsals in training.
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On Valor
Mike and Jim examine courage, bravery, and valor. Can it be taught? We go over a few examples and also discuss the element of choice. There are some leadership/moral courage lessons in here as well.
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Thomas Yoxall: A dark and cold morning on the side of the highway…
Thomas Yoxall is a regular guy who makes his living as a photo journalist and enjoys shooting in his free time. He carries a concealed Glock 26 and takes that responsibility seriously – Which is a good thing, because on January 12, 2017, he was driving along Interstate 10 enroute to California when he saw a State Trooper in serious trouble. DPS Officer Ed Andersson had been shot, pistol whipped, and was in a close-quarters fight for his life until Thomas drove by and stopped to help. Concealed weapon carriers and police officers alike need to hear this story.
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Human Needs and Motivation
Some time ago, a psychologist named Abraham Maslow wrote up a list of human needs in roughly the order people need to satisfy them: food and water at the bottom of the pyramid, social and family needs in the middle, and self-esteem and purpose at the top. Mike and Jim discuss some ways we can apply this to tactical and leadership settings by figuring out how to influence behavior.
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1993 Waco Standoff
A federal weapons investigation into a doomsday cult known as the Brand Davidians, formed by a guy name David Koresh, led to a 51-day standoff that resulted in the death of 75 people and at least 4 Federal Agents back in 1993. This was a high-profile event and there are several lessons learned that every one in public safety should hear about. Mike discusses some of those details in this solo episode.
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Drunken War Stories with the Danimal
LANGUAGE WARNING! This episode is NOT safe for work! Uncle Dan like’s Jack Daniels and he’s had a little bit to drink so we’re gonna drag some war stories out of him and have a good time. Dan was one of Mike’s team leaders on SWAT when he first joined the team. He’s also a football coach for his son, and it turns out there’s quite a bit of crossover between the two in terms of leadership and tactics. As the alcohol level rises, you’ll get to hear a little bit about Dan has shaped the training culture in his agency and what he’s learned along the way. Good times!
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Lessons from 17,000 Gun Fights
John Correia runs Active Self Protection (ASP), a massive YouTube channel analyzing self defense encounters from all over the world. He’s taken notes on 17,000 gunfights caught on camera, and he’s going to share some of those lessons with us in tonight’s episode. Link to John’s video discussed in the show here.
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Jason Sweet
USAF PARARESCUEMAN, College football player, Human Performance researcher. Jason’s bringing us up to speed on some current research, athletic performance, mental toughness, motivation, and his current project preparing future special operators for selection, training, and performance in their chosen career fields. An insightful conversation that covers things like the difference in physical and mental demands between USAF Special Operations and NCAA Division I College football.
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James Gagliano
The Ferguson Effect. The militarization of law enforcement. The history and evolution of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team. These are just a few of the topics we cover with Mr. Gagliano who is a retired career FBI Supervisory Agent, West Point graduate, Army Ranger, and now CNNs Law Enforcement Analyst.
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Jim’s Take on Shooters
Jim does a deep-dive on active shooters and mass violence, complete with case studies, some steps you can take to get help, fight if necessary, and some scenarios to help you recognize some warning signs.
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In a crisis, YOU are the variable
Mike uses three aviation emergency case studies to illustrate how human factors apply to real life situations, and touches on things like the importance of training, the value of good after-action debriefs and what makes them effective, and a little about interpersonal communication.
Risky Business – Doing dangerous work, Safely.
Military, LE, and Concealed Carriers are armed for a reason – to reduce or mitigate risk. Jim breaks down what that means and how to apply risk management as part of your tactical equation. This isn’t a safety class, this is a class on making the right call on whether that new gun, tactic, or training class is helping you or hurting you.
America’s New F-35, with Justin Lee
EPISODE 46 AMERICA'S NEW F-35, WITH JUSTIN LEEMerino Wool Socks are the way to go! Go check out Point6! They have Mastered Merino Wool and their socks are made in the US and have a lifetime guarantee. Use the discount code TacTangents2019 for 25% off! The F-35 is our...