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Elevating the conversation about all things tactical.
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Shivworks ECQC
Earlier this year we had Craig Douglas on the show to talk a little about his expertise in the self-defense world. Craig runs a company called Shivworks, and their flagship course is called Extreme Close Quarters Concepts (ECQC). ECQC specializes in clinched/entangled or “0-5 feet” fights that often involve knives and guns. Jim went to ECQC and tonight we’re talking about his after-action report and lessons learned. Check out why ECQC is one of the best self-defense courses available.
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The “Tactical” Personality
A lot of people think that being a “Type-A” has something to do with a hierarchy or “alpha dog,” but it turns out, that’s not it. We break down what Type A really means, and what traits we see in the Tactical type of person. These traits are important to understand, because a little might be good, but a lot can be really bad. They are also good to know from a leadership perspective, because if you work in a community full of “Type-As,” you know that can be, uh, difficult…
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Kevin Briggs, The Guardian of the Golden Gate
EPISODE 27 THE GUARDIAN OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE LOOKING FOR AN OPTIC? We are excited to announce our new partnership with Riton Optics! Need a Scope, Red Dot, binoculars? Use discount code TacTangents for 15% off. Deeper discounts for military and public safety! Be...
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The Final Mission of Extortion 17
Ed Darack is an author and war reporter who has embedded with US forces in Afghanistan and written a couple books about it. Extortion 17 was a US Chinook helicopter that was shot down by a lucky hit by a Taliban fighter with an RPG. 38 US and Afghan personnel and a military working dog were killed in what became the largest single loss of Special Operations personnel in Afghanistan. Just so happens, Jim was deployed at the time of the incident and has personal connections with the story. In the aftermath, several rumors and conspiracy theories surfaced about the incident, and Ed wrote an article and then a book to get the story right and honor the memories of the personnel and crew who were killed that night.
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Being Effective At Work
This might sound a little boring, but let’s face it: Trying to get stuff done when you’re dealing with your bosses is a skill of its own. Some people are better at it than others. We discuss some strategies for dealing with “obstructions” in the workplace. It’s not that you should backdoor everything and circumvent rules or procedure, its just that there are some ways to go about the system that might help you achieve your mission.
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Problem Solving and Tactics Development
What is a tactic? How do we come up with them? The word tactical is one of those buzzwords we throw around, but what does it all mean? We are going to talk about how people apply creativity and problem solving in our professions. That involves several layers: We have to come up with ideas, we have to test them, we have to make sure they are grounded in reality, and ultimately it takes a team of people to make this process work. How do we go from “bar-napkin idea,” to “the way we do business?”
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On Leadership, Vol. 1
Mike and Jim discuss the differences between a boss, manager, and leader, styles of leadership and how they affect a team or organization. We’ll cover things like establishing social norms and how close or distant leaders should develop their personal relationship with subordinates.
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Andy Brown, Warnings Unheeded
We interviewed Andy Brown, the author of Warnings Unheeded, to discuss his role in stopping an active shooter with an AK47 by shooting him in the head from 68 yards away with his pistol. We cover the things that he credits with his success that day including dry fire practice, mental rehearsals, and personal responsibility, as well as the pre-attack indicators that several people observed before the attack. We also discuss a notorious B-52 crash that happened in preparation for an airshow at Fairchild shortly after.
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Fight Club with Craig Douglas
EPISODE 21 FIGHT CLUB WITH CRAIG DOUGLAS Craig Douglas is a retired SWAT and undercover narcotics cop who started a company called Shivworks, specializing in close-range and entangled gunfighting and knife defense. His classes and training philosophies are legendary,...
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Timing, Tactics, and Patience
Whether you are organizing an air battle campaign or you are wrestling over a gun with a bad guy, there is a lot to be said about the element of time. Mike and Jim discuss how we have to account for the time variable in a conflict, and how staying disciplined, gaining initiative, and being patient are important factors to consider in terms of keeping up with the fight or shaping the outcome of any individual battle.
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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!
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.
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.