THE PODCAST
Elevating the conversation about all things tactical.
Fedex 705
A Fedex employee facing termination attempted to hijack Fedex Flight 705 and crash it into the headquarters. Armed with a hammer and a spear gun, he launched a surprise attack against the crew of three shortly after takeoff. This is one of many chilling examples of how workplace violence can turn really bad really fast. We discuss some of the warning signs and pre-assault indicators, strategies for intervening in a close-quarters attack, and some of the reasons checklists are such a big deal for pilots.
Good Shoots, Bad Shoots, and Snowmobiles
In this episode, we discuss two controversial police shootings (Philando Castile and Daniel Shaver) and the binary terms that people tend to use to describe these sorts of incidents: Justified, or not. Murder, or self-defense. Good shoot, or Bad Shoot. Sometimes, it’s somewhere in between.
Boyd, OODA, and Our Mission
John Boyd was the guy behind the OODA loop, the F-15, the F-16. He and his group of reformers were also largely responsible for the A-10, the Warfighting manual for the USMC, and some of the planning of Desert Storm. Boyd said, “War is ever changing, and men are ever fallible-Teach men to think!”
He was also, in a lot of ways, the inspiration for the Tactical Tangents project. Hear about the guerilla reform movement he led against the bureaucracy that is the US Department of Defense and how his work affected tactics, leadership, decision making, and the Art of War.
Road Rage
In episode 6 we discuss a couple of road rage incidents that escalated to the point someone got hurt or killed, and one that was handled pretty well by a guy in Indiana. These stories are important because most of us tend to feel pretty tough behind the wheel of our car. The distance and physical barrier that our cars put between us and other drivers make us feel like we aren’t in much danger, but that can be a false sense of security.
So you wanna be a cop?
Strong language warning! Our buddy Isaac is getting ready for the police academy. Hear us answer his questions and make fun of his mustache.
North Hollywood Shootout
Break down of the 1997 North Hollywood Shootout. 20 years ago this year, two dudes brought the LAPD and a few assisting agencies to their knees during a bank robbery that turned into an epic gunfight.
Shooting, Beginner to Good
Mike and Jim talk about ways they learned and apply the fundamentals to shooting practice, specifically trying to bridge the gap from “beginner,” to “decent,” to “good.”
Using Rules to Manage Risk
One of the themes we discussed in our last episode was that just because something is technically legal, or not against the rules, that doesn’t necessarily make it a good idea. We build on that theme today and talk about how we use rules and guidelines to manage risk and shape our decisions.
Just because you can
In our intro episode we talk about the Utah nurse incident where the guy “arrested” the nurse for not doing a blood draw, and how people get wrapped up in the legal analysis of that officer’s decision. There are times you might be able to win the battle, but your tactical decisions often have a strategic outcome.
Most Gear is a Rip Off: A systematic approach to buying and testing equipment
Most Gear is a Rip Off: A systematic approach to buying and testing equipment. Mike and Jim work through some fundamentals on buying gear in a thoughtful way from a new pocket knife to a new stealth fighter. How to build a requirement, get funding, find a vendor, test a prototype, and manage the widget through its lifecycle.
Do You Feel In Charge? Training a Working Dog
Do You Feel In Charge? Training a Working Dog. Jim and Mike talk about what it means to work with a service dog, what distinguishes them from pets, how to select them, train them, and employ them. Mike also talks about different training methods and how some of them work in different ways.
The principles of dog training go outside of just employing a dog in a working environment. A dog who follows simple commands will help keep your dog, and your family safe and happy.
Man, We F***ked That Up – How to Handle the Debrief
Mike and Jim explain how to capture lessons-learned from each mission and train from those lessons. We take a few ideas from the Blue Angels and address some factors in organizational behavior, culture, and operational planning as well.
Training Champions – Maxing Performance from Baseball to Special Ops
Major League Baseball, Stanford University, 10th Special Forces, and Los Angeles County Fire are just a few of the organizations Fernando Montes has served as an exercise physiologist and sports performance coach in some capacity. He currently works with firefighters, especially wildland crews and academy recruits. Mr. Montes talks to us about the mental side of training, heat acclimatization, hydration, supplementation, and more based on four decades of experience working with a broad range of tactical and professional athletes.
Operation Eagle Claw: To You All, From Us All, For Having The Guts To Try
A watershed event in the history of US Special Operations was the 1979 hostage rescue attempt at the embassy in Tehran, Iran. Known as Operations Eagle Claw, this failed mission and the tragedy at the Desert One landing site led to the formation of US SOCOM and pushed special operations into the next generation. The best way we can honor the hostages who remained in captivity and the service members who lost their lives is to draw some lessons learned and acknowledge their sacrifice for having “The Guts To Try.”
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