Tactical Tangents
180 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 89 ratingsMike is a police SWAT team member, K9 handler, and tactical medic. Jim is an Air Force pilot with a background in close air support and combat search and rescue. Our goal is to elevate the conversation about all things tactical for public safety, military, and concerned citizens. Join us to hear lessons learned about decision making, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and teamwork.
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Episodes
29: Shivworks Extreme Close Quarters Concepts (ECQC)
November 15, 2018 00:28 - 1 hour - 80.3 MBEarlier 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. Pre...
28: Are you Type-A? What is the "Tactical" Personality?
November 01, 2018 04:24 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBA 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 really it. In this episode, Mike and Jim 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, ...
27: Kevin Briggs, The Guardian of the Golden Gate
October 15, 2018 07:58 - 1 hour - 83.7 MBKevin Briggs is a retired California Highway Patrol Sergeant who has been called the Guardian of the Golden Gate for his reputation interacting with hundreds of people who wanted to commit suicide by jumping from the bridge. We discuss communication strategies, some considerations to make regarding tactical interventions in a crisis, red flags that someone might kill themselves, things to say to someone in crisis, and 4 things to NOT say to someone who is thinking about killing themselves. ...
26: The Final Mission of Extortion 17
October 01, 2018 04:00 - 50 minutes - 57.3 MBEd 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 ...
25: Being Effective at Work: Bureaucracy and Organizational Politics
September 15, 2018 04:00 - 41 minutes - 47.9 MBThis 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. How To Win Friends and Influence People Boyd: The Fight...
24: Problem Solving and Tactics Development: Going from "Bar Napkin" to "The way we do business."
September 01, 2018 04:00 - 51 minutes - 58.5 MBWhat 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 to coming up with a list of solutions to situations we face 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 ...
23: On Leadership, Vol. 1
August 15, 2018 04:00 - 57 minutes - 66.1 MBMike 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. TED Talk Aid in Africa Parkland Sheriff claiming he's not responsible Remember that we publish new episodes on the 1st and the 15th of every month! Find us on Facebook @TacTangents or email us at info@tact...
22: Warnings Unheeded: Twin Tragedies at Fairchild Air Force Base by Andy Brown
August 01, 2018 04:00 - 58 minutes - 67.1 MBWe 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...
21: Fight Club with Craig Douglas (Shivworks)
July 15, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 78 MBCraig 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, and he joined us on the podcast to discuss some of those things. He also has courses dealing with solo building searches and fighting in a vehicle, which both present a pretty unique set of problems. Listen us to pick Craig's brain about pressure-testing tactics and te...
20: Timing, Tactics, and Patience
July 01, 2018 04:00 - 45 minutes - 52 MBWhether 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. We also took a few questions from the audience and talked briefly about the ...
19: Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department (BCSO) SWAT/Special Operations and Air Support Leadership
June 15, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 91.3 MBWe met with the commanders of the Air Unit and SWAT Team for the Bernalillo Co Sheriff in Albuquerque. This is a busy agency with a lot going on. We talk about leadership, career paths to special teams in law enforcement, discuss a police helicopter shot down, and cover practical tips to keep yourself and your stuff safe. Thanks to Undersheriff Koren, Lieutenant Blackmon, and Deputy Maggard for arranging this interview. Sign up for our new weekly bulletin for short emails (500 words) of ta...
18: Dr. Andy Tang, Trauma Director, University of Arizona Medical Center
June 01, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 99.3 MBDoctor Tang is a trauma surgeon, professor of surgery, and the Director of Trauma at the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, AZ. Doctor Tang joins Mike and Jim to discuss things related not only to trauma and medicine, but also leadership, teaching, and working under pressure. Hear the Doc explain what he knows about certain prehospital practices and what we could do better as part of a larger trauma system. Are chest seals worth while? Should we transport people in the back of p...
17: Information Security--Can you keep a secret?
May 15, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 105 MBWe are just starting to comprehend the impact of information protection and cyber security on tactical reality. It turns out that you don’t have to be a level 9 computer hacker ninja – you just have to manage your risk and actively work on your security. Self-awareness and layers will help you a lot. Alridge Ames Interview The Interrogator Protecting the Gift DEFCON 15 No Tech Hacking Remember that we publish new episodes on the 1st and the 15th of every month! Find us on Facebook...
16: Officer Isaac checks in for Field Training
May 01, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 93.5 MBLanguage warning! In an earlier episode, we had our buddy Isaac on the show who was getting ready to start the police academy. Isaac graduated the academy and is now a sworn officer in the middle of field training, and he's checking in with us to share some lessons learned. He's going to talk to us about active shooter training and a shift in his thinking, away from gadgets and gear towards training and mindset (People, Ideas, Hardware--In that order!) and he'll tell us about some dumb rooki...
15: "I was in fear for my life." How do police officers reconcile lethal force against a suicidal person?
April 15, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 106 MBA police officer on the east coast was fired for failing to shoot a suicidal person with a gun. We talk about applying critical thinking to discussions like this, because it's important that we consider the arguments of both sides to such a debate. We're going to talk about context in use of force, how lawsuits and litigation fit in to these sorts of discussions, and reconciling the fact that sometimes cops have to kill otherwise good people. Remember that we publish new episodes on the 1s...
14: Q&A with Massad Ayoob, Use of Force Expert and Champion Shooter
April 01, 2018 04:00 - 42 minutes - 58.5 MBThe courts make the final judgement on use of force--but they rely heavily on the expert testimony of legends like Massad Ayoob. Mas is a champion shooter and long-time teacher in matters related to self-defense, police doctrine, and use of force. He joined Mike on the podcast to answer some questions from our audience. What are we lacking in training? What should a citizen look for in an self-defense attorney? What should we do about the inconsistencies in our statement compared to video re...
13: Annette Evans: "Every Girl Should Learn How to Shoot!"
March 15, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBAnnette is a competitive shooter, private firearms instructor, attorney, author, blogger, and she was gracious enough to join Mike on the podcast for an interview. If you are just getting into shooting as a private citizen, listening to her talk about learning a new skill is worth your time. She and I talk about her progression from casual shooting to serious self-defense, and the value of steeping yourself in the competition shooting sports. She tells us what to look for in shooting instruc...
12: "Push to talk, not to think." Communication during a crisis.
March 01, 2018 05:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBCommunicating during a crisis is its own skill all by itself. We’re going to talk about some principles that can help you get it right whether you use radios professionally in public safety, aviation, or the military--or if you are a private citizen trying to get that 911 call out in a hurry. Ideas in here to think about: "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate." Don't be "that guy" on the radio, take one step back from the crisis when you click that button. “Push to talk, not to think.” -A friend we...
11: Get off the X! Ambush and Counter Ambush Tactics
February 15, 2018 05:00 - 58 minutes - 83.4 MBAmbush is a term that we tend to overuse to mean any attack that catches us off guard. We are going to define the term ambush and, more importantly, define the counter-tactics to apply if you are ambushed. The important thing to realize is that the sooner you identify an imminent or in-progress ambush, the sooner you are able to effectively respond to it. So we have to make sure we aren’t getting too wrapped in the semantics here, it only matters if your counter-tactics apply. We're going to...
10: Slow is smooth, smooth is weird, fast is tactical. Right?
February 01, 2018 05:00 - 54 minutes - 75.4 MBLike many good ideas in the tactical community, "Slow is smooth, Smooth is Fast," is one of those that started out with strong roots and grew into something barely recognizable. We lose IQ points when the adrenaline hits--the emotional response that we experience under stress bypasses our ability to make rational decisions. We think that this phrase is best applied to our cognitive awareness and ability to take control of feeling overwhelmed, get a true sense of the problem at hand, reason w...
9: What do aviation and self-defense have in common?
January 15, 2018 05:00 - 53 minutes - 73.4 MBIn the mid-nineties a Fedex employee facing termination attempted to hijack Fedex Flight 705 from Memphis to San Jose. His plan was to take over the plane and crash it into the Fedex headquarters, and he wanted to make it look like an accident. 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 a...
8: Good Shoots, Bad Shoots, and Snowmobiles
January 01, 2018 05:00 - 1 hour - 99.5 MBBoyd used to walk people through a thought experiment in which he wanted people to use their imagination to “create a new reality,” to illustate the creative nature of our minds. In a tactical sense, we can take lessons learned from several different places and apply those principles to whatever realm is important to us. At Tactical Tangents, we are always trying to find a balance among law enforcement, military, and concealed-carry topics—but it’s important to consider that we can all fin...
7: Boyd, OODA, and Our Mission
December 15, 2017 05:23 - 57 minutes - 78.5 MBJohn 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 ...
6: Road Rage, situational leadership, and interpersonal barriers
December 01, 2017 05:00 - 51 minutes - 70.9 MBIn 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. We also touch a little bit on what de-escalation techniq...
5: So you wanna be a cop?
November 15, 2017 05:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBStrong Language Warning--probably don't play this out loud at work or around your kids! Full disclosure, we actually recorded this episode a little while back when our buddy Isaac was getting ready for the police academy. We wanted to take advantage of the Q and A opportunity before he kicked off his career. We have some follow-up recordings in the works with Isaac so you can check in and see how he's doing if you're interested. We talk about Isaac's stupid mustache, how defensive tactics ...
4: North Hollywood Shootout
November 01, 2017 04:00 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBBreak 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. Amazingly, the only two fatalities that day were the bad guys, but there were about 20 others wounded (civilian and police). Some of the big take aways have to do with the proliferation of long guns and armored vehicles in law enforcement, shooting “two the body, one to the head,” and how we ap...
3: Shooting, Beginner to Good/Great
October 15, 2017 04:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MBMike 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.” We talk about ways to balance speed and accuracy, and some things to think about when you are trying to diagnose a problem or isolate certain variables to improve your ability to shoot. We talk about adding stress/pressure to our drills, how important it is to have a good coach or at least use slow motion video to carefully...
2: Using Rules to Manage Risk
October 01, 2017 16:00 - 56 minutes - 78.1 MBOne 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 discuss how we use rules and guidelines to manage risk and shape our decisions. We talk about the risks associated with car chases, the 21-foot rule, and how some parents worry more about having a gun in the house than a pool in their backyard. We also share one of our guiding principl...
1: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should
September 25, 2017 22:40 - 39 minutes - 54.4 MBIn 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. Teaching people how to use critical thinking and good judgment is difficult, and our goal is to help shape your decision making and speed up the learning curve. 39:00 ish You ca...
1: Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should
September 25, 2017 22:40 - 39 minutes - 54.4 MBIn our inaugural episode, we delve into the notorious Utah nurse incident where a nurse was seemingly "arrested" for her refusal to perform a blood draw, a case that ignited intense scrutiny over the law enforcement officer's actions. This incident serves as a poignant example of how individuals can become entangled in the intricate web of legal analysis when examining the decisions made by law enforcement officials. While it's true that there are occasions where one might succeed in contest...