Tactical Tangents

Mike tells us about recent lessons from training, and Jim tells us about arguments he had on the neighborhood facebook page about CHEMTRAILS and whether birds are real. Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our  Facebook Discussion Group . Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, and more on our website  www....

Jim tells Mike about some of the emergencies he has faced on the ground. We discuss when to call 911, what to tell them, and what first aid Jim applied as well as whether he got sued for helping someone.  Did he thwart a murder plot in a hot air balloon? What exactly is degloving? Tune in and find out. Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conv...

The boys talk us through how to achieve work-life balance in full-commitment jobs like aviation, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and other critical roles.   Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our  Facebook Discussion Group . Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, and more on our website  www...

We delve into the horrifying crimes of a convicted serial predator whose reign of terror culminated in the brutal murders of the Groene family in 2005. We'll explore Duncan's dark past and the stalking and execution-style killings that led to the abduction of Shasta and Dylan Groene. We talk about managing our consumption of evil things in the world, the impact that has on our parenting, and we un...

Cops, military folks, pilots, medical professionals have some things in common. One of the BIG commonalities is a collection of BIG egos. Mike & Jim will walk us through how to navigate those egos to create a tactical advantage in a high performing team.   Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our  Facebook Discussion Group . Fi...

Should your sister carry wasp or bear spray if she feels threatened by a human? Should you trust that dude behind the gun counter at your local gun shop because he's got a sweet beard? Mike and Jim explore your options and how to sort good advice from bad advice. Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our  Facebook Discussion Gro...

Most leadership and management training has a top-down approach, but real human interaction involves influence in all directions - especially during a negotiation or confrontation.  Mike and Jim discuss how to recognize when the other party is trying to influence or manipulate you, and how to lead your way through a tense situation. This is the essence of de-escalation and conflict management. Emo...

This episode examines the tragic 1998 murder of Deputy Kyle Dinkheller, a young Georgia sheriff's deputy killed during a routine traffic stop. Using dashcam footage, we recount the chilling escalation of the encounter, explore the decision-making and mindset to reconcile deadly force and delve into the lessons this event teaches about officer safety, de-escalation, and situational awareness. Find...

Mike & Jim explore what the law enforcement use of force continuum is and what it means. They also talk about how to apply lessons from policing toward personal defense and even the military. Conflict Management, De-Escalation, and Reasonableness are universal. Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our Facebook Discussion Group....

Mike and Jim discuss how to handle CBRN- Chem, Bio, Rad, Nuke threats and how to set your preparedness to the current threat landscape with synthetic bio-terror weapons on the rise.   Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our  Facebook Discussion Group . Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, and more on ou...

A lot of training exercises and drills can be a waste of time. Mike and Jim explore ways to improve military readiness, disaster preparedness, and school safety by making better training events.   Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our  Facebook Discussion Group . Find all of our episodes, articles, some reading list ideas, a...

We take it out to the woods with how to build a fire, 7-step Checklist for Land Navigation, knots, PACE planning, forging resilience and a positive mental attitude, and more in this disaster prep, end-of-the-world, stuck-on-a-deserted-island overview of basic field craft and considerations for packing and planning.     Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You...

"Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "I don't want to die. My teacher is dead." "One of my teachers is still alive but shot." "Officer!" "Officer!" "Are they [officers] in the building?" "There is a lot of dead bodies." These were the words of nine- and ten-year-old children at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, during a call with 911. We try to take a balanced approach between the real...

Car accidents are something that are likely to touch all of us in some way or another, whether we are involved in one or manage them professionally as first responders. Not only are they exceptionally common, sometimes they are also challenging to manage well. We talk about some of the competing priorities and offer some ideas to get the emergency response to a traffic collision off to a good star...

Back in the 1960s a former Marine took the high ground in one of the first and deadliest school shootings in American history. This watershed event was part of the discussion that brought the idea of a SWAT team to the national stage and arguably brought momentum to what some now consider to be the militarization of the police. We talk about counter-ambush tactics, cover or suppressive fire in law...

No one should die over a false report. Internet gamers, celebrities and public figures, and maybe even one of your neighbors have been the victim of this sort of prank. These hoax emergency calls that can lead to an exaggerated police response are becoming more common, so we discuss strategies to make sure we tailor our response appropriately and keep everyone safe.   Find us on social media (Face...

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Downs v. United States was a benchmark case for domestic law enforcement that establishes our requirement to attempt negotiations for a peaceful resolution. We define a hostage situation and talk about strategies to manage them in contrast to active killer and barricaded criminals. Downs v US (6th Circuit Court of Appeals) -  https://law.justia.com/case...

Your Recipe for Success looks something like equal parts of three things. Motivation, the spark and desire. Discipline, your habits and structure. And Grit, your capacity to overcome challenges, adjust, and perservere. Mike shares some of the research that's been done on these topics and ways you can integrate them to get your closer to where ever you want to be. Links: Randy Pausch "Achieving You...

Over 100 people were killed, more than 2,000 structures destroyed, and over $5 billion in damage were left behind after wind and fire tore through the historic Lahaina district and adjacent areas in Maui, Hawaii. We dive into some of the public safety and disaster planning takeaways from this event including evacuations, notifications, misinformation, planning, and risk. FEMA After Action Report:...

Is "strategic" the size of the bomb you drop, the scale of the map you use, or way you play Monopoly? In this episode, Mike and Jim turn Sun Tzu's fortune cookie sayings into operational reality.  We work through how we can win fights all over Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam and still lose. We also cover strategies for winning against Active Shooters and the Chinese Communist Party. New Rules of Wa...

Is the American military prepared for the sacrifices that we can expect in a World War? Mike and Jim discuss whether commanders can lead and whether the troops will follow when it comes time to storm the beaches knowing many will not return. Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents. You can join the conversation in our Facebook Discussion Group . Find all of our ep...

Situational awareness demands focus and selective attention.  Sometimes playing on your phone can help, and sometimes it can kill you. Most people can't multitask as well as they think, but Mike and Jim will give you strategies to outmatch your enemy and avoid becoming a LUMP. FAA Task Management White Paper: https://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tc17-16.pdf Aviation Week article on Compartm...

Just because it's not aliens doesn't mean we can ignore it. Let's develop a comprehensive air defense and counter drone plan in the wake of Ukraine, Syria, and Gaza. We investigate Unidentified Flying Objects, UAVs, aliens, killer drones, spy satellites, Chinese balloons, and Foo Fighters.   UAP Task Force : https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2314065/establishment-of-unidentifie...

Green Berets have to work with a different rule book than the troops guarding nuclear weapons—and for good reasons. We explore the balance between strict adherence to rules and the often necessary flexibility to go off-script in tactical operations and your organization's culture.   Find us on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube) @TacTangents You can join the conversation in our  Face...

In October 2002, a 17 and 41 year old carried out a series of serial murders, killing 10 and wounding 3 others in what were described as random attacks against people doing every day tasks like pumping gas and mowing their lawn. We cover lessons from this large scale, multi-agency investigation with takeaways for individual cops and police leaders related to public relations, investigative rigor,...