Tactical Tangents
Self-Improvement
About
Mike 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.
Episodes
- Who even are you? And why I don't carry as often as I once did.
The episode explores how professional attributes can lead to future problems and emphasizes the need to examine one's identity and expand life roles beyond a career.
- The best way to clear a house—CQB for Operators and Noobs
This episode of Tactical Tangents examines the evolving tactics and inherent risks of Close Quarters Battle (CQB) and structural clearing. It discusses the fundamental challenges and tradeoffs involved, emphasizing factors that improve sur…
- The Algorithm Isn't the Boss-But It's With Us in the Briefing Room
This episode of Tactical Tangents explores the impact of Artificial Intelligence, particularly large language models, on intelligence analysis, operational planning, and decision-making in policing and military contexts. It covers the bene…
- Think Like an Architect: Systems Thinking for Warfighters & Cops
This episode of Tactical Tangents discusses systems thinking for warfighters and police officers, emphasizing how limited resources and adaptive adversaries necessitate a deeper understanding of complex problems. Hosts Mike and Jim explain…
- We Are Watching You - License Plate Readers and Modern Surveillance
This Tactical Tangents episode examines modern surveillance, including license plate readers and camera networks, discussing how integrated systems offer investigative power but also create vulnerabilities for citizens and professionals. I…
- Guardians and Warriors: What type of Cop are you?
Police occupy an uneasy space between the government and the governed—simultaneously a symbol of state power and a human presence in people's daily lives. Sometimes we get a little too PUNISHER SHEEPDOG and we need to chill. Mike and Jim b…
- Don't stand in front of cars! And other Pet Peeves
Mike explores a list of pitfalls in law enforcement through the lens of critical thinking and best practices. Among the list are things related to balancing officer safety and legal justification, good tactics and having a perfect plan, co…
- National Security Strategy Review
You don't fight in a vacuum—and neither do police officers, soldiers, or federal agents. In this episode, Jim analyzes the newly released 2025 National Security Strategy ( https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National…
- The Pen is Mightier Than The Sword… sometimes
Everyone in a fight has their side of the story. That story is a crafted message that can keep someone in the fight, convince them to stop fighting, and convince bystanders you are the good guy worth helping or the bad guy worth piling ont…
- Closing the Gaps: Building Competence in High Performing-Teams
Gaps in knowledge and performance happen naturally, even in high-performing teams. In this episode, Mike and Jim explore why blind spots develop despite good training, smart people, and strong intent. They walk through the realities of cog…
- Do You Trust Me? Credibility is Currency
Most of us see ourselves as leaders, but a whole lot goes into "Leadership." One of the most vital aspects of persuasion is the credibility and trust people see in you. Credibility can grow over time, and it can also be spent or wasted. In…
- Protecting your Parents: Fraud and Scams
Even the best of us get played from time to time. From an Air Force pilot duped into buying thousands in Sephora gift cards, to clever banking and family scams that nearly fooled even the most skeptical of us, we talk about some of the psy…
- To Chase or Not to Chase: Are the Risks of a Pursuit Worth It?
How do you stop a car that doesn't want to stop? If you see a rabbit should you chase the rabbit? We talk about safety and statistics, what factors to weigh the risk versus reward, how policies play into decision making, what the Brits mea…
- "Don't drop the airplane to fly the radio": Managing Bandwidth
How do you prioritize your attention in a world full of distractions and competing priorities? Most people understand triage as a concept, but are you ready to sort wounded people? Both operationally and in our personal lives, we have to c…
- When the US invaded Panama: Operation JUST CAUSE and the War on Drugs
The 1989 invasion of Panama was a quick and violent moment in the drug war. We revisit why we went and how it went down. The hung for Manuel Noriega, the messy Army Ranger airfield seizures, Navy SEAL assaults on escape air and water craft…
- So You Wanna Be an Air Force Pilot (…or Not?)
Thinking about joining the Air Force? In this episode, we dig into the real questions behind the glossy recruiting pitch: commissioning sources, officer vs. enlisted life, active duty vs. Guard and Reserve, and what happens when the servic…
- Careers in Law Enforcement - Worth It?
Law Enforcement offers a wide range of career paths—but finding the right fit takes more than just filling out an application. In this episode, Jim interviews Officer Mike about what it's really like to build a career in law enforcement. S…
- Stay in Your Lane? Maybe Not.
When is it right to stick to your role—and when do you need to step up and act, even outside your formal job description? Mike and Jim tackle the age-old advice to "stay in your lane" by examining what it truly means in high-stakes environ…
- Feeding the Machine: Range Nutrition for Tactical Athletes
You train like a pro, shoot like a pro—so why fuel like a rookie? Mike and Jim break down practical, no-BS nutrition tips for high-performance days at the range or on duty for the night shift. Whether you're running drills in full kit, qua…
- Teaching the Enemy: Lessons from The Dragons and the Snakes
Jim and Mike dig into David Kilcullen's The Dragons and the Snakes to explore how modern adversaries—from rogue states to criminal networks—are adapting faster than ever to Western tactics, tech, and psychology. Drawing from Kilcullen's in…
- It's Chess AND Checkers--Tactics and Strategy Unite!
Why do we focus so much on tactics and so little on strategy? In this episode, Mike and Jim tackle the divide between street-level action and big-picture thinking. Drawing on lessons from policing, the military, and community crime prevent…
- Hazing vs. Hardening: Building Strong Teams Without Breaking People
In this episode, we explore the fine line between hazing and hard training in high-performing teams like law enforcement, the military, and the fire service. Mike and Jim talk about how shared hardship, onboarding rituals, and team standar…
- Kids These Days - Leading Across Generations
Have you noticed that the new guys coming in to your program aren't as good as you remember yourself being? Does it seem like they need a WHOLE LOT of teaching, cajoling, and coaching? Let's figure out why and figure out what to do about i…
- "Fire As A Weapon, Chapter 12" -Sun Tzu, Probably.
Mike & Jim discuss the tactical considerations for critical incidents involving fire as a weapon. Should we send fire fighters in with cops? Should we add one more training requirement to overtasked police? If someone is making a threat wi…
- HONOR: Your Own Rules
Mike & Jim discuss what honor means in the tactical jobs. Is honesty the best policy? What if other people on your team are lying, cheating, or stealing? Does honor still matter in today's world? Is it okay to cheat on your girlfriend or y…
- Catching Up After a Busy Week
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) @TacTange…
- Times Jim Has Called 911
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 ho…
- 180: Balance: Pace Yourself, it's a Marathon, not a Sprint
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) @TacTangen…
- 179: The Boogeyman of Coeur d'Alene – The Crimes of Joseph Duncan
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…
- 178: "Be Curious, Not Judgmental." How to Deal with a Big Ego
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 p…
- 177: Bad Advice
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…
- 176: Read the Room - Who is Leading You?
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…
- 175: The Last Traffic Stop: Kyle Dinkheller's Story
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…
- 174: De-Escalate? Escalate? When can you taser them?
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 Reasona…
- 173: Dancing With Exotic Weapons
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/YouTu…
- 172: Making Worthwhile Exercises
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/In…
- 171: Sticks and Stones: Survival Skills 101
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-isla…
- 170: "Time is on our side right now…" -Uvalde School District Police Chief
"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- an…
- 169: What a Wreck: Scene Size Up
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 challe…
- 168: Sniper in the Tower: 1966 Austin Clock Tower Shooting
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 a…
- 167: Calling Bull$h!#: Responding to Swatting Hoaxes
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 resp…
- 166: Run the Clock: Time, Talk, Tear Gas, Tactics
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 tal…
- 165: Separating the Wanna-Bes from the Gonna-Bes: Motivation, Grit, and Discipline
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…
- 164: Power Lines and Wildfires 2023 Maui Disaster
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 p…
- 163: Strategy for Door Kickers
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 o…
- 162: Ordering Troops to their Deaths
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 retur…
- 161: Tactical ADHD: Managing Attention
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…
- 160: Lights in the Sky: Aliens or Drones? Jim Spills the Beans on UFOs
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,…
- 159: What's up with the beards? Setting and Enforcing Standards
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 o…
- 158: "Your Children Are Not Safe": DC Beltway Snipers
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 l…