The Squad Room

10-20 in cop speak (in my area) means, “what’s your location?” Goals are great. They’re important. But it’s impossible to know where to go if you don’t know where you’re coming from. When you respond to a call, your route will depend on whether you’re coming from the north, south, east, or west. You can’t begin any trip without knowing where you’re starting from. In this short Briefing Topic, I explain why it’s important to take stock of where you are so that you have a better idea of how to get where you want to go, and how to use our BADGES (Beliefs, Actions, Goals, Discipline, Emotions & Service) to guide our path. Sign up for the mailing list at thesquadroom.net or text THESQUADROOM to 44222. Follow me on Instagram @thesquadroom

Dr. Diego Hernandez is a clinical psychologist and trauma expert who focuses on wellness, human performance and and health. He frequently works with Army Special Operations and their training cadre to address the trauma rehabilitation of elite warriors. He regularly treats veterans and first responders. Dr. Hernandez is also the Clinical Director of the Accelerated Resolution Therapy Center at the University of South Florida. I began attending counseling about two years ago because of some stuff that flared up in my memory. I tell about that experience in this episode. Though I’ve taken a break from it, it’s a longer break than I intended and I expect to go back for regular “check ups” just like I do with my medical doctor. In this episode we talk about the different types of treatment available and how they differ in their approach to to resolving trauma, how Dr. Hernandez sees first responders as modern samurais living by a code that requires attention to your mental health and how we need to drop the stigma attached to it. Police suicides are seemingly at an all-time high and as often is the case, more officers died at their own hands than those killed in the line of duty. Unfortunately, statistics are poorly kept because that often doesn’t include retired officers in that total.

We need leaders. Leaders at every level and in every organization. The absolute truth is that no one else is coming, and it’s up to us to step forward and fulfill our obligations. But before you lead others, you need to be able to lead yourself. In this episode, I introduce the concept of BADGES, a way of managing your self-development that I created and have been using for some time. I spent much of 2018 testing different methodologies, reading, journaling, brainstorming and speaking with experts and I think this system can help you achieve your goals, become a better public servant, and lead to more happiness in your life. The BADGES acronym stands for BELIEFS * ACTIONS * DISCIPLINE * GOALS * EMOTIONS * SERVICE. BADGES is NOT a cure or an off-the-shelf program with answers and solutions. Frankly, it’s a lot of work. BADGES is a series of questions, thoughts, ideas and challenges that help you clarify what you want and what is a priority for you. I can’t answer those questions – no one can but you! But having clarity on where you are, and where you want to go will create powerful changes in your life if you’re willing to do the work. All of the work we try to do to improve can fall into one of these 6 points. They’re certainly broad categories but they have to be. It’s intentional, because if I made them specific, say, “Physical Fitness” for example, I’d miss out on the fact that my fitness contributes to my emotional state, my beliefs about myself, the goals I have and it demonstrates my discipline. I hope this system makes you excited to approach 2019 with excitement and enthusiasm for what’s to come for you and your loved ones. In 2019, we’ll be exploring each aspect of BADGES in-depth; through podcast episodes, discussions in the Facebook group, emails, and even some live webinars. I’m excited to share this idea with all of you. To get signed up for the mailing list, visit thesquadroom.net or text THESQUADROOM to 44222 on your phone. To join the FB group, click here or search The Squad Room Podcast Group and request to join.

When Brad Thomas’ music career didn’t take off out of high school he choose the next most obvious career path. He enlisted in the Army with a Ranger contract with the goal of making it into the elite and secretive special operations force known as Delta Force. Brad spent several years in the Rangers and was heavily involved in the Battle of Moghadishu, a battle so massive and significant in modern U.S. war fighting history that the story was made into the book and movie Black Hawk Down. Brad eventually moved on to Delta Force selection and spent 12 years in “The Unit” before retiring. In this episode, I share my history working in the music industry before public service and tell a funny story about how one of Brad’s closest friends was one of the first artists I tried to sign to a record label. What impressed me about Brad, and why I wanted to have him on the show, was that he’s a great example of a few characteristics that I try to emulate. Most importantly, he never shied away from change or the fear of the unknown. In fact, he often left behind things that he loved in order to elevate his own level of excellence. He never settled for being good, he wanted to be great. Check out his new band Silence and Light on Instagram @silence_and_Light_Official

Aussie cop Shaun O’Gorman returns with some strategic actions you can take to identify, manage, and most importantly, use the traumatic experiences we all deal with. Shaun was a K9 officer who never let off the gas pedal for his entire career. It wasn’t until he stood on the ledge of a 26th floor balcony trying to build up the courage to jump that he realized what has happened. Listen to episode 64 for his story through PTSD and his recovery. Retired now, Shaun travels around Australia teaching officers about the warning signs, and how to manage this career that can be incredibly rewarding, but also incredibly corrosive. In this episode, Shaun shares his “5 Practical Keys to Long-Term Success.” Shaun has his own podcast, The Strong Life Project which I highly recommend. Learn more at thestronglifeproject.com. This is where you can get the free PDF of his presentation that he gives down under (sorry, I couldn’t help myself). Instagram @thestronglifeproject Follow me on Twitter and IG @thesquadroom Sign up for my mailing list by texting thesquadroom to 44222 from your phone, or visit thesquadroom.net. Watch my TED talk ********** Special thanks to Hard Head Veterans (@hard_head_veterans) and Blue Line Flex (@bluelineflex) for their support of the podcast. Please check them out and tell them we sent you.

Last week, Nike managed to piss off approximately 50% of the country with their new ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. In this Briefing Topic episode, I share my opinion on the whole event and explain why you should not care about this, or waste one second of your time upset about it. Please support our sponsors. Visit HardHeadVeterans.com to check out their ballistic helmets and BlueLineFlex.com for workout apparel. Both employee and are founded by either LEOs or military personnel and both give back to LE charities. Follow me on Instagram @thesquadroom and if you have a comment about the show, post it to our Facebook group.  

JP Dinnell is a veteran of three combat deployments in the Global War on Terror. Most notably, he served with Seal Team 3 Task Unit Bruiser in the Battle of Ramadi as a sniper, working right next to the world’s most famous sniper, Chris Kyle. Kyle was in Charlie Platoon, and JP was in Delta Platoon. JP has been featured on the Jocko Podcast and he now works with Jocko Willink as the Director of Tactical Training Programs at Echelon Front, a leadership and management consulting company. In this episode: What it’s like to work for a strong leader like Jocko, and what he taught him about war. How leadership begins with the lowest man on the totem pole. His struggle to find purpose after an injury sidelined him from a deployment he’d been looking forward to, and how training the new generation became his new mission. A great story about boot camp that emphasizes the never quit attitude that the SEALs are famous for, and that we need to being adopting in law enforcement. How leadership and ownership are not just reactive actions but also proactive and aggressive strategies. You’ve got to listen to hear JP’s appreciation for the work the men and women in law enforcement do everyday. He knows how tough it is, and he has immediate family who hold their place on the thin blue line. JP will be participating in Jocko’s Roll Call on September 21, 2018 in Dallas, TX. It’s a one-day event specifically for first responders and military personnel. Find out more information at www.extremeownership.com Check him out on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as @jpdinnel.

Sgt. Larry Hahn has done many things throughout his career with one of the largest sheriff’s department’s in the country. But it was what he did off-duty on the night of Sunday October 1, 2017 that will show you how he is the kind of leader I talk about when I ask you to be the one. Larry was enjoying the Route 91 country music festival with friends and partners, and was on the floor when the shooting started and he didn’t leave the floor until it was nearly over, protecting a group of strangers from the attack. Larry was inches from the bullets, and one of his partners was shot, and a partner’s wife was shot also. On top of this, Larry is just an interesting guy. We met during a leadership course and over the course of 8 months, I got to know him quite well. I’m lucky to call him a friend. He has so many stories about personal leadership that we couldn’t get to them for this episode, and his story (with an ending that will blow your mind!) is plenty for one episode anyways. We’ll have him back on the show again at some point. Larry’s not on social media, he doesn’t have a book to sell or a podcast to promote. He’s just a regular cop who loves his job, takes it seriously, and is the very definition of The One.

Eric Hodgdon is a resilience coach, author, and speaker. I first met Eric in October 2017 at a workshop and was immediately drawn to how him. He just exudes being a good guy. In March of 2018 I got to spend a few days with him a a leadership retreat in Florida and it was there that I learned his whole story. It’s quite a story. As first responders, we live in this bizarre world where we are voyeurs on other peoples problems and tragedies. We are often the only person in the room as someone goes through their worst nightmare. In Eric’s case, it was losing his daughter Zoi to suicide. On this episode, Eric tells the story of that night, and how he walked through grief to find a way forward. He’s now teaching around the country on the topic and showing people how to navigate hardships of all kinds to move forward. Check him out at erichodgdon.com and Instagram @ericbhodgdon His book, “A Sherpa Named Zoi” is available on Amazon.

James Capra is the retired Chief of Global Operations for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Before his retirement, James testified to congress as he had done before, but this time he went off-script and spoke from the heart. It ended up on YouTube as “DEA Official Freaks Out at Senate Hearing.” But to hear James explain it, you understand that this is a patriotic man who is committed to leading in his country and community. James, the son of an NYPD officer, started his career in the Los Angeles field office chasing kilos during the height of the crack epidemic. His leadership continued to get him promoted and he was assigned to HQ, and as the Special Agent in Charge of both the Dallas and Miami offices. Eventually, James was promoted to Chief of Global Operations, responsible for 227 domestic offices and 86 foreign offices in 67 different countries. That’s enough to keep you busy. In this episode, we talk about his history and why he decided to promote up, how to manage the work-life balance, how to love the people you lead, dealing with imposter syndrome as you promote, leading people 24/7 and not just at work and much more. James has a great book called Leadership a the Front Line: Lessons Learned about Loving, Leading, and Legacy from a Warrior and Public Servant. James’ new book is Raising Courageous Children in a Cowardly Culture: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Our Children. James’ kids book is The Eagle and the Seagulls: A Wisdom Story for Children and Adults. James’ website is www.frontlineleadershipgroup.com  

Chuck Rylant is a veteran SWAT cop from Santa Maria, CA. After being forced into a medical retirement, Chuck began looking for ways to continue in service to others. As a result, he wrote a book called “Shots Fired: The Psychology Behind Officer Involved Shootings.” Chuck interviews 12 cops who had been involved in shootings and he details the experience in terrific detail. Each cop had a different experience and there are lessons to be learned from each of their stories. Chuck comes on the show today to talk about the lessons he learned in his own career and how he’s overcome challenges, and also what lessons he learned about preparing for, surviving, and thriving through an officer-involved shooting. Learn more about Chuck at chuckrylant.com Find him on Instagram @chuckrylant and let him know you heard him here. Stay safe.  

Traver is back with more insights and strategies about how to live your best life. In this episode, we talk about Traver’s new project, Man Uncivilized, and what inspired him to launch a movement that is quickly gaining attention. Traver is a regular contributor to the show and a man I refer to as my “personal Buddha.” In the environment of #metoo and other stories, masculinity is such a highly charged and emotional topic. But Traver is here to tell you that you should embrace your masculinity, and that women should seek it in their partners. To both of us, there’s no such thing as “toxic masculinity” because those toxic features aren’t part of the modern man at all. To learn more about Traver, check out his site at traverboehm.com Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @traverboehm Follow us on social media @thesquadroom Sign up for our mailing list by texting THESQUADROOM to 44222.

Rob Shaul is the founder of Mountain Tactical Institute. Rob trains first responders, military athletes, and tier 1 operators.He got his start in Wyoming, training mountain athletes. When members of the military got wind of his success, they started seeking him out to help them climb the mountains of Afghanistan. When first responders learned about his success with the military, they came calling asking for help to get them ready for the demands of our job. Rob and his team began developing programs devoted to SWAT school prep, academy prep, patrol operations and much more. Rob is one of the most frequent guest requests from listeners. He delivers on this episode and he brings his strong opinions with him. Here’s some of the articles Rob’s written that we talk about on the show. My Most Dangerous On the Job Mistake, and What I Learned From It The Burden of Constant Fitness: a Law Enforcement Perspective Mountain Tactical’s Philosophy for Training Law Enforcement Athletes Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom, and join our closed Facebook Group to engage with other listeners. To join our mailing list, go to thesquadroom.net and sign up, or text THESQUADROOM to 44222 to get signed up from your phone.  

Kelly is a physiotherapist, speaker, coach, author and the founder of MobilityWOD. Kelly’s mission is to improve the mechanics and movement of every human to optimize physical performance and overall health. A few years ago he picked up a camera with a commitment to record one video a day for a year demonstrating important stretching and rehabilitation routines. That led to his first (he has three!) New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best Seller, “Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance” Kelly’s client list includes elite military units, players in the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, Olympic athletes and power lifters and strongman competitors. Kelly firmly believes that we are in fact, tactical athletes, and that our body requires specific capabilites that are unique to our profession. Many of his answers can be counterintuitive but I can attest to the efficacy of his work. In 2011 I broke my back in a mountain biking accident. During my rehab and physical therapy, I learned about him and I credit him and not the doctor I was seeing face to face with resolving my pain. I’ve had surgeries and followed Kelly’s advice and recovered better and faster. My back has (and will again) gone out, and I turn to Kelly and his work to get back upright. It works. It was an honor to have him on the show.

Andy Stumpf is many things. Boring is not one of them. He’s a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant who served in the Navy SEALs He served in the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) better known as SEAL Team 6 He was a BUD/s instructor. He holds two world records for jumps in the wingsuit. He has one of the most popular new podcasts called “Cleared Hot.” There’s plenty more. Andy is very pro-law enforcement and he wants to help us be better at our jobs and more successful in our careers. He is the definition of a modern renaissance man. In this episode we talk about: What one thing he wants to teach every cop in the country. How he keeps himself surrounded by high-performance individuals and how you can find them. How preparing for a world-record breaking wingsuit jump relates to being a rookie preparing for a career in law enforcement. How can “be the one” by holding a high standard in law enforcement. It’s a great episode. His blog is confessionsofanidiot.com His socials are @andystump212  

Nearly 2500 years ago, Heraclitus, a famous philosopher and one of the first Stoics, uttered a quote that changed my life here in today’s modern world. It was a quote I first heard recited by the powerful Greg Amundson, a previous guest on this show when I saw him give a presentation. Here it is: “Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there. Eighty are just targets. Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them for they make the battle. Ah, but the one. One is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” Powerful stuff. Perhaps this is your first time hearing this quote. If it is, listen to the episode to hear my take on it, and how it applies to our profession. If you’ve heard it before, think of it again, in the context of our work. Surely most would agree that law enforcement is the one percent of the population who have chosen to be the warriors. But have you ever thought about how this quote might apply to those already within our profession? Can you be the one to lead the others? You should be ready to do so. Because no one else is coming.

The most frequent question I get is from people who want to enter law enforcement and they’ve hit a roadblock. Either they just don’t know where to begin, or they’ve stumbled during part of the hiring process. I get the question so often that I thought I’d delve into some of my tips and tricks that helped me get hired quickly. Disclaimer: I’m not a background investigator so this is just from experience, and sitting on a few panels and watching people crash and burn in front of me. It’s not pretty! But I do know what I’m talking about. I scored 100/100 with 3 agencies I tested with, and 95 with the agency that hired me (note: some of those orals were for reserve programs before I decided to go full-time). I was one of the 1% of applicants from my pool that got hired, and I had offers from multiple agencies by the time I was done. When it came time to promote, I tested very high in all categories and ranked 3rd out of 30 applicants for sergeant and I got promoted on my first try. So, I do know what I’m talking about. And so do our Facebook Group people. I posed the question to them and they responded with some great advice that is included. In this episode I cover: How to handle the oral interview What to say I you get a scenario or tactical question and you have ZERO experience. What to wear to each portion of the test. Why honesty is an absolute must, even if you’re worried you’ll get DQ’d. Tips on completing the application. How to handle the overwhelming background packet. Hope this helps some of you out there looking for some tips. Let me know your thoughts with an email to [email protected] Stay safe.

Sgt. Kevin Briggs of the California Highway Patrol is the subject of one of the most famous photos in law enforcement. He’s leaning over the railing of the Golden Gate Bridge talking to a suicidal man who is ready to jump. The dramatic photo only tells a small portion of Kevin’s story, a story in which Kevin has saved over 200 people from jumping. When a photographer snapped that photo, it led to a feature in a local paper that dubbed him the “Guardian of the Golden Gate.” The nickname stuck and Kevin became a sought-after expert on suicide prevention and intervention. In addition to over 20 years in the California Highway Patrol, Kevin is a graduate of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Course, and a U.S. Army veteran. In this conversation, Kevin brings a pretty intense level of honesty to the podcast sharing that he himself has battled depression and has sought treatment. Check out his website, at pivotal-points.com Here’s the link to his Ted talk, “The Bridge Between Suicide and Life.” Here’s his book, “Guardian of the Golden Gate: Protecting the Line Between Hope and Despair.”

Lt. Richard Goerling is the creator of mindfulbadge.com. Richard is an active lieutenant with the Hillsboro Police Department, a suburb of Portland, OR. A decade ago, Richard was like most of us, muddling through is career but feeling a sense of unease he couldn’t quite put a finger on. It was then that he began doing yoga to prevent some of the physical problems we experience. Slowly, Richard became introduced to the work of Jon Kabot-Zinn and his course work in mindfulness and resilience. To say that Richard went down the rabbit-hole would be accurate, and he’s now leading classes devoted to first responders. Richard’s theory, supported by plenty of experience and science, is that if we, as first responders, can be more mindful, then we are better at our jobs, we are safer, and we are healthier. During the show, I share some of my own experiences that support Richard’s hypothesis, which is growing in popularity. Richard is also a retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander, an affiliate Assistant Professor at Pacific University, a faculty member at the Engaged Mindfulness Institute, and an instructor at Claremeont Graduate University. Richard has an undergraduate degree in economics, and an M.B.A., and underwent a year-long training in mindfulness at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. He is a certified Mindfulness Facilitator and he has completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Resilience course work. To read more about Richard, check out his website, mindfulbadge.com. Here’s his TedX talk that I mention in the show. If you want to know how you can support the show, there’s 3 ways to help. Leave a review on iTunes or the podcast player of your choice. Tell other people about the show. Go to patreon.com/thesquadroom and pledge a donation of your choosing to help support the show.

Jay Dobyns is the author of one of my favorite cop books: “No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels.” He didn’t just write the book, he lived the story. Jay was the primary undercover agent for the ATF during Operation Black Bisquit. Many of us remember the 2002 shotout between the Hells Angels and Mongols OMG clubs in Laughlin, Nevada. Such a brazen gun fight, in the middle of a crowded casino, caught the attention of federal law enforcement and they launched a nearly two-year operation, with Dobyns posing as a gun-runner for a puppet club. To get in good with the HA leadership, he faked the killing of a Mongol’s member, and he earned his patch. The story is nuts, so if you haven’t already, you just need to read the book. Jay Dobyns is a cop’s cop. Long before patching in to the Hell’s Angels, Jay was shot and taken hostage 4 days into his career at the ATF. 18 months later, he was shot again and nearly died. He completed over 500 undercover operations in his 20 year career. He’s received the US Attorney General’s Medal of Valor, 12 ATF Special Act Awards, 2 ATF Gold Stars, the ATF Distinguished Service Medal, the International Narcotics Officers Association Medal of Valor, the National Association of Police Officers “Top Cop” Award and several others. And he’s a New York Times best-selling author. He’s been featured on TV shows like Gangland, Outlaw Chronicles, America’s Most Wanted and many others. He’s regularly seen on CNN, Fox News, and has features in national publications. After all he’d done for the ATF, you’d expect he’d be rewarded for his work. Not so much. Because of his involvement in taking down the HA leadership, he received death threats against him and his family, and promises that his wife would be gang-raped. That seemed almost normal compared to the night Jay was working and his house was firebombed and his wife and kids barely escaped with their lives. And then things got really bizarre. The ATF, the agency that Jay had literally bled for, turned their back and tried to frame him for the arson. Coupled with the ATF leadership’s refusal to give him a protection detail, they began making claims about at that weren’t true. Jay eventually proved that in federal court. Jay’s supervisors during this time? The same guys that authorized and oversaw the disasterous Fast & Furious program that sent hundreds of guns into the hands of Mexican cartels – at least one of which was later used to kill an American law enforcement officer. Jay’s new book, “Catching Hell” tells this insane story of the aftermath of his work undercover. These days, Jay is working hard to help other first responders who are in crisis. He works closely with Safe Call Now and the Institute for Responder Wellness. What’s striking about Jay is that after everything he’s gone through, he’s understandably angry, but he’s not bitter. He still loves police work and the work we do, and he’s got a great perspective on our place in the world.

Traver Boehm returns to the show with a deeply personal story about his recent divorce. Traver has talked about aspects of it before during previous episodes, but he was still very much grieving the loss of his marriage and a miscarriage. Having spent 2016 exploring that grief – living in it, stewing in it – Traver returns to The Squad Room for an honest discussion about the worst year of his life, which also turned out to be the best year of his life. Either way, it was also the hardest. Traver wrote a hugely popular post on his blog titled, “8 Steps to Survive and Thrive After a Breakup or Divorce.” That post helped a lot of people, and eventually led to his new book, Today, I Rise: How to Overcome the Gut-Wrenching Pain of Your Breakup or Divorce and Reclaim Your Life. (affiliate link) I wanted to have Traver on the show because cops get divorced…a lot. More than the average population. Actually, it turns out, that’s not true. Cops get divorced at about the same rate as the rest of the population. Maybe it just “feels” like we get divorced more often, or maybe we just do it in a more spectacular fashion. Either way, roughly half of the married cops listening to this are going to get divorced. Yikes. Even if you’re in a healthy marriage, I think there’s a lot of value in his proposition for dealing with any time of loss; death, relationships, retirements etc. If you haven’t yet, check out Traver’s TEDx talk, appropriately titled, “How to Make Pain Your Guru.” Traver also developed a course on meditation here on Teachable. His website is onedaystronger.com Traver’s Facebook Follow Traver on Instagram @traverboem Join The Squad Room’s Facebook Group to meet and engage with other listeners. You can also search FB with “The Squad Room Group” and you’ll see our logo. Click to join the closed group.

In 45 years of policing, Bernard Melekian has done it all. Seriously. From being the first K9 handler in California, Melekian rose through the ranks at the Santa Monica Police Department to Assistant Chief, and then spent 13 years as Chief of the Pasadena Police Department. During that time he also served as Interim City Manager for a stint, and of all things, Acting Fire Chief. While in Pasadena, Melekian championed community-oriented policing initiatives and brought about a lot of positive changes in the department that was experiencing strained relations with minority communities. So, it wasn’t much surprise when then Attorney General Eric Holder tapped Melekian to head the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, better known as COPS. COPS promotes a community based approach to law enforcement, and it provides millions in funds to agencies around the United States. Melekian went into consulting after leaving the COPS office but felt unsettled. He liked having a home base. So, he signed on as Undersheriff of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. That’s how we met. While serving through the ranks, Melekian completed his bachelor’s degree in history, a Masters in Public Administration, and a doctoral program in Public Policy at the University of Southern California. As a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, he served two war time deployments – while he was chief! First in 1991 in Desert Storm and again in 2003 in the Pacific theater. He is a former president of the California Police Chiefs Association, and has served on the board of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). So, with that kind of resume, he’s exactly the guy I want to talk to about longevity, maintaining positivity, developing self-awareness and how to develop into a successful leader. Oh, full disclosure he’s also my boss. Well, more the boss of my boss’ boss. But still. Because he is my boss, I feel compelled to point out that his position has nothing to do with why I wanted him on the show. You’ll hear his sage advice and I think you’ll understand why. It’s my show, of course, so I could have easily avoided having him on and I have done that with others. But, he always has something to add to the conversation and I think you’ll enjoy his perspective.

U.S. Army Major (ret.) Josh Mantz, author of the new book, The Beauty of a Darker Soul: Overcoming Trauma Through the Power of Human Connection is our guest on this episode. A 2005 graduate of West Point, Josh was commissioned as an infantry officer and soon found himself fighting insurgents in Baghdad during “The Surge.” During a relatively routine patrol, Josh was shot and killed. That’s not a typo. Yes, he was killed. Josh was without a pulse for 15 minutes as medics and triage teams worked furiously to save him. After about 6 minutes, most people won’t survive and when they do, they lose the vast majority of their cognitive and physical functions. When Josh came back to life, not only did he keep all of his faculties but he has a near perfect recollection of the entire event – down to his last breath. He remembers taking it in, and being prepared to pass away. After only 5 months, Josh begged, pled and bargained to get back to his unit in Iraq and he completed the tour with his men. As an apparent poster boy of resilience, the military seized on Josh’s miraculous physical and mental recovery and they sent him out on a publicity tour. Josh spoke on national television, to veteran’s groups and any local morning show that would listen about his story and how he was strong and healthy after his shooting. The problem was, Josh wasn’t fine at all. Josh was falling apart inside and on the brink of suicide several times. So, how can a man who’s been given a second chance on life, a man who has literally died and come back be so desperate that he wants to do it again? The answer was something I’d never heard of before until I heard Josh’s story: moral wounds Not quite PTSD, though it can also be that but moral wounds are emotional traumas that result from a profound upending in our sense of right and wrong. When we’re exposed to something that is so offensive to our sense of righteousness and world order that it literally traumatizes us. So who, in addition to the military, experiences these types of morally traumatic events? We do. Child molestation, homicide, domestic violence, drug overdoses, violent assaults, rapes… I could type a paragraph of the stuff we see that makes us susceptible to these moral wounds but you get the idea. Josh used his journey to write his new book, and founded darkersouls.com. Please give him a follow. Here is Josh’s Tedx Talk Josh’s book The Beauty of a Darker Soul: Overcoming Trauma Through the Power of Human Connection will be out later this year. We’ll keep you posted when it’s released.  

On December 17, 2016, Alabama police officer Shelby Luttrell was shot twice off-duty at his wife’s surprise birthday party while struggling for a suspect’s gun. Shelby almost died en route to the hospital but he had the will to survive. Only 7 months later, he comes on The Squad Room to talk about that night, his recovery, and how he was motivated to start teaching others about the importance of fitness. Shelby is the founder of Bulletproof Fitness and he is a personal trainer and coach. Find him on Instagram at @bulletproof.fitness His recovery, and transformation after his shooting has been amazing, and to see his progress in such a short time leaves me (and you) with zero excuses about why you can’t get your act together.

Adam La Reau is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer. Adam spent 11 years in the teams before transitioning out, eventually earning a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Adam wanted to scratch his entrepreneurial itch and along with other military veterans, he launched O2X, a human performance company devoted specifically to the needs of tactical athletes – us. Adam has a wealth of information to give and his seminar staff includes over 30 experts in areas as diverse as sleep, to nutrition, to strength and conditioning. Adam’s philosophy makes sense to me: everything is related to everything. Performance doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Your sleep affects your cognition, your strength affects your energy, your mental health affects, well, everything. Check out Adam’s work at www.o2x.com and see if there’s a seminar in your area. Follow them on the socials. Instagram: @o2xhumanperformance Twitter: @o2xhp Facebook: facebook.com/o2xhumanperformance    

Dr. Jay Nagdimon is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and is board certified in Police and Public Safety Psychology. For over the past decade, Dr. Nagdimon has been a member of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Behavioral Science Services Unit. It’s a unique idea and LAPD has invested into paying attention to the mental health of their officers. As Dr. Nagdimon says in this episode, psychological therapy for police is often more like performance enhancement and sports psychology than it is just something you have to do after a critical incident (i.e. “gotta go see the shrink”). Dr. Nagdimon works with in-service officers with marital problems, financial issues and all the other stressors that come with our lifestyle. In this episode, Dr. Nagdimon gives you the 6 R’s of Resilience. We also talk about cognitive distortions that prevent us from achieving our goals and living the most fulfilling life possible. He gives us tips on how to deal with these distortions, and how we should implement a path towards resilience. He also walks through the 3 most important things you need to be doing to perform, feel, and think at your best (hint: none of them are about getting therapy).  

It’s a simple question. Maybe one you haven’t asked yourself in a while. For some of you, maybe you’ve never asked it. So?

Ryan Michler is the founder and creator of Order of Man and the Order of Man Podcast. If you’re a guy, you need to be listening to this podcast. If you love a guy, listen to this podcast. We cover a lot of ground in this episode about the idea of manliness: what it is, and how it’s different than masculinity. We talk about how law enforcement, and how we gravitate to the Warrior archetype and if there’s still a place for that in our society, or should we be transitioning to a “gentler” idea of being a guardian. As part of this, we talk about the difference between being aggressive and being assertive. The motto of Order of Man is: Protect, Provide, and Preside. There’s a lot more to it that we get into. Protect and Provide for a lot of us are easy to understand but we dive deeper into Preside, and what that means (hint: it’s not sitting in the king’s chair or dragging your woman back to the cave by her hair). Ryan also encourages us to preside by following his 4 C’s: Condition, Calibrate, Connect, and Contribute. Both law enforcement and masculinity are under attack from outside sources. Ryan’s advice is actionable and immediate and it applies to our female partners as much as it does the men listening. Here are some of the specifics we talk about: Ryan’s suggested reading list: As a Man Thinketh by James Allen Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Resilience: Hard Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life by Eric Greitens Assertive Workbook: How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself in Work and Relationships by Randy Paterson Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman Ryan meditates daily as part of his morning practice. This is the headband, Muze, that he talks about on the show. I also recommend the Headspace app myself for beginners. He’s on Twitter and Instagram @orderofman.  

Tony Horton doesn’t need much of an introduction. As the creator of P90X he went from being a personal trainer to musicians like Tom Petty and Billy Idol to being a household name and face. A lot of cops, myself included, have done P90X and it’s really one of the first introductions most of us ever had to High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I think my love of CrossFit was an extension of the success I had with P90X. P90X is still around, as well as his new program “22 Minute Hard Corps” which pays tribute to our military personnel. Yet, despite selling over 1 BILLION dollars in P90X material, Tony continues to seek out ways to improve himself and his clients. In our connected world today, Tony’s client list potentially includes anyone with an internet connection. He really sees anyone who purchased P90X as a personal training client, not a couch potato who wanted a quick fix from an infomercial. He has a new course called “Living Large” that he did in conjunction with growth.com and Brendan Buchard. Tony is a huge supporter of law enforcement and it was an honor to have him on the show. Here are some links to the things we talk about in the show: Follow him on Instagram @tonyshorton P90X 22 Minute Hard Corps The book that changed Tony’s life: The Magic Lamp by Keith Ellis Tony’s book: The Big Picture: 11 Laws that Will Change Your Life Tony’s Website: Tonyhortonlife.com Tony’s Living Large course Follow The Squad Room podcast on Instagram at @thesquadroom.  

Scott Reitz is a retired member of LAPD’s elite Metropolitan Division or “Metro” where he served 10 years on their SWAT team. Scott is also the author of The Art of Modern Gunfighting: The Pistol Volume 1 and the owner and lead instructor for International Tactical Training Seminars. Scott was the lead firearms instructor for Metro Division and has taught courses to Tier 1 special operations teams and law enforcement agencies around the country. Scott is also a use of force expert and he spends a lot of his time in court defending officers in criminal and civil litigation. Having been involved in 5 officer-involved shootings (two within a week, and one during the LA Riots), Scott is uniquely qualified to talk about the dynamics of a gunfight, how to train to win, and how to win in court. In this episode we discuss: What his own officer-involved shootings taught him about preparation. His two “universal truths” of gunfights. How competency and command presence prevented numerous shootings throughout his career. Training for mental composure. How to develop a Combat Mindset. Drills you can take to the range to begin improving. Why speed is often mistaken for competence, and why you should slow down when you shoot. Follow Scott on Instagram @internationaltactical and see his course listings at internationaltactical.com.    

Shaun O’Gorman is a retired police officer from Australia. He spent 13 years in service, most of it in the K9 unit. By all accounts, Shaun became a “cop’s cop” after he followed his dad into public service. He spent years racing 100 mph (well, 160 kilometers per hour) to calls, watching and experiencing some of the worst things the job has to offer. It didn’t take long on the job before Shaun’s previous bouts with depression returned and eventually devolved into PTSD and several nights of lying in bed with his service weapon in his hands trying to think of reasons not to kill himself. But Shaun recovered – and eventually began to thrive – and it’s his mission now with The Strong Life Project to teach resilience and a way out. He’s no longer a cop but it’s still in his blood and his goal in life is to be a resource for other cops and first responders who are hurting. Shaun’s podcast is here on iTunes website is TheStrongLifeProject.com Follow him on Instagram here or @shaunogorman. Follow The Squad Room @thesquadroom or on Facebook If you need help, there are resources for you. Safe Call Now is a 24-hour hotline for first responders at 206-459-3020  

Sgt. Wilson is the founder and the man behind the hugely popular Instagram page @policefitnessnutrition. His page has exploded over the last two years and has a following of 78,ooo followers as of this episode. We’ve been in touch since The Squad Room started and I’ve always wanted to have him on the show. Sgt. Wilson has always gone out of his way to promote our mutual goal of helping officers get healthy. He does it on Instagram and I do it here on the podcast. Sgt. Wilson has built a small but successful social media empire – a success he attributes to his PFN reps around the world. These reps aren’t just ambassadors of his brand, but they’re examples of fitness in law enforcement. What I like best is that the page is always filled with positive messages, inspiring people, and great health tips. I always love his posts. In this episode we cover: The one call for service that caused him to start Police Fitness & Nutrition His history in law enforcement His department’s attitude towards his page. His personal workout and nutrition routines His supplementation routines The differences between east and west coast sheriff’s departments. Getting promoted to supervisor and being assigned to supervise your friends …and more. It’s a fun conversation between two Sheriff’s Sergeants on opposite coasts If you don’t already follow Sgt. Wilson, do it here on Instagram and here on Facebook. You can follow us here on Instagram, and here on Facebook. If you liked this episode, please consider leaving a review on iTunes here.

Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman doesn’t need much of an introduction to law enforcement in the free world. The originator of the “sheepdog” mentality, Lt. Col. Grossman literally wrote the book on that theory. It’s part of his first book, “On Combat” which is a must read for LEOs. Click here for the excerpt from “On Combat” that explains the theory of Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs. Click here to buy On Combat (note: affiliate link) Grossman travels over 300 days a year speaking to law enforcement about the importance of the Bulletproof Mind, his version of resilience. If you haven’t seen him speak, I cannot recommend it enough. I attended his 8 hour class as a (much) younger officer and it changed how I train and go about my days. Even in this episode, I repeat stuff back to him that I learned in his class. Here are just some of the things we talk about: What is the Bulletproof Mind How do you build resilience. What you should be doing daily to be prepared. Why he agrees that we must “fight in the shade.” The importance of sleep in resilience. How controlling your breath can control the fight. Why your hobbies should reinforce your training. His ideas for the next generation of school security. Where do we need to go with our training to address the newer threats to officer safety. Lt. Col. Grossman is always good for an interesting quote and we got quite a few. “Our product under stress is a direct result of our training.” “If you don’t have a hammer, nothing looks like a nail.” Lt. Col. Grossman mentions several companies and resources in this episode. Here’s the links: Hero911 App (iTunes link) Guard911.com – The parent company of Hero911 with training for LEOs and others. Clear-Armor.com – Laminate adhesive for windows for added security and protection. Sheepdogknifeandgun.com – Dave’s own knife and gun business co-owned with his son Jon. Sabre Red Pepper Spray Gel (affiliate link) – Grossman recommends that every teacher carry this at all times. Makes sense. Templariss.com – Retinal scanner for gun safes that Grossman advocates keeping in each school. If you like what you heard, please consider sharing this episode with a friend, co-worker, or loved one. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom Thanks for listening. Stay safe and take care of each other.            

In this short Briefing Topic episode of The Squad Room, Garrett advocates that as professionals, we must follow the example set by an ancient warrior. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom. Thanks for listening.

Steve Pitts has over 30 years in law enforcement, retiring as the chief of Reno PD in Nevada. In Nevada, every first responder has to take an extensive physical every year that includes blood work and biomarkers. It’s mandatory. Chief Pitts saw the opportunity in this data to develop a wellness program based on science and actionable information to make his officers and his department more successful. I met Steve in January at a law enforcement wellness conference. He gave a presentation titled, “Resilience as a Path to Wellness.” In this episode, we talk about his career, his definition of resilience and how to manage a 30+ year career, how he implemented a wellness routine, his personal training regime and how it has changed through the years, goal setting, and much more.

Nick Frankus has been with the Portland Police Department for 18 years – many of them on the department’s SWAT Team. Nick is a very observant and introspective guy and he’s been documenting the lessons he’s learned along the way and he’s now sharing them in his own podcast Work on the Edge, which I highly recommend. It’s actually not about law enforcement, although his topics apply directly to the profession. It’s aimed at anyone who works in a high-stakes environment. Nick wrote a book and released a series of episodes on what he calls the “confidence/competence conundrum” in which he argues that confidence should come from courage and humility, not from competency. He shares a training scenario that he failed as a younger SWAT operator that sent his confidence spiraling, and how he’s a much better cop, husband, and human as a result of that learning experience. This graphic might not make much sense right now, but listen to the episode and refer back to it. We talk about it on the show and you can come back here to thesquadroom.net/episode59 to view if after you’ve listened. Nick articulates his position very well and I think anyone who listens will recognize times in their own lives where they pulled their confidence from their competence, and how that is a receipt for disaster. Another great book on this topic, and one I read to help me as a parent, is the Carol Dweck’s book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.” This book is our audible.com choice of the month. You can get a free 30-day Audible trial and a free book by going to audibletrial.com/thesquadroom. Listen to Nick’s podcast Work on the Edge here on iTunes. Follow Nick on Instagram and Twitter @workontheedge Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @thesquadroom. Our website is thesquadroom.net

Jeff Halstead retired as the Chief of Police for the city of Fort Worth, Texas after a 30+ year career. Jeff rose quickly through the ranks of the Phoenix Police Department before making the jump to Texas. After retiring, Jeff didn’t set up a beach chair in the sand and order a pitcher of margaritas (my current retirement plan). Nope, it seems when Jeff retired that’s when the real work began. Jeff founded Hope4Blue.org, a non-profit organization devoted to several missions. Most importantly, taking care of officers who’ve had to medically retire and who need medical care their retirements and disability insurance don’t cover. They also fund training and equipment for officers and departments that can’t afford the most basic supplies. It all results in a group that is devoted to making the lives of officers better every day. I was struck by how a guy who’d done his service at the highest ranks went back and focused on the line-level officers. In this episode we also cover: – The hi-tech messaging app he developed just for cops that encrypts communication and protects you from civil litigation. – How he was mentored, and how to run a mentoring program at your agency. – The one book that influenced his entire life. (Enlightened Leadership) – Decision-making up and down the chain of command – Why education-based discipline needs to replace punitive discipline for officers. – The difference between leadership, supervision and management. How we confuse the terms and who is really in charge of a department (hint: it’s often not the chief). – The importance of having “IT-free” date nights and how it’s helped him have a successful marriage. – What he wishes every line officer knew about being chief. You can follow Jeff on Instagram @hope4blue, Twitter at @h4bnow or his Facebook page The Halstead Group. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @thesquadroom. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or the podcast player of your choice. You can also tell a friend about the show.

Tony Blauer says he is engaged in “the study of human movement as it relates to violent aggression.” Tony has been teaching self-defense tactics to cops, tier 1 special operators, and housewives for over thirty years. Blauer created the S.P.E.A.R. System, CrossFit Defense and many other self-defense courses and he’s made a career out of training people to be prepared for the first 3 seconds of the fight – it’s an important 3 seconds. Tony studies our natural evolutionary gift of fight vs flight instincts and how to utilize those instincts to begin our defense against an ambush within that reactionary gap. Tony’s system and methods fill a gap in our defensive tactics instruction, and it’s one I hadn’t given much thought to before learning about Tony. We learn about reactionary gap with our firearms training but it does seem to be lacking from most ARCON / Defensive Tactics methods. Blauer says there’s nothing wrong with what we’re taught in ARCON but the best BJJ, ARCON, Defensive Tactics methods are useless if we lose the fight before our brain knows it’s happening. As a natural part of this, fear needs to be addressed because fear is what motivates our bodies to fight or flee. It’s also what triggers what Tony calls the “startle flinch” response and how we can train our flinch to become a self-defense reaction. In this episode, we talk about a lot: How all of our fights are reactive and defensive in nature and why that will never change. Why self-defense is not the same as fighting. The 4 elements of fear Why he doesn’t train for fear inoculation, at least not how you would expect. Why he thinks muscle memory doesn’t exist. And much more. I hope you enjoy Tony’s appearance on the show. Follow him on Instagram @tonyblauer and @spear.system Stay safe.    

This short Briefing Topic covers 5 questions I try to ask myself on a daily basis – sometimes several times a day. I’ve noticed that if I go too long without answering these questions, I stray from my goals and who I want to be. I hope that you find them helpful as well.

Mark Rippetoe probably doesn’t need an introduction for many of you. The author of “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training” and “Practical Programming for Strength Training” has been training athletes for 40+ years. Mark is as well-know for his strong opinions as he is for his expertise and he shares them on this episode. We cover: – Why you need to train, and not exercise. – What popular programs masquerade as training but are really just exercise (fellow Crossfitters I’m looking at you). – The difference between training and a performance. – Why doing anything more than 5 reps of anything is pretty much useless. – Why strength training will accomplish your goals. It was a really fun conversation and I just scratched the surface of what I wanted to cover. Time flew so I hope we can have him back on to plunge down the rabbit hole of strength and conditioning. Follow Mark on Instagram @startingstrength. For demo videos, articles and seminar dates, his website is Startingstrength.com Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom. If you got something out of this episode, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or the podcast player of your choice. You can tell a friend about the show too.

Dr. David Klinger was a guest on this show. A former LAPD officer, now a college professor, and author of the phenomenal book, “Into the Kill Zone,” says that law enforcement must be preoccupied with failure. I agree. Listen to this short briefing episode to learn more. And if you haven’t, read his book. A rookie officer told me this week it should be mandatory reading in the academy. I agree.

Kevin is a former Green Beret with two combat deployments to Afghanistan. On September 25, 2011, Kevin was shot in the abdomen while on a patrol. Pinned down by enemy fire, an Afghan commando risked his life to save him. Kevin was left with some debilitating injuries that required six surgeries and thousands of hours of physical therapy. There were points where it was doubtful he’d ever walk again. Kevin fought back and eventually regained the use of his injured leg. It’s a great story of how the will to survive continues after the bleeding has stopped. Nowadays, Kevin is thriving. His recovery was never easy but he pushed forward and was admitted to both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where he completed SIMULTANEOUS master’s degrees. I mean…seriously. Follow him on Twitter @woundedbywar or at woundedbywar.com If you got something from the show, please leave a review on iTunes and let us know what you think. Follow us @thesquadroom

Not getting the life you want? Maybe you haven’t turned pro.

Sgt. Rick Burkmier of the Scottsdale Police Department has been a FOS (friend of the show) since the beginning. He claims that we were the inspiration for him to start his own podcast on police fitness called Forty Caliber Fitness. You can get it here on iTunes. Listen to episode 12 where he has some jackass on as a guest. Follow him on Instagram at @fortycaliberfitness Sgt. Burkmier was kind enough to come on the show and talk about an OIS he was involved in as a brand new sergeant. We discuss the event, his thoughts and tactics, and what he learned from the event. It’s a great debrief of a critical incident and one we’ll be highlighting more often. If you want to support the show, please leave a review in iTunes or the podcast player of your choice.

Ruben Palomares’ life reads like the script of a Hollywood movie. Born and raised in some of the toughest barrios of Los Angeles, surrounded by abuse and no father figure, Ruben stayed strong and avoided the siren call of gang life that claimed so many of his friends and family members. Ruben learned he had a talent for boxing, and worked hard in the ring and staying off the streets where he knew evil lurked. HE got so good he won the Golden Gloves and talk making the Olympic team seemed reasonable. But, he ended up missing the ’92 and ’96 teams by a few spots. One of Ruben’s coaches was an LAPD officer, and he saw a lot about life as a cop that he liked. The discipline he learned during long hours slogging away at a punching bag paid off when he went through the academy. When he graduated, he got a lot of attention – particularly from the juvenile narcotics unit which recruited and placed him into a local high school in order to infiltrate and identify drug dealers in the school. Ruben was literally, 21st Jump Street. In this episode, Ruben details his early years, and how he fell so far – from being a rising star within the LAPD to a convicted felon who is still on parole. Ruben had a few experiences during his career that I think w might all recognize either in ourselves or other officers. Moments when, if we’re not careful or aware, we might begin to take steps down a slippery slope. It’s hard to imagine anyone doing anything as sensational and horrific as Ruben did but it happened, and Ruben is here to tell his story in hopes that he can share the warning signs with others as a cautionary tale. Regardless of what you might think of him, it’s a fascinating story.

Greg Amundson is an official “FOS” That’s Friend of the Show. Greg’s teachings, books, and leadership have been instrumental in my own development and I know that many of you feel the same way. I know this because more than anyone else, I get emails asking to get Greg back on the show. Lucky for us he has a new book out, “Firebreather Fitness: Work Your Body, Mind, and Spirit into the Best Shape of Your Life.” Greg’s nickname as the “Original Firebreather” goes back to his time as one of the first students of Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit. There seem to be about 6 people on Earth who can say they’ve been doing CrossFit longer than Greg. In this episode we talk about the importance of separating your Purpose from your profession, why your “Why” is important to understand, and how positive talk influences our lives. We talk about transitions as a lot of us are going through them, whether it’s starting the academy, getting promoted, or retiring, and how we can use those transitions to reinvigorate our purpose in life. As expected, it’s a great conversation with Greg. To follow him on Instagram, he’s at @gregoryamundson and @crossfitamundson His website is gregoryamundson.com To follow me, find me @thesquadroom on Instagram and Twitter or at thesquadroom.net Till next time, take care of each other and stay safe, Garrett  

This is a short episode about 2016 and the ass-kicker that it turned out to be. Interview episodes will return in two weeks so sit tight. In the show, I mention our first t-shirt for 2017, a memorial for the 140 officers lost in the line of duty last year. The back of the shirt has the American flag with 140 blue stars instead of the regular 50, to honor each of their sacrifice. The front has a quote that reminds us all of the will to survive – and thrive. The shirt is available for a limited time at teespring.com/officerdown2016

Green Beret and founder of Guerrilla Approach Training returns to the show to talk about what it takes to survive these days as a cop. Since Aaron’s last appearance on the show – a very popular episode 36 – he’s been traveling around the country engaging with law enforcement from all over the country. He’s learned from, and taught to, a lot of front line leaders who are actively taking a part in their own defense. I’m sure many of you, okay, most of you are like me in that my department just doesn’t have the resources to give us the constant training and repetition that we really need. When they do, it often seems to go to SWAT and specialized units with the intent that it will “trickle down” to patrol but that rarely seems to happen anywhere. Aaron’s great at discussing the purpose behind the tactics, and questioning many of the common “skills” and tactics you see promoted on social media. Many are valid, many are not, but Aaron’s goal is to get people to think for themselves rather than accept the dogma of a social media gunfighter – even if that gunfighter is Aaron himself. We had a great discussion that included how to do your own stress inoculation when you’re doing your own training, why he’s been focusing on tactics around vehicles recently, and what he has planned for 2017 with active shooter response (though we both agree in this episode that “active shooter” is an often overused and broad category. Aaron will continue teaching his courses into 2017. Check out his website guerrillaapproach.com for a schedule of classes around the country. Follow him on Instagram and here some of his philosophies directly from him. It’s like gun porn with purpose. Here’s the link to the Foreign Policy op-ed we discuss during the show The video he shot for Panteao Productions is available for download or hard copy purchase here. Follow The Squad Room on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom Our website is thesquadroom.net If you’re interested in a free 30 day trial from Audible.com, you can get yours by clicking here, or going to audibletrial.com/thesquadroom for a free 30 day trail AND a free audiobook of your choice.

Traver Boehm returns to the show after a wild adventure all over the western hemisphere the last 11 months. Listen to episodes 1 and 2 to learn more about Traver, and to episode 23 to hear about what happened in his life that provoked him to begin the “Year to Live” project. It’s all pretty powerful stuff. Traver’s a badass. A former NCAA athlete, professional MMA fighter, body guard, and CrossFit coach and entrepreneur. But he’s also a licensed acupuncturist, writer and speaker. He’s the definition of a Peaceful Warrior. Traver was able to stop by and catch up and tell his about his adventures – volunteering in hospice, spending 28 days in complete darkness, and another 28 days in the wilderness. It’s kind of nuts. We skip over an important topic on accident, his TedX talk that he gave, “How to Make Pain Your Guru.” It’s epic. Powerful. Follow Traver on Instagram @traverboehm or on his website traverboehm.com Follow The Squad Room @thesquadroom or at thesquadroom.net If you like audio books, you can support the show by signing up for a free 3o day trial with Audible.com. Just click the link to get a free trial AND a free audiobook of your choice. Stay safe.  

John Welbourn is a lot of things. 9-year NFL veteran with the Eagles, Chiefs and the Patriots with 3 NFC Championship appearances. The founder of CrossFit Football CrossFit Games Athlete in 2008 CrossFit Level 1 & 2 coach. Creator of Power Athlete HQ and JohnnieWOD John has his own podcast, Power Athlete Radio that dives deep on training and conditioning. What many don’t know, is that John was also at one time a reserve police officer himself. If you follow him on Instagram you also know he likes his guns, and trains on the range like he trains in the gym. That gives John a lot of unique insights into our lives and the challenge of being a cop – a tactical athlete. For example, even though John is a CrossFit coach, he explains that CrossFit alone cannot accommodate our needs (and he provides some suggestions). John is also our first guest (I think) to talk about the specifics of the weight we carry. Others have talked in generalities about the “heavy gun belt” but John dives deeper, reminding us that “ounces equal pounds” and that when we’re on duty, we need to look at our whole system and how it effects our movement. He’s got his own story about how his gear choices created poor performance on patrol. He’s got a couple funny cop stories too. John has a popular blog called “Talk to me Johnnie” that he’s compiled into a new book. He’s offering Squad Room listeners a discount on the book. Use the coupon code SQUAD (all caps) for 20% off! It’s an awesome episode. Tons of great information from a guy who clearly loves cops and is on our side. We need those guys. Remember to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom Please leave a review in iTunes if you enjoy the show. This episode is sponsored by Audible.com. Audio books are a great way to ingest more knowledge, expand your mind and all while multi-tasking. Get a FREE 30 day trial and a FREE audiobook of your choice by going to audibletrial.com/thesquadroom and signing up. You’ll support the show, even if you decide not to join after your free 30 days. Stay safe, Garrett