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Tactical Tangents - Podcast

Tactical Tangents

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.

Society & Culture Storytelling Discussion Self-Improvement Interview Education
Update frequency
every 13 days
Average duration
68 minutes
Episodes
205
Years Active
2017 - 2025
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So You Wanna Be an Air Force Pilot (…or Not?)

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 R…

01:10:45  |   Mon 01 Sep 2025
Careers in Law Enforcement - Worth It?

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…

01:09:16  |   Fri 15 Aug 2025
Stay in Your Lane? Maybe Not.

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 w…

01:13:05  |   Fri 01 Aug 2025
Feeding the Machine: Range Nutrition for Tactical Athletes

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. Whethe…

00:43:58  |   Tue 15 Jul 2025
Teaching the Enemy: Lessons from The Dragons and the Snakes

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…

00:54:12  |   Tue 01 Jul 2025
It's Chess AND Checkers--Tactics and Strategy Unite!

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, t…

01:07:36  |   Sun 15 Jun 2025
Hazing vs. Hardening: Building Strong Teams Without Breaking People

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 hardsh…

01:00:50  |   Sun 01 Jun 2025
Kids These Days - Leading Across Generations

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 o…

00:53:57  |   Thu 15 May 2025
“Fire As A Weapon, Chapter 12” -Sun Tzu, Probably.

“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 …

01:07:42  |   Thu 01 May 2025
HONOR: Your Own Rules

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…

01:09:39  |   Tue 15 Apr 2025
Catching Up After a Busy Week

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 (Face…

01:17:32  |   Tue 01 Apr 2025
Times Jim Has Called 911

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 some…

01:17:30  |   Sat 15 Mar 2025
180: Balance: Pace Yourself, it's a Marathon, not a Sprint

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 (Face…

00:55:07  |   Sat 01 Mar 2025
179: The Boogeyman of Coeur d'Alene – The Crimes of Joseph Duncan

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 stalki…

01:16:05  |   Sat 15 Feb 2025
178: “Be Curious, Not Judgmental.” How to Deal with a Big Ego

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…

01:23:34  |   Sat 01 Feb 2025
177: Bad Advice

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 e…

01:42:42  |   Wed 15 Jan 2025
176: Read the Room - Who is Leading You?

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 disc…

00:51:51  |   Wed 01 Jan 2025
175: The Last Traffic Stop: Kyle Dinkheller’s Story

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 escalatio…
01:04:27  |   Sun 15 Dec 2024
174: De-Escalate? Escalate? When can you taser them?

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.

Conflic…

01:46:23  |   Sun 01 Dec 2024
173: Dancing With Exotic Weapons

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 soci…

01:10:43  |   Fri 15 Nov 2024
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