The Debrief with Jon Becker

Mark McGrath, a strategist and former Marine Corps officer, dives deep into John Boyd's OODA loop, challenging the conventional understanding. He emphasizes that the key to success lies in 'orientation'—a dynamic process of updating mental models through destruction and creation. The discussion touches on adaptive decision-making amid uncertainty, the role of cultural perspectives in situational awareness, and the importance of training that fosters innovation rather than rigid conformity. McGrath advocates for strategies that prioritize quality of orientation over mere speed.

Joel Anderson, Tactical Commander for the Washington State Patrol SWAT Team, and Bob Shaw, Patrol Sergeant with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department SWAT Team, dive into a gripping hostage situation that escalated from a homicide standoff. They discuss the tactical maneuvers needed to manage a domestic violence victim's return and the ensuing chaos. Key topics include the critical need for immediate action drills, the complexities of team coordination, and the profound lessons learned about rapid response in unpredictable scenarios.

Toby Darby dives into the high-stakes world of tactical decision-making during a barricade scenario. He explains the principles of war that guide incident management, including simplicity and surprise. The discussion intensifies as dilemmas arise, from classifying the incident to the urgency of intervention when a female approaches the suspect's vehicle. As containment breaks down, Toby highlights the critical importance of maintaining command and planning. Strategic lessons shared throughout emphasize the dynamics of crisis situations and the need for continuous tactical training.

DME 08

Lieutenant Andrew Smith, a veteran with the South Davis Metropolitan SWAT team, shares gripping insights from a harrowing hostage situation in Farmington, Utah. He recounts the tense vehicle pursuit that led to the standoff and the complexities of using SWAT resources, including the decision to call in air support. Andrew discusses key moments, like the rescue of a young girl and the challenges of communication—both with hostages and between teams. He also reflects on lessons learned regarding tactical roles and the importance of community relationships after such crises.

My guest today is Dr. Jenny Prohaska, a clinical psychologist who has spent her career on the front lines of trauma and high-stakes performance. Jenny trained in neuro -rehabilitation psychology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, working with patients and staff in trauma, ICU, and burn units, where she built her expertise in how the brain and body adapt to extreme stress. For more than a decade, Jenny has brought that expertise into policing and tactical operations. She's force science certified and consults on more than 30 officer -involved shootings a year, as well as hundreds of other critical incidents. Jenny’s conducted thousands of pre-hire psychological evaluations, giving her deep expertise in what makes officers and teams thrive or deteriorate under pressure. She's also built and trained more than two dozen peer support teams across the country and today consults for more than 50 public safety agencies. Jenny's also a sought-after speaker for national organizations. She's a founder of tactical longevity, a first -of -its -kind, pre-incident anti -fragility training framework designed to prepare officers and tactical teams to withstand the cumulative stress of their job. I'm excited to talk to Jenny because I've been a fan of her work for a number of years, and I believe that antifragility and prehabilitation programs promoting this concept of tactical longevity and talking about it and teaching. LinksTactical Longevity | Anti-Fragility Training BooksWhat Happened to You? Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey – ISBN-13 – 978-1250223180

On October 12th, 2020, Bakersfield police responded to a hospital on a domestic violence call to a female who had been hit in the head with a hammer by her ex-husband. When patrol officers arrived at the suspect's house, the male suspect exited the home, screaming at police and threw an improvised explosive device at officers. Negotiations with the suspect began, who initially appeared to be negotiating in good faith, But after two hours, it became apparent the suspect was not going to comply, and the Bakersfield Special Operations Group was activated. In the ensuing 12 -hour standoff, the team became aware that the suspect had his four-year-old son with him and was an Army combat veteran who had explosive devices in the home. With me today are Captain Ted King and Sergeant Travis Harless from Bakersfield Police to discuss the case.

In this engaging discussion, Patrick Van Horne, a Marine Corps veteran and co-author of 'Left of Bang,' shares insights on threat recognition and proactive violence prevention. He explains the Combat Hunter program, emphasizing the shift from reactive to proactive measures. Patrick discusses how recognizing pre-event indicators can enhance decision-making and resource efficiency. He also highlights the broader applications of this framework beyond military contexts, such as in cybersecurity and public health, showcasing its significance in today's unpredictable world.

On October 27, 2018 a lone gunman entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA with the intent of killing anyone he could. Tree of Life was the home to three different congregations, Tree of Life, New Light, and Dor Haddash, all of which were preparing for or having their normal shabbat services.  What followed was the deadliest attack on the Jewish Community in American history. 11 innocent people were killed, and a further 6 were injured.This attack is the subject of our documentary called Confronting Hate, where we dealt with the attack and aftermath in detail. However, we wanted to make a more traditional episode of The Debrief to cover the team’s lessons learned from the event and their advice to other units. In this episode, we will hear from several of the responding members of Pittsburgh SWAT. As usual, we will not mention the shooters name or discuss his agenda because we are hoping time will erase him and the hate he hoped to propagate.