Jon Dufresne is a former Army Ranger, and the owner/founder of Kinetic Consulting, teaching various forms of shooting, marksmanship, and night vision training. Duffy joins me this week as we sit down and talk about his perspective on providing not only quality training, but a quality learning environment to allow students to grow and develop. Throughout our conversation we talk about time management, personal help, development and dedication, as well as night vision and lasers. I had a blast with this conversation, and I know you'll enjoy listening to it as well.Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Derek Frymire and I catch up on this weeks episode, as we jump into another discussion around gear. As the owner of Drop 6 and a expert in materials and sewing, Derek is an awesome resource to help shine some light not only on costs, but why costs go up or down, and what quality really means. As usual, there's plenty that I don't know that Derek is able to fill me in on, and we touch on materials, manufacturing, talk about the secondary market for used goods, and more. Happy to be able to grab a bit of time and get this one out to you all. If you're just stepping into the community and looking to understand more about all of your kit, this is a great resource for you!Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Another great SITREP coming at you as Trevor and I dive into current events and their impact on our community. I this installment, we talk about the coming expiration of Title 42, the ongoing crisis at our southern border, and it's impact on the country. We also spend time talking about the ongoing review of the pistol brace opinion, the end of the amnesty period, and what implications this all carriers with it.Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Jonah Tyree is one of the owners/founders of One Hundred Concepts, a company that develops solutions for common problems many of us face in the tactical community. Their light caps and scope caps feature a unique and simplistic design that many of us have come to love and appreciate. Jonah and I sit down, and talk about not only what lead to the creation of One Hundred Concepts, but why these solutions and products are necessary. We discuss the seven S's of camouflage, talk about the firearms community, discuss our favorite camo patterns, and more. Always a great conversation when I'm able to connect with Jonah, and I'm very happy to be able to share this one with you all!Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Camouflage is a critical, yet often misunderstood part of our community. Whether you're talking hunting, tactical shooting, or just plain fashion, it has its place. To talk about this, I'm joined this week by Curt Liddle, the owner and founder of Relv camo. Curt started Relv back in 2017 and has since found great success in his unique and innovative designs, and strong industry partnerships. We have the opportunity to talk about the technological side of the camo development space, and his time as a art director, as well as pattern break-up, industry and material limitations, and more. There's so much to get into, and we touch on a awful lot of it, and even share some stories and thoughts around starting a business, mindset, and attitude. I truly enjoyed this episode, and I believe you will as well!Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Josh and I sit down in this weeks episode and talk about some of the things you hear on the range, how it impacts your growth, and why it's important to see past the commentary for what's really useful. As we've seen more new shooters in the past few years than probably at any point in the last hundred years, helping to provide quality information, as well as providing the understanding that needs to come with that information, is absolutely critical. Josh shares some of the feedback from his recent qualification, and we both talk about our earliest influences that helped us learn, and grow.Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Scott Dunham of Nocturnality Gear is my guest this episode as we dive back into the world of night vision. Nocturnality is a custom night vision shop, and Scott has is a wealth of knowledge on not only the industry, but a lot of the recent history of night vision technology and its applications. During our conversation, we get into the different generations of tubes, the details behind building your first setup, manufacturing standards and the specifications we look at while purchasing, and more. This was a lot of fun, and certainly will be a great help to anyone looking to grab their first tube!Visit our sponsors!Patreon - www.patreon.com/prepared_mindset_podMidwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Another SITREP dropping for you all, as we celebrate the Easter holiday. I take just a few moments on this episode to talk about being thankful, social media, and the importance of building relationships. As we all work to strengthen ourselves and those around us, building a better rapport with our neighbors, it's important to take a bigger picture look at how we handle our interactions, and work to react accordingly. Through more steadfast friendships and relationships, we will all grow and prosper, together.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

In this week's episode, I'm joined by Mike and Keith, the hosts of The Gun Experiment Podcast. As native New Yorkers, these gentleman are civilians living "behind enemy lines" and have persevered and found success in the 2A community, despite their legal conditions. We dive into gun control, the community, training, experiences with law enforcement, and so much more. This is a great discussion, and a fantastic example of the wide diversity and circumstances that makes up our collective community!Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

As we continue to grow and evolve, our team here at P.M.P. must also grow. This episode I welcome Josh, who will be joining me on a more regular basis as we continue to bring information and discussion to you all. Josh is a local Michigander, and a former soldier. Aside for his deep passion for training, shooting, and learning, we both share a love for music that greatly shaped our lives in our early years. We take this opportunity to hear a bit of Josh's story, as well as have some in-depth discussion around various topics within our community.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

One of the questions I get the most from folks, is around what to buy for their first firearm, what's a good belt, can I recommend a plate carrier. I get asked almost these same questions every time a friend approaches me about wanting to get into preparedness. As such, this is something I've been collecting several thoughts around, and wanting to do a episode on for a while. I get into the thought process that should go into your very first firearm purchase, all the way down to what you shouldn't buy and don't need, and why. With so many new shooters entering the space in the last few years, this topic is more important than ever.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

In this months SITREP, I talk about the ever-present fight for what is deemed as "common sense" gun control, and the legislation currently being pushed here in Michigan. I share my feelings around the trickle down impacts, as well as how the desired outcomes may be the furthest thing from the observed outcomes, as well as how these efforts are built and driven off of poor data, and motivations. I dig into quite a bit here and encourage you to give this a listen, and react or respond accordingly, in your own state.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Bill Blowers is the owner and founder of Tap Rack Tactical, and also a industry leading expert on ballistic shields, and shield training. As former Army and Law Enforcement, Bill draws on a lot of experience with his teaching and has helped to define and grow many of the common practices and techniques used by SWAT teams around the country. In our discussion we talk about the evolution of technology and training from the mid nineties to today, we get into shield application, armor standards, and a lot more. Definitely a interesting discussion for anyone in law enforcement that finds themselves working with, or around shields and ballistic cover.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

To many of us in the training community, we've become so inundated and overwhelmed with the use of the term "recce" that I don't know if we even still know what it means. It's something I have a idea about, and see a lot of information thrown around about, but haven't deeply addressed personally. I'm joined this week, by my friend Adrian, owner of Sidewinder Concepts, to do just that. We take a deep dive into the mindset and skillsets that build recce concepts. Plenty of misunderstandings are corrected, and information gaps are filled throughout our discussion. If you're some who's looking to take your training to new places, or simply have no clue if you really understand reconnaissance, you'll likely learn a few things here!Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Self defense has been the gateway concept for millions and millions of American gun owners. Inevitably for many of us, that concept grows and grows, until you end up with folks like myself, infatuated with the preparedness and survival community. My guest this week, Mr. Chris Cook, owner and founder of Odyssey Training & Consulting, has devoted himself and his work to self defense training and education. In our discussion this week, we take a deep dive into the practical training and mindset that comes with defending yourself, both with a firearm, and without. This was a thoroughly enjoyable discussion, and I know you're all going to enjoy it as well. Check it out!Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

I'm joined this week by Justin Day, the owner and founder of Finest Hour LLC, a training company based here in Michigan. Justin is a former Paramedic and SWAT Paramedic prior to entering the world of coaching and instruction, additionally having spent several years with Haley Strategic. We spend time talking about the state of training opportunities in Michigan, setting realistic expectations, culture and more. Additionally we touch on social media, mindset, dry fire versus live fire, and a even more than I can mention. This was a jam packed conversation worth checking out!Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Optics. We all love them, we run them on our rifles, our pistols, even our crossbows. They've become a staple of preparedness in many ways, and the innovation behind them has skyrocketed over the past several years. To talk about this, i'm joined this episode by Ahmad Aboukar, the owner and CEO of Lead & Steel, a company who has created, designed, and launched their own optic from the ground up. We touch on a lot of the science behind optic design, as well as get into some of the specifics behind what makes their optic, the Promethean LP-1, stand out in the crowd.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Time for another Sunday SITREP as I share my thoughts and feelings around current events. In the past several weeks we've experienced everything from a state of the union address to a spy balloon that nobody could figure out how to get rid of. Plenty to unpack in this one, and I hit it all.Visit our sponsors!Midwest Gun Works - www.midwestgunworks.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 5% off your order!One Hundred Concepts - www.onehundredconcepts.comLarp Labs - www.larplabs.com discount code "preparedmindset" for 10% off!Active Carry - www.activecarrytec.com discount code "PMP10" for 10% off your order!

Something we've not talked nearly enough about, is survival skills, their applications, and the context in which they are deployed. I'm joined this week by Mitch, a former Air Force S.E.R.E. instructor, as well as Baer Solutions instructor, and co-owner of Agonic, LLC. We talk about fundamental skills, tools, the principles of camouflage and concealment, mental strength, personal will, and more. Tons to unpack here, check it out!

Early on, one of the most ridiculous criticisms I ever received, was that "Mindset doesn't matter in any of this, you should change the name of your podcast", and I still remember the feeling of disbelief. Mindset is the foundation and core of everything we collectively pursue, and ultimately will be the thing that makes us or breaks us. This week, I open up, and share my feelings about mindset, the reality of it, and how it can be your guiding principle to success.

I am joined once again by Chance, of Holistic Solutions Group to have a discussion around Vehicle Interdiction work, and the impact of tech resources within a unit. HSG has recently rolled out their "Tech Operator" course, which helps teams and agencies augment their existing TTP's and enhance capabilities using throw bots, drones, pole cameras and more. Really fascinating hearing about the application of these tools and why it's so impactful that they be utilized. Additionally, we talk about fighting around vehicles, interdictions, and the importance of applying CQB principles around a vehicle to increase safety, and effectiveness. Always learn something new when I sit with Chance, and I think you will as well.

In this episode, I take another dive into the world of long range, precision shooting, with Adrian, the owner and founder of Sidewinder Concepts LLC. As a former Army Sniper, and self taught shooter, Adrian has a lot of time behind a scope, and offers a ton of insight into things like setting up the weapon not just correctly, but how to correctly fit you, for maximum success. We touch on things like eye relief and eye box, reticles, shooting positions, and a lot more. Already looking forward to getting back together for our follow on discussion and learn even more. If you're somebody who wants to get into PSR this year, or maximize your carbine and LPVO, you definitely need to head over to sidewinderconcepts.com and find a class!

We've had a development, and another opinion, which impacts all of us as lawful gun owners. As usual, I share my thoughts, and my feelings, along with some predictions on what is coming down the road for our 2A community. I speak on the importance of understanding the issue and its impacts, and taking steps to push back through our elected leadership to have our rights protected, and our due process followed.

One of our earliests guests here at PMP was Dameon Houser, and at the time his company was called The Concealed Journey. Fast forward to today, they've had a change of name, and new direction in their mission. I sit and talk with Dameon about what it's been like re-focusing their mission plan and goals, as well as accountability, community, and more. There's so much we get into while looking not only at what GRG is doing to improve the capabilities of it's students, but how to expand that same mindset across our community to help everyone achieve more, through collaboration. Certainly enjoyed being able to catch up and have this discussion, hope you enjoy!

As we jump into 2023, we're kicking things off with a bang, as I have the chance to talk with Duncan Greene, from Steele Industries. I wrapped up 2022 by making my first night vision purchase, as did many folks. Night Vision, for being based in old, analog technology, is still largely a mystery to many of us. There are lots of questions around specs, manufacturers, generations, the list goes on and on. Luckily, Duncan is a bit of a expert in this realm, and sits with me to share his thoughts and knowledge around not only Night Vision as a whole, but the first-time buyer experience, and what Steele is doing to help the community become better informed and better equipped. If you've been on the fence around buying some NODs, check this episode out, and get some of that much needed research taken care of!

Christmas has passed, and the turn of the calendar is officially upon us. Hard to believe that we're at our last episode of the year. Lexy and I sit down and go over some of the biggest events from the last twelve months, share some insight and short stories, and even drop some clues for what we have coming in 2023! From Lexy getting into her first class, the arrival of the first NFA item, all the way to purchasing night vision. It's been a year of growth and exciting experiences, and we cannot wait for what the future holds!

Defender Series Training Group was formed and launched by Troy Vanoostendorp as a means of helping to bridge the gaps in law enforcement training that existed between academy basics, and the real world experiences. In this week's episode I'm fortunate enough to sit down with Troy and discuss how he got to where he is today, and what he saw, and continues to see, that led him to creating Defender Series. Throughout the conversation we touch a lot on mindset and attitude, but also get into training standards, fitness, medical preparedness, stress exposure and management, and more. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn more about how the Law Enforcement piece of our community functions, and correct some additional information too. If you're a active duty officer, or aspiring to be one, I think you'll really like this one!

In 2019, Core Vision Training was founded to provide a training outlet for Core Vision Industries, a new company providing night vision. Jump forward to 2022, and Core Vision is now one of the most recognized training companies in the community and growing to address more and more training needs. I sit down with Kyle, the company founder, to discuss not only the founding process, but a myriad of other topics like mindset, training perspective, accountability, training standards, and more!

This week I get to talk with Chance, one of the three cadre members of Holistic Solutions Group, a training company built and dedicated towards defeating what they call "gas station tactics". Throughout our chat, we talk about some of Chance's experiences in his Law Enforcement capacity that led to where he's at today with H.S.G., as well as try and unpack issues within our social media community. Additionally, we talk about growth through differing ideas, we talk about books, tactics, techniques, procedures, and more. I had a stellar time chatting, and certainly look forward to more discussion of this sort, in the near future!

It's December, and time for another SITREP to talk on some of our current events. With a recent prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia, gun control amidst the release of international arms dealer, and a floundering economy heading into Christmas, there's certainly much to talk about. As always, I share my thoughts, and my feelings about all these issues, as well as some past events that tie into these conversations.

Drew Hopkins was another of my earliest inspirations, and someone who's content and information left a very large impression on me when I first entered this community. As a media specialist, his ability to draw attention to crucial topics within our culture have helped to spur valuable growth and discussion throughout social media. Much of this effort has been a catalyst for changes within the community, as well as being a shining example of how you can attract new people into the culture by showing how "cool" these things can be. Drew and I sit down and have a outstanding conversation around social media, shooting & training obviously, home life, accountability to ones self, and a whole lot more. Quite possibly once of the most enjoyable conversations I've had to date. Check it out!

Bob Keller is a 24 year vet of the United State Army, having spent time in the Ranger Regiment, and as a part of Special Operations. During his time with 1st Ranger battalion, and with Delta, he saw 14 deployments and numerous raids/gunfights. Today, he owns/operates Gamut Resolutions, a training company built and based around the idea that there is brilliance in the basics. In our conversation, we take a dive into training concepts and how fundamental skills are the key components to building success, proficiency and accountability. We talk about the 2A community, misconceptions around training idea. basic skills, evolutions in training over time, gear, and more!

Thanksgiving is here, and with it, brings the full swing of the holiday season! As Christmas brings with it the custom of gift giving, it also provides us the opportunity to help our fellow man, as well as support some amazing small businesses. To share some of our thoughts, as well as some great ideas from fantastic businesses in the community, Lexy and I sit down and go through 10 of our favorite gifts under a hundred dollars. If you're still scratching your head for that stocking stuffer, gift for a range buddy, or may just trying to pick up a little something for yourself, you may find an idea or two here!

We've made it through the mid-term elections, and have a whole new political landscape ahead of us, and a whole new set of questions. As always on our SITREP episodes, I share my thoughts, my opinions, and my insights on the recent developments and how they relate to some prior developments, what I think it will do to impact the future, and more. Additionally, I share some feelings about the upcoming holidays, and spending time with your loved ones.

While much of our community and admittedly this podcast has been around firearms training, and the importance of those skills, lifesaving abilities taught through medical instruction are just as important. These life changing skillsets are coming more and more into the public scope and being focused on more than probably ever before. I sit down with Josh, or as you may know him online as nomadic.clinician, and talk about his work as a paramedic, along with teaching as a member of the Orion Training Group cadre. We go through some of the essential pieces of a standard IFAK, the theory and use behind these kits, talk about fundamental skills, and more. If you're someone who carries this gear with them, but hasn't dove into really knowing the WHY behind it all, give this episode a listen.

Nic Kytlica is the marketing manager at Leupold optics and a competitive precision shooter. We sit down in this episode to have Nic share his experience and knowledge with me, around the fundamental pieces and concepts that go into shooting at a distance. As someone who has a very small amount of experience in this realm, I learned a lot in our brief discussion. We touched on topics like reticle styles, their benefits, D.O.P.E., ammo quality and tolerances, ammo tuning as well as rifle tuning, and a heck of a lot more I can't list here. If you're a hunter, or someone just genuinely interested at being able to reach out further with your weapon system, this is a great episode for you.

Green Beret Range Day is a fundraising event started by my friend Dillon, back in 2020 to bring folks together to shoot and train, while supporting The Green Beret Foundation. Fast forward a few years, and the event is going strong, and growing without signs of stalling or slowing. Dillon has created a unique experience based around bringing very skilled teachers and instructors together with folks who want to learn, and all to support this wonderful cause. The 2022 edition has just recently passed, so I jumped at the opportunity to grab Dillon's time, and get the low down on what all was offered and what plans are in the works for the future. Certainly a opportunity and experience unlike anything I've heard of, and something I implore everyone to look into. Give this one a listen, and then go sign up!

Small Unit Tactics. This concept has become increasingly popular and more prevalent within our community over the past several months. As we as a whole, continue to migrate and shift away from a singular focus on flat range training, this has become one of the predominant areas of focus and interest. To dive deeper into this, Blake Flannery joins me once again this week to share his knowledge on the subject. We have the added benefit of this discussion coming just a few weeks after the first few SUT classes for Orion Training Group, where Blake is a member of the cadre. We hit on things like parade commands, dry fire practice, shooting and moving, group dynamics, grenades, gear usage, and of course, dump pouches! Certainly a fun and educational chat, I think this is a very good starting point for some of you who have lots of questions around Small Unit Maneuvering.

I can't believe its already almost November, and time for the mid-term elections. With this big event just about a week away, it's the perfect opportunity to give another SITREP and share my opinion on some current events. As the election grows closer, we should all have a heightened awareness of current events and be putting in some time to research the issues. After all, in our democratic republic, voting is how our input and our voice is heard. This is an essential part of being a citizen, and something we should feel strongly about. Give this episode a listen, and hear my thoughts on some of the most recent developments, and ideas heading into next weeks mid-term.

Very rarely in life do you build the sort of friendships where you can not speak with someone for weeks or months, and be able to pick things up in your next conversation like it's barely been a day. Chris is a great friend of mine, and one such true example of friendship. This week, we sit down and chat about life, travel, night vision, suppressors of course, tuning rifles and some of the many projects that Chris has been working on with 1911 Syndicate. Hard to believe, but its been just over six months since the last time we were able to connect for a chat. As this opportunity arose, I wasn't going to miss the chance to hear about the adventures and escapades. Definitely a great, down to earth conversation, and I really think you'll all enjoy it as much as I did.

I've been searching for the right way to articulate this thought for a while, and finally decided it would be something great to discuss on the pod rather than in written word. For years we have seen different ideas and issues within our community from a certain "side" of the argument. However, I think over the past five to seven years we've seen that rift start to close up. As a culture, we've come together and shared our ideas, discussed our opinions, and deliberated our beliefs to reach today's state. No longer does "military grade" rule the day, and thankfully gone is the idea that anything military must mean durable and outdated. Our mission scope has shifted and we've started to come together. This week I share my observations on this communal growth and what it's looked like getting to this point.

Host of The Longhouse Podcast, and my friend, Tyler, joins me this week as we talk about all variety of topics. We spend some time sharing out experiences behind launching podcasts and some of the struggles that came with that process. Additionally we spend a greater portion of this episode talking communications. Something that's often overlooked, or simply seen as a box to check when building kit, it's crucial and can be a great tool, or an even greater hinderance. We talk budget versus quality radio/comm. setups, as well as some non-verbal communication skills like hand signals. There's a lot to unpack in this one, and I think you're going to enjoy it. Check it out!

Discussions, and often arguments around gear and kit are one of the great cornerstones that our 2A community is based off of. For better or worse, the conversations around these things has built and broken dozens of friendships and helped thousands of shooters learn and grow. This week, Burke and I take some time and examine this piece of the community and share our thoughts and opinions around why healthy discussion is essential to development. Burke is active duty Law Enforcement and has spent time in a multitude of areas ranging from Dignitary Protection and Tasks Forces, to basic patrol and investigation. Surely a unique conversation that provides plenty of insight into some common questions and societal norms we all see and experience. Check this out and see if we can't change your mind on a few things!

Since starting this podcast, some of the biggest questions and comments we get are how to get a spouse involved, what brought the partner into the situation, and is there a way to get your significant other more interested. This week, Lexy and I sit down, and discuss our own personal experiences and how we've been able to work together to be successful. We each have a unique set of skills and interests, that we've been able to combine to be more successful. If you've found yourself wishing your wife, husband, partner, etc. was more engaged, this episode is for you!

I am joined this week by Devin Soto, my good friend, and owner of The Tactical Cowboy LLC. As a former Army Ranger Devin has a lot of first hand experience with Close Quarters Battle. As a Ranger he trained to a high level of proficiency in a multitude of skills and situations. We sit down and we talk about fundamental skills and ideas that can might make you more proficient in that realm. Things like ballistic penetration, team work versus solo work, mitigating angles, and even more are all discussed. It's always a great time when I have the opportunity to catch up with Devin, but this was a truly educational discussion driven by opinions, thoughts, and context. Give it a listen, and see if it spurs any ideas for you!

My friend Josh Diringer joins me once again, as we dive into the concepts and ideas behind mission planning and contingency planning. During his time as a Green Beret, Josh had numerous opportunities to plan and prepare for all manner of operations. In some instances the first degree of planning was enough, and the mission was a success. In many instances, there was a need for additional plans to be in place. This is exactly what we dive into in this episode. The how's and the why's behind planning considerations and how to be more successful in the event you have to activate one of your contingencies. A learning discussion to be sure, and one that we'll all benefit from. Head over to survivefirstcontact.com for more info on Josh and how he can improve your level of preparedness!

Social media has been at the core of much of the rapid growth our community has seen over the last several years. The speed and ease at which we're able to share information has helped to usher in the newest generation of prepared individuals, and continues to do so. Unfortunately with that comes the speculation of personal opinions, and more often now, the criticism of those opinions. More often than not, incorrectly criticizing those individuals over a basic disagreement. This week, I take the opportunity to share my thoughts around this subject and how we can all ask more questions, to hear better answers. Check it out!

After over twenty years in the Air Force, and multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, Fred has moved into the civilian world as the head of research and development at Spiritus Systems working on some of the best gear you can get your hands on. I was fortunate enough to get some of Fred's time to sit down and talk about his experiences, but also some of his observations around our community today. As a man who's seen plenty, and done plenty more, his perspective on things like armor, shooting, communication, kit selection, and training are unique and valuable. This was a outstanding conversation, and I know that you'll enjoy it.