CATO Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Marcus interviews Travis Norton about his doctoral research on active shooter response at the University of Southern California.  Travis was one of the authors of CATO's latest two-day course, Active Shooter Incident Leadership.  Travis contributed much of the research and content for this POST-approved course, which addresses the common failures and challenges inherent in Active Shooter response.  To learn about the class, where it is next or to host it, go to CATOTRAINING.ORG.

"Good intelligence is the linchpin for all tactical operations."

-Sid Heal

Marcus, Adam, and Kris discuss Chapter 8 of Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer. The group discusses information versus intelligence, the parts of the intelligence cycle, and situational awareness. They also cover the common operational picture and how you can reduce friction during your next operation.

Marcus sits down with Retired Sergeant Jeff McGreevy and the founder of First Responder Wellness, Dr. Stephen Odom.  Dr. Odom and Jeff discuss their experiences serving the 1st responder community, what works with peer support programs, and a few things some organizations are doing wrong.  Dr. Odom does a deep dive on setting yourself up for longevity and how we need to take a long term, preventive approach to mental health wellness.

 

To learn more about First Responder Wellness, visit the First Responder Wellness Website.

Marcus and guests Travis Norton and Kris Jenny discuss Part 1 of Chapter 7 of Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer, Sid Heal's 2000 book, which has become an indispensable part of tactical training. The group discusses Sid's insightful and compelling advice on strategy and tactics, as well as maneuvering in time, and how we can apply this thinking to current tactical situations.

So, this episode is a little different than our usual podcast here at CATO.  For anyone who has listened to our previous episodes, you know that anytime spent with retired Command Master Chief Jason Tuschen is time well spent.

We also enjoy our conversations with Dr. Graham Simpson.  So, when Brent and I were asked to sit down with Dr. Simpson, Jason and retired Navy Seal William Branum, we said yes.

This is an unscripted round table where the group talks about the health and performance challenges that both of professions share and discusses what you can do to ensure a healthy retirement.

As a sidenote, Will has his own company and Ted Talk.  I highly encourage you to check it out.

 

Opt Health is graciously offering a Law Enforcement Discount. This discount allows for: 

50% off the initial labs and Dr consult (normally $195 - discounted rate $97.50) 30% off the premium monthly membership dues (normally $245 - discounted rate $171.50)   Visit Law Enforcement/First Responder Discount on Opt Health's website to sign up today! 

At CATO we believe that history is the repository of all lessons and to ignore history is do doom yourself to repeat it.  At the 2023 conference in San Diego, we asked the infamous SAS team leader Rusty “No Gloves” Firmin to debrief the lessons learned from the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege.  I asked fellow CATO board members Toby Darby and Josh Wofford to sit down with Rusty so he could share his wisdom with those who could not see him at the conference.

I spent a fair amount of time with Rusty before and during the conference and was impressed by his humility, sense of humor and how our profession shares many of the same struggles he  as experienced throughout his career an ocean away.

I highly recommend his book on the six day hostage taking called GO GO GO!

The assault planning and training, strategy and tactics are described in detail, and the personal stories of the gunmen revealed -- who they were, where they came from, why they did it and Saddam Hussein's direct involvement.

For more information about Rusty, The Iranian Embassy Siege, and to get a copy of his new book please visit his website: https://www.rusty-firmin.com 

Marcus and CATO Secretary Jon Cabrera sit down to discuss SWAT audits and some of the themes we have seen team's struggle with throughout the state. The pair also discusses what the CATO Community can do better when it comes to working on their mental health. From wellness programs to less common resources, Marcus and Jon bring their personal stories to the table in this episode of the CATO Podcast. For more information about SWAT audits or wellness programs and resources, please contact Jon directly: secretary@catotraining.org.

Marcus asked CATO board member Jon Cabrera to sit down with fellow board member Matt Alexander and his teaching partner Frank Harper as the group discusses the common training challenges facing the training and utilization of sniper teams.

In this CATO Podcast, the group discusses Chapter 6 of Sid Heal's Sound Doctrine: Envisioning and Achieving the End State. This chapter is filled with examples of how you can better understand and apply the following critical concepts: Assessing the situation, developing and defining an operational end state, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), assigning missions, and issuing orders. Join us for this discussion to explore the strategy behind these fundamental tactics. 

Marcus sits down at O2X headquarters with John Vargo to discuss how this human performance company is leveraging the latest science and technology to enhance human performance for first responders throughout the country. All too often, law enforcement programs are unevenly focused on mental well-being or physical well-being. John and the team at O2X leverage a scientific, holistic approach to address the specific issues facing tactical populations, including high rates of injury, elevated cancer and cardiac health risks, and behavioral health issues. While originally designed to meet the unique demands of tactical athletes, the science-backed methodology has been successful with Olympic and collegiate athletes, professional sports organizations, and other top-tier organizations.    To learn more about O2X, visit:  https://www.o2x.com/ Listen to the O2X Tactical Performance Podcast on the platform of your choice.