Cleared Hot - Powered By BRCC

After a week in the wilderness of British Columbia, I convened the round table of hunters (John Dudley and Trevor Thompson) and one of our guides (Dusty Fillion) to talk about the experiences, lessons learned, comical failures, animal encounters, and most importantly the life lessons that one can find in the great outdoors.

Dan Crenshaw is the freshman Republican Congressman from the 2nd District of Texas. Prior to his political career, he served as a United States Navy SEAL for 10 years. On his 3rd combat deployment, he was injured by an IED (improvised explosive device) which cost him his right eye and left him with substantial damage to his left. He was medically retired due to his injuries, and shortly thereafter began his career in politics. https://crenshawforcongress.com/

The internet demanded it, the world has waited for it, and it is finally here. Volume 1 of the Cleared Hot Tactical Asshole series reviews and critiques the worlds greatest military documentary - Navy SEALs starring Charlie Sheen. In this episode, we watch and review various tactical scenes and discuss their accuracy, or most often, the lack thereof. Hostage rescue, free-fall insertions, and gunfights in the streets of Lebanon. Truly there is something for everyone. Enjoy

Erik Prince is a former Navy SEAL and the founder of Blackwater, a training and private military contractor company that worked extensively with the US government in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He recently published an op-ed detailing a plan to "privatize" the war in Afghanistan. Many people will associate the name Blackwater with PMC's (Private Military Contractors) and the controversy surrounding the Nisour square shooting in 2007, and the subsequent loss of their license to operate in that country. Often, contractors are referred to as "mercenaries," a term used pejoratively, and largely inaccurately. Civilians have served on the front lines and in war zones with active duty soldiers since the inception of warfare, and I believe the discussion should be about defining their operational parameters, not their presence there.

In this episode I was joined by three SBG (Straight Blast Gym) black belts, Travis Davison, Rick Davison, and Michael Ransom, aka the Knights. I am obviously the Jester. In previous episodes surrounding BJJ we have discussed the methodology, philosophy, origin, and training styles. This is not that type of episode. Accidentally going to the bathroom, who would win in a fight, religion, cancer, guns, responsibility and accountability, and much more. Enjoy!

I meant for this episode to be a stand-alone Q and A, but recent "events" on social media need to be addressed first. We live in a world where you can use the internet and portray yourself to be something that you are not, especially in the tactical world. Separating the wheat from the chaff can be difficult, and it creates an environment where fraud is pervasive. Be wary where you devote your time, effort, and money, all are valuable resources. Hopefully, the insight helps people make educated decisions. After my rant, a discussion on issues I struggle with and how I manage and cope, the most common leadership principle I see missing in individuals and organizations, the value of soliciting for outside advice, and the key components that your subordinates need to take away from any FRAGO. Enjoy

Power hour with two BJJ bad asses. I just returned from the SBGI (Straight Blast Gym International) spring camp, an experience that can only be described as a shotgun blast of information to the face. Matt Thornton is the founder of SBG, a lifelong martial arts participant, coach, and author. Travis Davison is the VP of SBGI, a 20 year BJJ practitioner, and the owner of SBG Montana. I could not pass up the opportunity to sit down with these two to discuss the origins of SBG, the progression of BJJ, their thoughts on the past and future of the sport/activity, and the impact and importance it can have outside of the gym environment.

Mark Twight is a world-class alpinist, author, photographer, the founder of Gym Jones, an accomplished cyclist, and technical consultant and trainer to the big screen. His newest photographic project Refuge is a mix of photography across multiple genres: https://www.marktwight.com/REFUGE/1 https://www.marktwight.com/ Trevor Thompson is a former Navy SEAL, with multiple combat deployments and broad experience that ranges from SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicles) to the Navy Parachute Team, also known as the leapfrogs. He is now a professional canopy sports athlete, photographer, and content creator.

Evan Hafer is the founder and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee. Prior to founding BRCC he spent twenty years serving this country, first as a Special Forces soldier (Green Beret), then as a contractor for the Central Intelligence Agency, completing multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Not all military experience is applicable to the business world, and not all veterans are well suited to create, build, and continue to grow a business. There are, however, many skills that have impact and applicability to business. We spent this hour discussing lessons learned, best practices, successful decisions, and mistakes made in the journey of growing BRCC. The last twenty minutes we discussed the long term impact of war on the individual, war crimes, and the ability to detach from an occupation before it is all that defines you. https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/

Paul Sharp recently retired from a twenty year career in law enforcement from the city of Elgin, located on the NW outskirts of Chicago. He served his community in a variety of capacities, from patrol, undercover, narcotics, SWAT, and the resident officer program. He is a firearms, defensive weapons and tactics, and bladed edge instructor, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, and the owner of SBG Illinois. Travis Davison is a vice president of Straight Blast Gym International, the owner of multiple SBG facilities, and a 20 + year BJJ practitioner and coach.