Mike Drop

How confident are we in our election integrity? Do we believe that our votes are counted fairly - and that the people we're electing to office are truly there to represent us? And between the political lobbying, allocated tax dollars, social media shadowbanning, and widespread fears of national voter fraud, how does anybody maintain any real confidence in the system? One thing's for sure - with a big country comes big problems, and big solutions aren't always easy to come by.  That's why Mike's sitting down with two friends of the show - Clint Emerson, ret. SEAL Team 6 and the author of '100 Deadly Skills', and Clark Impastato, ret. SEAL Team 5 and a former Phoenix Police Officer - to talk about the state of the union, U.S. election integrity, potential long-term solutions, and how things may end up going after November 5th, 2024. Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop  ---------- Support Clint Emerson -  Sign Up for Clint's 10

Sean Glass is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, combat leader, and now a leadership instructor with Echelon Front. Sean spent 13 years in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Eastern Africa. He led five SEAL platoons in Iraq against Islamic State forces during some of the most dynamic and demanding environments where he saw first-hand the power of leadership on the battlefield. Sean returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams where he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders. Sean left active duty in 2019 and became the Chief Operating Officer of a successful venture capital backed construction technology startup, where he helped scale the company’s growth and established a highly successful decentralized, team-first culture. He also joined Echelon Front, a SEAL-led company that offers online and in-person training as a leadership instructor, alo

Benjamin H. Milligan is a former US Navy SEAL, author, and military historian that served in SEAL Teams from 2001 to 2009. A native of Indianapolis, he received a BA in History at Purdue University before deploying with SEAL Team 4 in Europe and deploying into combat at SEAL Team 5. Since then, he's penned 'By Water Beneath the Walls: The Rise of the Navy SEALs', a gripping history chronicling the fits and starts of American Special Operations the ultimate rise of the Navy SEALs from unarmed frogmen to elite, go-anywhere commandos as told by one of their own. He's a father, writer, and speaker on leadership, organizational change, and American history at various universities, military commands, and veteran’s events.  So where did SEAL Teams originate, and how were Vietnam Green Beret's a part of their story? What kind of situations have helped to grow Special Operations, and what characters have worked against that progress? And when it really comes down to it, is there any truth to the myth that the Navy de

Johnny MF Glenn is a former Green Beret with over a dozen combat deployments - more than 21 years of back-to-back, nonstop, kinetic action in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and parts unknown. He's seen gunfights, IED's, combat dressings, and human shields - he's been blown up five times, shot once, and had two cracks in his frontal lobe, all over the course of a career that's dotted with wild tales of 'organized' chaos that only a veteran operator could know. But for Johnny, organized chaos isn't just a way of life - it's a mantra; a fundamental belief that when good people do good things, good things happen regardless of the circumstances. So how's a farm kid in southwest Georgia go on to become a Green Beret? What keeps someone coming back, deployment after deployment, returning to the combat zone? And when you've served as long as Johnny has, what does the cost of human life really mean? Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop --

U.S. Marshall Task Force Officer T.J. Webb was shot six times while trying to apprehend an attempted homicide subject on December 10th, 2020. In the minutes that followed, his fellow officers raced him to a nearby hospital, nearly losing his life in the process. Despite all odds he survived, recovering faster than nearly any medical professional could've predicted, and medically retired in December of 2022 after 19 years of service across SWAT, k9, Narcotics, and the US Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force.  During his recovery, TJ started the 'Fit 4 Duty Foundation', a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging physical fitness in police officers around the country, along with penning and publishing his book 'Just One More'. He's received the American the American Police Hall of Fame Purple Heart, Fraternal Order of Police Medal of Valor, the United States Marshals Service Purple Heart, and the NAPO TopCop Award. Now, he's here to share his story of overcoming odds, resiliency, and helping other officer all around

Austin Hancock is a former United States Marine who served in the Iraq War, deploying to Iraq and North Africa after 2005. After serving he started a family, pivoting into the real estate investing business with a startup firm that would go on to host a multi-million dollar portfolio. Since then, he's stepped into coaching, speaking around the country to inspire others to seize the day and work towards achieving their own far-reaching goals. But there's more to Austin's successful lifestyle than meets the eye - two felonies at seventeen, multiple V.I.P. operations in Iraq, and chasing the American dream by hard-launching your own business isn't for the faint of heart. So how'd Austin end up getting into the Marine Corps with a pending trial, anyway? What's the secret to finding your own success as a struggling veteran newly home from deployment, and then guiding others to find the same? And when it comes down to it, is Austin Hancock really a bad guy, or is he a good guy who's just made stupid mistakes? Let'

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop The Central Intelligence Agency is skilled in many covert practices, but being honest isn't always their strong suit. Just take it from Andrew Bustamante - a former covert officer that spent seven years at The Agency, Andrew was recruited while applying to join the Peace Corps after leaving the U.S. Air Force as a combat veteran. During his tenure at the CIA, he developed a range of valuable skills, growing to master the line between truth and falsehood while also meeting his wife at the Agency, where they quickly grew to learn that the CIA was no place for families. Today, he owns and operates his own company, Everyday Spy, where he trains everybody from casual interests to Fortune 500 CEO's in the very techniques he learned as a covert operator.  But leaving a life that is, to most people, a lie isn't easy. So where does the line exist between truth and fiction? Does the CIA ever cross

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Jeff Reid has a lot of mouths to feed. He's the owner/operator of Frozen Trident, a dog kennel he and his family founded in 2018 in Two Rivers, Alaska: the dog-mushing capital of the world. He's an Iditarod racer, having received the Red Lantern Award after racing with his own dogs along the wildly difficult long-distance annual sled dog race traveling 938 miles from Anchorage to Nome. He's also a former SEAL, having served 9 years with SEAL Team 4 with two kinetic deployments in Afghanistan.  But Jeff wasn't always a dog guy - he never even owned one growing up, in fact. It wasn't until his platoon met a stray dog named Frank on his second deployment in Afghanistan that things really started to change. So how's a Pennsylvania native end up deploying to Afghanistan, serving at the Tip of the Spear, retiring to Alaska, and competing in one of the coldest, most difficult races in the count

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Dan Hughes was working as a Special Agent in the New York Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service when the first plane hit the North Tower on September 11th, 2001. As the second plane hit the South Tower, Dan set up an on-site triage area for the injured, witnessing atrocities and providing life-saving assistance that would later earn him the U.S. Secret Service Medal of Valor for his actions on the day. Later, Dan joined the Secret Service's Technical Security Division as an Advance Agent, supervising explosive detection canine sweeps for the President, Vice President, and major Heads of State, where he would discover a major K-9 shortage for preforming pre-event security sweeps. To help fill the role, Dan would go on to join the Bismarck Police Department in North Dakota, developing key K-9 team strategies along with his own business, 'Dogs for Defense' where he would personally subcon

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop The Unrelenting Pursuit of Excellence. That's what Dean Stott's chasing - a 16-year career Veteran, Dean's started his military service by joining the SBS, an elite special forces unit of the United Kingdom. In 2011, an injury pushed Dean into the private security sector, providing expertise to governments, presidents, and royals, including single-handedly evacuating the Canadian Embassy in Libya in 2014. Then in 2016, Dean set his sights on a new challenge - cycling all 14,000 miles of the Pan-American Highway, a feat he completed while nabbing two world records to boot. An author, a speaker, and a personal friend of England's Prince Harry, it's safe to say Dean's got no shortage of incredible stories from his globetrotting work in protecting the people that matter most, from everyday citizens to the most privileged among us. But what's the real difference between an SBS Operator and th

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Jared Pietras knows the unbridled power of Close Air Support. With over 11 deployments and 25 years of service as an Active-Duty Air Force Combat Controller, he's worked with dozens of different special forces units across the globe, dispensing aerial resources wherever necessary. He's also one of the creators behind Ones Ready, an unparalleled resource providing information and consulting via podcast and special events specific to the Special Operations community.  Safe to say, there's no shortage of stories when it comes to calling in CAS, but how does somebody manage to do it consistently for such a long time? What are the nuances to managing battlefield resources, and how do you know when to deploy the right plane at just the right moment? And when it really comes down to it, how close does Close Air end up getting, anyway? Let's ask Peaches.  ---------- Support Jared Pietras -  S

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop The Mike Drop Podcast supports active-duty police officers in all capacities. The views and opinions expressed by Zach Pfannenstiel on this podcast are reflective of Echelon K9 and not of the San Diego Police Department.  Patrol Officer. Gang Suppression Team Officer. Canine Handler. Training Sergeant. For Zach Pfannenstiel, these aren't just familiar titles - they're positions he's served as a faithful executor of the San Diego Police Department - a department that he still serves under today. He's also dedicated a notable amount of time in his career to the canine unit; over a decade in fact, where he continues to serve as the Training Sergeant responsible for overseeing a team of over 40 working dogs.  But law enforcement is about more than simply catching criminals, - just last April, Zach testified in Sacramento to combat the elimination of Police Canines with Assembly Bill 3241, r

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Benjamin Sledge is a wounded combat veteran. He served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving most of his time under Special Operations Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command. He's received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and two Army Commendation Medals for his actions overseas. He's also a multi award-winning author, having penned several viral articles and two books, the most recent being 'Where Cowards Go To Die', an unflinchingly honest detail of his time served overseas and the haunting experiences that followed.  Since then, Ben's dedicated himself to his family and his creative works, tapping into his unique narrative voice characterized by a rare blend of poetic eloquence and unfiltered authenticity. But how does an aspiring comic-book artist end up going to Afghanistan, anyway? What's the story behind that Purple Heart of his? And when a soldier does finally come hom

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop AI isn't always welcome when it comes to advanced warfare capabilities - we've all seen Terminator 2, after all. But when it comes to saving lives overseas, safety is always a top priority. Just ask Brandon Tseng - with 7 years in SEAL Teams under his belt, he's seen firsthand just how dangerous an aptly-named fatal funnel can really be. That's why he started Shield AI, a groundbreaking technology company that's set out to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems, driven by Hivemind, an AI Pilot that's designed to enable swarms of drones and aircraft to operate autonomously, without GPS, communications, or a pilot.  So how does one go about building an artificially-intelligent driven swarm pilot? Are we headed towards a future right out of science fiction, where machine learning inevitably starts to spin outside of human control? And most importantly, can an AI-powe

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Sean Lake and Glen Doherty were best friends from the start. Right out of high school, the two traveled the country, hitchhiking across America via odd jobs and offbeat adventures in a quest to uncover the unbridled freedom at the heart of every American dream. Eventually, Glen would go on to enlist and serve as a Navy SEAL (where he would go on to meet our very own Mike Ritland) while Sean pivoted into the world of professional sports marketing. It was a friendship that transcended distance and profession, until Glen tragically lost his life in Benghazi in 2012. To honor Glen as the patriot he was, Sean helped found the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation, as well as co-founded BUBS Naturals, a line of collagen peptides and other all-natural supplements to help athletes of all levels perform their best. It's a cause that centers around the adventure-seeking lifestyle that Glen lived - one

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Mark Greene is a surprisingly down-to-earth retired Navy SEAL. Born an Air Force brat (his words), Mark played college ball before dropping out, only to subsequently enlist and pursue SEAL Teams. He served on Teams 5 and 8, deploying to multiple combat theaters in the Pacific, Iraq, Afghanistan, and he even spent a little time serving alongside Mike in country, too. And most importantly, Mark got very, very good at performing extremely calculated maneuvers as a SEAL Sniper, until a fateful accident began tearing it all down. Since then, Mark's penned a memoir in 'Unsealed - A Navy SEAL's Guide to Mastering Life's Transitions' and dedicated himself to sharing his story, in the hopes that other Veterans may find comfort when they too begin to feel isolated. The way Mark sees it, nobody expects you to go into combat all by your lonesome - so how could anybody be expected to fight their demo

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop As our cultural landscape changes, so do our leaders. Few know that better than Ken Valentine, of course; a retired Secret Service agent, Ken served under three Presidents - Clinton, Bush, and Barack Obama - as each wrestled with their own challenges of office, in their own time and in their own ways. For Ken, keeping up with the President wasn't just a challenge - it was a career, full of travel, intel, and unique situations that demanded not just his utmost attention, but his life and the lives of his fellow agents if necessary. But 24 years at the Agency doesn't capture all of Ken's work - since his tenure, he's joined the Board of The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, penned a memoir about his work called 'Cheating Death: Three-Time Presidential Secret Service Agent Lives To Tell You How,' and even spent time in the fields of science and technology, joining the Board

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop John McPhee, widely known as “The Sheriff of Baghdad” or “SHREK,” is a retired U.S. Army Special Operations Sergeant Major with over 20 years of distinguished service. A retired DELTA Force Operator, John was responsible for countless solo missions in country across a number of combat theaters all through out the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. After retiring from active duty, John founded the S.O.B. Tactical brand to extend his expertise to civilians, law enforcement, and militaries worldwide.  Talking to John, one thing's for sure - he's not one to apologize about anything. In fact, he's more down to earth than you might expect, and he's more than happy to answer any questions anybody dares to throw at him. So how does a homegrown Chicago man go on to run solo missions of the highest order? How does one develop the skills necessary to pass their skillset onto the next generation? And most

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Daniel Corbett provides unique solutions to those with unique problems. An elite Navy SEAL operator, Daniel deployed to Iraq with SEAL Team 5 in the summer of 2005. Later, he joined DEVGRU at SEAL Team 6 in 2007, deploying to various classified locations around the world before shifting into instructing at NSWBTC. After that, he fell into private military contracting, where he would go on to make international news when he was thrown in jail in Belgrade, Serbia for eighteen months after tracking a terrorist financier.  Today, he continues to monitor international news, taking meetings with those who need unique solutions to unique problems, but there's more to Daniel's story than meets the eye. What's it like operating at the Tip of the Spear? How does somebody get into private contracting? And most importantly - what is life like when you're spending 18 months in a Serbian jail? Let's a

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Jeff Gum has a complicated career history. He served 10 years at SEAL Teams with SEAL Team Five, deploying to Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, after which he helped develop the Combatives Instructor Course to train SEALs how to lead training for their own platoons. He spent time in Denmark training Danish Frogmen, and shortly after launched his own swimwear line with 2-time ESPY award-winning adaptive athlete Kyle Maynard called Sunga Life. He even spent time working with friend of the show (and former #156 guest) Rudy Reyes over at Force Blue, developing a community of veterans to help aid in the protection of our planet's marine resources.  Since then, he's been busy - he appeared on Mike Tyson's podcast, worked with Jake Paul in his Boxing Bullies initiative, and even appeared on a South Korean game show (yes, really) called 'Iron Squad 3.' So what's it like spinning up an athletic