Skip to content
The Debrief with Jon Becker

The Debrief with Jon Becker

NewUnderstanding Operator SyndromeNovember 11, 2026 · 1 h 18 min
Episodes
102
Released
monthly
Latest episode
Nov 11, 2026

About the podcast

The Debrief with Jon Becker is a no-holds-barred conversational podcast on the leadership principles that govern the world’s elite tactical units. Featuring top military and law enforcement unit commanders from some of the most high-stakes fields, this podcast examines how to form and lead a highly effective team. 

After four decades spent working in tandem with top law enforcement and military units, Jon has gained invaluable lessons in leadership, teamwork, communication, and training. Now, he is sharing these lessons through conversations with some of these amazing team leaders. The goal of the show is to make us all better leaders, thinkers, and people. 

In each episode, The Debrief shares lessons in decision-making, training, personnel selection, and perseverance that apply to people from all walks of life. Our host Jon Becker, is an expert in tactical equipment; working with some of the world’s top-performing teams. The Debrief is Jon’s payback to the community, units, and leaders who trained him and helped make AARDVARK a success. With this show, Jon invites listeners to benefit from the same insights and stories that have shaped his career and how he views leadership. 

Learn more at thedebrief.live

Contributors

  • Jon BeckerHost

Episodes 102

  1. Understanding Operator Syndrome

    1 h 18 minSeason 8 · Episode 4

    Dr. Chris Frueh joins Jon Becker to unpack "Operator Syndrome" — the term he coined to describe the cluster of medical, psychological, and social injuries common among special operators, military veterans, and …

  2. HRT of a Toddler With Port and Cover Tactics

    56 minSeason 8 · Episode 2

    On July 19, 2024, Orange County, Florida deputies responded to a domestic shooting where a woman escaped with 16 stab and gunshot wounds, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter with the armed suspect still …

  3. Current Threats to Tactical Units & Less Lethal Evolution

    1 h 45 minEpisode 74

    Steve Ijames has spent over four decades shaping how American law enforcement approaches force—less lethal and otherwise. From building Springfield PD's tactical team from scratch in 1988 to authoring IACP …

  4. Protecting Your Brain From Blast Injury

    1 h 33 minSeason 7 · Episode 73

    In this critical episode, Jon Becker examines the hidden epidemic of blast-induced brain injuries affecting tactical operators, breachers, and military personnel. Following groundbreaking New York Times …

  5. Culture First Leadership

    1 h 16 minEpisode 94

    In this special episode, Jon Becker turns the tables and becomes the guest on his own show to discuss his new book "Culture First: Nine Leadership Practices That Build Elite Teams." Drawing from four decades of …

  6. Hostage Rescue with IED Threat

    1 h 23 minEpisode 92

    In this gripping episode, Jon Becker sits down with Greg Roy to dissect a complex hostage rescue operation that began as a planned home invasion at 2:30 AM. Roy walks through the tactical response when an …

  7. DME-11 - HR with IEDs

    14 minEpisode 93

    DME-11 - HR with IEDs

  8. K9/SWAT Integration with LASD-SEB

    1 h 33 minEpisode 91

    Canine integration into SWAT operations has evolved significantly, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Special Enforcement Bureau leading the charge since the 1990s. In this episode, Jon sits …

  9. Taking Down a Serial Killer

    1 h 23 minEpisode 89

    On June 14, 2020, Butte County Sheriff's SWAT team executed what seemed like a routine arrest warrant for an arson suspect on a remote mountain property. Using night vision for covert reconnaissance, the …

  10. DME010 - Arrest Warrant for Murder Suspect on Mountain Compound

    19 minEpisode 90

    DME010 - Arrest Warrant for Murder Suspect on Mountain Compound

  11. Legacy Revisited - James Kerr

    1 h 33 minEpisode 88

    Jon Becker sits down with author James Kerr to revisit his groundbreaking book "Legacy" and explore what makes the All Blacks the most successful sports team in history. With a win ratio approaching 80% over …

  12. LAPD D-Platoon's Approach to Hostage Rescue

    1 h 52 minEpisode 87

    In this episode of The Debrief, host Jon Becker sits down with LAPD SWAT's Jonathan Pultz, a 27-year veteran and D-Platoon element leader, to examine one of law enforcement's most critical missions …

  13. Improving Tactical Performance with Science

    1 h 54 minEpisode 86

    Guest: Dr. Nathalie PattynIn this episode, Jon sits down with Dr. Nathalie Pattyn, whose unique background spans medicine, psychology, research, and military operations. Dr. Pattyn discusses her unconventional …

  14. Beyond the Loop: Why Everything You Know About OODA May Be Wrong

    1 h 41 minEpisode 85

    John Boyd's OODA loop is widely referenced but fundamentally misunderstood. Mark McGrath reveals how the common circular diagram represents less than one percent of Boyd's work. The real framework …

  15. Barricade Erupts into Urgent HRT When Freed Victim Returns to Hostage Taker

    1 h 27 minEpisode 83

    A three-month homicide investigation in Washington State led to a suspect barricaded in a vehicle inside a garage. What began as a routine containment evolved into a seven-hour standoff, which suddenly …

  16. DME 09 - Barricade Erupts into Urgent HRT

    13 minEpisode 84

    DME 09 - Barricade Erupts into Urgent HRT

  17. DME 08 - South Davis UT Family Hostage Rescue & HRT

    15 minEpisode 82

    DME 08

  18. Pursuit Leads to Unrelated Family Hostage Situation and HRT

    51 minEpisode 81

    In September of 2021 a suspect involved in a carjacking and attempted homicide led police in a vehicle pursuit that ended in a car crash in Farmington Utah. The suspect fled on foot across Interstate 15 into a …

  19. Tactical Longevity – Dr. Jenny Prohaska

    1 h 2 minEpisode 80

    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 …

  20. DME 007 - Bakersfield PD Hostage Rescue

    12 minEpisode 79

  21. Hostage Rescue Under Explosive Threat - Bakersfield PD SWAT

    1 h 25 minEpisode 78

    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 …

  22. Left of Bang Revisited with Patrick Van Horne

    1 h 14 minEpisode 77

    My guest today is Patrick Van Horne. Patrick is the co- author of Left Of Bang: How the Marine Corps combat hunter program can save your life. He is also the co-founder of the CP journal where he supports …

  23. Lessons Learned from the Tree of Life Synagogue Response

    17 minEpisode 76

    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 …

  24. Hostage Rescue of an Infant - Surprise AZ PD SWAT

    57 minEpisode 75

    On Friday May 17 2024 the Surprise Arizona Police department received a call that a suspect had broken into his ex-girlfriend’s home and taken her and their 7-month-old child hostage. The suspect told her that …

  25. Post Traumatic Growth – Guests: Dr. Richard Tedeschi, Josh Goldberg & Chief Chad Kasmar

    2 h 8 minEpisode 74

    On this episode of The Debrief we are going to be looking at Post Traumatic Stress and Post Traumatic Growth. These are two topics that I am extremely passionate about because, as you might imagine, each …

  26. The Lindt Café Hostage Siege – Sydney, AUS – Guest: Ben Besant (aka Officer A)

    2 h 17 minEpisode 73

    On the 15th of December 2014, a terrorist took over the Lindt Chocolate café in Martin Place, in the heart of Sydney, Australia, holding 18 customers and staff hostage, creating a siege that would last for over …

  27. UVALDE - What Really Happened at Robb Elementary?

    1 h 18 minEpisode 71

    On May 24, 2022, an active shooter took the lives of 19 children and two staff members and physically and mentally injured the survivors, their families, staff, teachers and the broader community in Uvalde …

  28. DME06 - UVALDE

    12 minEpisode 72

  29. LA Fires – The First 12 Hours

    1 h 54 minEpisode 70

    Capt. Trey Sorensen – Pasadena FD and Sgt. Bobby Crees Pasadena PDJust after 6pm on January 7th, the fire ignited in Eaton Canyon, California. In a matter of hours, powered by sustained 60 mile an hour winds …

  30. Austin PD LODD: A Wife's Perspective - Kim Pastore

    2 h 14 minEpisode 69

    My guest today is Kim Pastore. Kim’s husband Jorge Pastore was killed on November 11, 2023 while attempting to rescue hostages with the Austin, TX SWAT Team. This was a case we covered previously with the Team …

These are the latest 40 of 102 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.

Almost 30

Krista Williams & Lindsey Simcik | Wellness & Personal Growth Hosts · 907 episodes

Is this your podcast?

Confirm it with an entry in your feed: you get a code here, add it as podcast:txt to the channel of your feed, and we check it. Your podcast is then shown as “verified” on SoundNode.

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.