I am very excited to announce that my magnum opus, Competent & Dangerous: Master the Skills to be a Man Among Men is available now! This book contains the accumulated knowledge of my extremely varied background as a deputy, paramedic, SAR tech, Marine, special operations instructor, locksmith, digital security author and podcaster, and more! I imagine it will be of interest to many in the "tactical" space, but there's a little something for everyone. Read on for a chapter list and description.

Disclaimer: This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

Check out what Greg Ellifritz has to to say about it in his Weekend Knowledge Dump!

See Mike Wood's review on RevolverGuy!

Listen to my show on the Distinguished Savage Podcast!

Check out my interview with Rich on the American Warrior Show!

Check out my conversation about “being your own first responder” with Lee Weems.

I thought my appearance on the Concealed Carry Podcast was especially good!

Competent & Dangerous

Competent & Dangerous: Master the Skills to be a Man Among Men is the book I wanted (and needed!) to read when I was 16, but couldn't find. It is also the book I wanted to write at 26, but didn't have the knowledge or experience. But now is the time. This is the book for you, your sons, grandsons, nephews - hell, your daughters and nieces - and anyone else who needs to be a little tougher, a little more competent, and a little more dangerous!

From the introduction, Competent & Dangerous is:

...the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of a quarter-century of adventuring, globe-trotting, teaching, learning, loving, fighting, philandering, boozing in shady dives, hanging out with interesting, sketchy, and downright disreputable people, schmoozing at embassy parties, running patrols under triple-canopy jungle and direct-action raids in Iraq, working the street as a paramedic and deputy, being head-hunted by a big-city startup, reading thousands of books, writing a couple, infiltrating countries as a covert operative, attending hundreds of classes, teaching hundreds more, and living vicariously through myself!

On Being Competent

What does it mean to be “competent and dangerous?” Let’s tackle the first part first: competent. There is a Hollywood trope of the “competent man” – a dude who has massive amounts of skills across a broad array of disciplines. There is almost no situation you can throw at the Competent Man in which he can’t survive and thrive with only the stuff in his pockets and the immense knowledge in his head. Some fictional examples are MacGyver (perhaps television’s original Competent Man) from MacGyver, Michael Weston from the show Burn Notice, and the eponymous Jack Reacher. I have always loved the Competent Man trope, and since joining the Marines at the tender age of 19, have worked to become one.

In a world where competence has fallen by the wayside, this book seemed important to write. If I were born today, I would likely have begun my journey even less competent, as individuals today become more and more specialized and siloed in their careers. Being competent across numerous domains and disciplines will enable you to tackle whatever comes your way. Competence will increase your survivability…and your attractiveness. Being competent is something that is highly coveted, but difficult to come by today.

Author proofs. It’s getting real! That’s a Glock 45 with a TLR-1HL for size comparison.

On Being Dangerous

What about being a dangerous man? Well, it means exactly how it sounds, and I’m going to steal a quote here: “A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very, very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control[1].” So, other than that definition, why is being dangerous a good thing? Without the capability for violence, one lacks the ability to uphold his values. You can say you are “against” rape or murder or racism, but if you don’t have the ability to step in and stop these atrocities from happening, your values are just impotent thoughts. Not so with a dangerous man. A dangerous man is a fearsome threat to those who would harm him and those under his protection. A man who is competent and dangerous is a force to be reckoned with.

[1] Dr. Jordan B. Peterson

Disclaimer
Patient Assessment
Trauma: Bleeding Control
Medical/Trauma: Airway & Breathing
Secondary Trauma Survey
Trauma: Fractures
Trauma: Shock
Trauma: Hypothermia
Medical/Trauma: Seizures
Medical: Allergic Reactions
Trauma: Bites/Stings
Medical: Diabetic Problems
Trauma: Burns
Medical: Heart Problems
Why You Should Go to EMT School
Appendix 2: First Aid Kits

DIGITAL SECURITY

The Digital Security Framework
1. Resist Malware
2. Defend Cloud-Hosted Data
3. Protect Data-in-Motion
4. Safeguard Data-at-Rest
5. Protect Personally Identifiable Information

DRESS WELL & LOOK SHARP

The Basics: General Appearance
Build a Wardrobe
How to Iron Clothes
How to Shine Shoes
Basic Sewing

BASIC ALL-HAZARDS PREPAREDNESS

Water
Food
Environment
Medication & First Aid
Sanitation & Hygiene
Pets
Bugout Bags & Bugging Out“

The Men That Don’t Fit In by Robert Service

PHYSICAL SECURITY

Rings of Security
Deterring Security Measures: Being a Hard Target
Delaying Security Measures: Locks
Deterring Security Measures: Alarm & Camera Systems
Appendix 3: How to Train a Dog

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL

Before You Go in the Woods
Fire
Shelter
Water
Appendix 4: Survival Kits

PEOPLE OPS

How to Give a Handshake
How to be a Charming Conversationalist
How to Tell a Joke
Elicitation
Food & Drink: Cook the Perfect Meal
Food & Drink: Dining Etiquette
How to Be a Good House Guest
How to Be a Good Host to House Guests
How to Be the Perfect Wedding Guest
Appendix 5: Meal Prep Logistics
Appendix 6: Bourbon – America’s Native Spirit!

FIREARMS

Firearms Safety
The Defensive Mindset
First Firearm: The Defensive Pistol
Ammunition
Accessories: Magazines, Lights, & More
Handgun Skills
Second Firearm: The Long Gun
Third Firearm: The Second Handgun
Closing Thoughts“

Principles My Father Taught Me by Maj. Douglas Zembeic

Appendix 8: Recommended Reading

When, Where, How Much?

At this point I hope you are asking where you can get this book! Competent & Dangerous is available NOW on Amazon for $39.99. I know that seems expensive, but this is a large book. Competent & Dangerous contains a total of 588 total pages and is printed in 8.5 x 11 format. It is not an exaggeration to say this is the size and weight of a textbook. It also consists of over 325,000 words. The average novel is 80,000 to 100,000 words in length, so /Competent & Dangerous is 3-4 novels long. Not only that, but acquiring all this information has consumed literal years of my life. All things considered, I feel like it is an appropriate value proposition.

Grab your copy of Competent & Dangers: Master the Skills to be a Man Among Men now! Check it, and if you like it, you have a few weeks to order to get this thing under the Christmas tree for those others in your life who need this information!