Pete Blaber is a retired Delta Force commander renowned for leading elite counter-terrorism and special operations teams across the globe, now applying his battle-tested leadership principles to corporate environments, authorship, and innovative security solutions. Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, as one of nine children in an Irish-Catholic household. Pete attended Southern Illinois University. His military career saw him rise through the ranks of Delta Force to high-level command roles, directing critical operations in Panama, Colombia, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Retiring in 2006, he transitioned from commanding elite combat teams worldwide to leading executive teams. A prominent voice on leadership, team dynamics, crisis decision-making, national security, and organizational effectiveness, he has been featured in profiles, interviews, and podcasts sharing practical insights drawn from his extraordinary career. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join Shawn Ryan Show Links SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk #vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow Pete Blaber Links: Substack - https://substack.com/@peteblaber Website - https://www.peteblaber.com Books - https://www.peteblaber.com/books Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Post jobs for free at https://ziprecruiter.com/srs Get 20% off sitewide at https://helixsleep.com/SRS and enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you! Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get 20% off with promo code SRS at https://shopmando.com ! #mandopod Go to https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN and apply today, risk-free Go to https://shopbeam.com/SRS and use code SRS to get up to 50% off Beam Dream Powder, the sleep formula designed to help you fall asleep fast and wake up clear. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Get started with Claude today at https://claude.ai/srs and check out Claude Pro, which includes access to all of the features mentioned in today’s episode. One thing to pack, five ways to power! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code SRS at https://www.Ridge.com/srs #ridgepod 00:00 Cartel Mission Reality Check 08:33 No Timeline Sensitive Ops 15:44 Armored Cars Business 23:12 Patreon Question Trust and Service 48:58 Choosing Special Operations 49:56 Recruiter Reality Check 53:05 Ukraine Propaganda War 01:20:19 Zelensky and Forced Conscription 01:30:56 Battlefield Leadership Failures 01:40:30 Back to Rangers and Leadership 02:09:42 Earning Respect as Officer 02:36:25 Ambassador Secretary Ally 02:37:16 Dinner Invite Intel Lead 02:38:09 Awkward Line Fallout 02:39:36 SIGINT Circle Surprise 02:40:51 Decision to Go Dark 02:41:32 Sleep Supplement Ad 02:43:11 Night Drive Cover Setup 02:45:07 Lexus Tail Suspicion 02:47:03 Elevator Abort Escape 02:49:04 Running Plates Next Steps 02:51:23 Office Raid Workaround 02:56:19 War Criminal Capture Debate 03:01:41 Somalia Rehearsal Lessons 03:03:32 Blackhawk Template Critique 03:21:39 Blending In Innovations 03:49:21 Afghanistan Begins 04:10:25 Anaconda Turns Chaotic 04:15:39 Orders to Swap Teams 04:21:28 Takhur Ghar Setup 05:06:36 Hellfire Ends Bunker 05:22:46 Tillman Case Begins 06:40:50 Toxic Command and PTSD 06:42:00 Red Wings Lessons 06:56:02 Why He Left the Army 07:18:31 Havana Syndrome Coverup 07:38:30 Launching the Dog Program 08:15:08 Drones and Battlefield Context 08:53:36 CIA Station Chief Clash 09:21:57 Regime Change Critique 09:40:53 Pentagon Intel Briefing 10:07:47 Wolverines Desert Base 10:29:11 Aftermath and Next Fight 10:41:02 Locked Out Of The Meeting 11:01:02 Deciding When To Leave Service 11:33:46 Book Impact And Legacy 11:34:43 Common Sense Way Book 11:37:05 Micro Habits Resistance 11:39:39 Defining Common Sense 11:42:08 Three Brains Explained 11:50:37 Breathing Talking Counting 11:57:01 Wim Hof Cold Training 12:01:10 Freediving Sing A Song 12:04:31 Pay Attention Like Cat 12:11:33 Discombobulator Weapon Talk 12:15:46 Final Thanks And Outro