Break It Down Show

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Dan Gerstein - War Without Humanity Feb 25, 2026

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Dr. Daniel Gerstein is a national security professional who has served as a senior government civilian, in uniform, in industry, in think tanks and in academia. As a senior government civilian, he served in the Department of Homeland Security as Under Secretary (Acting) and Deputy Under Secretary in the Science and Technology Directorate, where he directed the organization's over $1 billion annual budget. Get Gerstin's War Without Humanity on Amazon at amzn.to/4b5ULJR During his service in the U.S. Army, he served on four continents while participating in combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and homeland security and served for more than a decade in the Pentagon in various high-level staff assignments. Dr. Gerstein also has extensive experience in international negotiations having served on the Holbrooke Delegation that negotiated the peace settlement in Bosnia. He is a frequent national security contributor and has published numerous books, articles and commentaries on a wide variety of national and homeland security issues. He serves as a member of several corporate boards and advisory committees. Pete A Turner and Brad Hutchings welcome Dan Gerstein to the Break It Down Show

Sebastian Junger – In My Time of Dying Feb 18, 2026

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Sebastian Junger nearly died. It was close. Along the way, a bunch of decisions happened to go his way. At one point, during his near death experience, a dark void opened up on his left, it was drawing him closer. His father, who had died years ago, was encouraging him to move towards the void. He, survived, and wrote his latest book about the experience. In his style, Junger teaches us about near death experiences, the science that confounds the scientists and what he thinks about death and dying. This is Sebastian's third visit to the Break It Down Show with Pete A Turner Get Sebastian's book on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3Vo5C95 Joining Pete and Sebastian is Josh Mantz. Josh was shot and killed in Iraq. He was dead for over 10 minutes. When he came back, everything had changed. Josh's understanding of the world beyond the veil is leading towards a PhD. This conversation is something you won't find on any other platform. Josh doesn't speak publicly. Pete was able to convince Josh to sit with him and Sebastian because there is something special in this conversation. Get ready this is going to be good.

Ramses Patino – The Philosophy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Feb 16, 2026

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Ramses Patino teaches folks in Orange County the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Ramses is the lead instructor at the dojo where Pete A Turner trains. Pete and Ramses sit down to explore the world of BJJ and how it informs people. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has exploded in popularity over the past 30 years. Gracie Barra, the school to which Pete and Ramses belong is the largest in the world with 1000s of locations across the planet. More than a way to beat people up, BJJ is a way to live, train and improve. Pete A Turner is proud to present Ramses Patino on the Break It Down Show More on Ramses head to gbsantaana.com and read below Ramses Patino is a multi-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the head instructor at Gracie Barra Santa Ana, a premier Gracie Barra school in Orange County, California. With deep roots in the Gracie lineage, he trains students in the art and philosophy of BJJ, emphasizing technique, discipline, and personal growth. Featured on podcasts like the Break It Down Show, Ramses shares insights into Jiu-Jitsu's mental and physical benefits. As a dedicated professor, he leads a vibrant community at GB Santa Ana, fostering skill development for practitioners of all levels in a supportive environment.

Amber Brittain-Hale - Venezuela, Tulsi Gabbard and Transition Operations Feb 13, 2026

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Amber Brittain Hale joins Pete A Turner on the Break It Down Show to discuss current events in the world of policy. In this episode of the Break It Down Show, host Pete A Turner interviews Amber Brittain-Hale on policy-focused current events. They differentiate politics from policy, stressing objective analysis over bias and the need for ground-truth insights in decision-making.The core discussion explores transition operations and stabilization in unstable regions, contrasting successful post-WWII cases (Germany, Japan, South Korea) with failures (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya). Key lessons: adapt to local context, prioritize security and basic services, avoid top-down Western impositions, and secure local buy-in.They apply these to Venezuela—a narco-state needing corruption cleanup—discussing potential U.S.-backed economic levers like oil sector reform, asset recovery, and light-footprint stabilization under figures like Secretary Rubio. Tulsi Gabbard is mentioned in the title but deferred for a future talk.The episode advocates pragmatic, adaptive approaches over hubris for effective transitions.

Keith Zlomsowitch - Stalked Feb 09, 2026

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Keith Zlomsowitch recounts the previously undisclosed details that he experienced with Nicole Brown Simpson and how it forever changed his life. From his fateful meeting of Nicole, to their deep love affair and eventual friendship, to her brutal murder and the media frenzy that ensued. No one has such a unique perspective as Keith does. He and Nicole were stalked by O.J. Simpson on multiple occasions, and like the book tagline indicates, it truly could have been him that was killed, whether alongside Nicole, or by himself. Buy STALKED on Amazon at amzn.to/4tkY0En On one night in particular, while at Nicole's house, Keith tells of a haunting encounter that will for sure leave readers horrified and dismayed. The entire case and saga, from the events of June 12th all the way up until the devastating acquittal on October 3rd, is considered by most to be the greatest American murder mystery of all time. To see the entire saga played out through Keith's eyes is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event and perspective. Pete A Turner welcomes Keith Zlomsowitch to the Break It Down Show.

Pete A Turner - Combat Spy Feb 01, 2026

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Pete A Turner joins us as a guest. With Ken Orrock hosting the Break It Down Show. This is the first time Pete has been interviewed on his own show by a fellow counterintelligence agent. Ken's deep experience as a cop, spy and prosecutor will help reveal elements of Pete's background and his techniques that we don't often get to see.

Mike Cote - Foreign Policy Home and Abroad Jan 28, 2026

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Foreign policy drives how nations approach and respond to the world around them. With Davos in the rearview mirror, did anything change? How will Europe, the US and the rest of the world begin to do, what's next? Here's Mike's website, rationalpolicy.com Here is Amber's website, brainstatesinc.com We here at the Break It Down Show, wanted to take a moment to recognize the life of Dr Ambassador Robert Hunter. Robert has been a friend of Pete's for a number of years. We've had him on the show many times...we are sad to hear of his passing. He lived his life well and full. We'll do something bigger on Robert's life soon.

Julian Fisher - Think Like a Spy Jan 26, 2026

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Julian Fisher is a former spy who has written a great book called, Think Like a Spy. Julian returns to the Break It Down Show with Pete A Turner and Ken Orrock. Get Think Like a Spy on Amazon at amzn.to/4jRD4Av Every day, intelligence officers achieve the unimaginable. They persuade people to share classified secrets with them. To become traitors, in fact. And their targets do it willingly, despite the risk of imprisonment, torture and, even, execution. Spies achieve this thanks to their structured use of nine secret skills of espionage. In Think Like a Spy, you'll learn these techniques and how to adapt them for effective and ethical use in your own life. A good spy is a people-person. She knows how to identify a potential agent, how to attract their attention and what to do to build an enduring relationship with them. From this base, she will coax out personal information to work out what makes her target tick. She will use that knowledge and her understanding of human psychology to her advantage while winning lasting commitment from her new ally. All these skills can be mastered and turned to use in civilian life. The author realised that he used all of them in his own progress from the poorest postcode in Britain to Oxford University, into a blue-blooded stockbroking firm, and on to a thrilling and varied career in the security and intelligence worlds. Julian uses a wide variety of stories from this journey to illustrate how spy skills can be adapted to situations and challenges that we all face.

Robin Dreeke – Unbreakable Alliances Mar 07, 2025

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Robin Dreeke Returns to the Break It Down Show with Pete A Turner. Robin is discussing his new book Unbreakable Allies. Robin and Pete always vibe well and inspire one another. This will be a great episode. Get Unbreakable Alliances: A Spy Recruiter's Authoritative Guide to Cultivating Powerful and Lasting Connectionsamzn.to/3YQcDB6 A blub from Robin's new book . From the former Chief of the FBI Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program comes an authoritative guide on how to unlock the power of alliances, build unbreakable relationships, and achieve unparalleled success in your personal and professional life. The solution to life's challenges lies in establishing genuine connections with others. Along with anecdotes from his work in business and as an international spy recruiter, Robin Dreeke offers practical strategies for: Building and keeping trust Communicating with impact across diverse communication styles and languages Inspiring others by crafting compelling narratives that leave a lasting impact Resolving conflicts and fostering stronger alliances Understanding and embracing diversity Nurturing and expanding your alliances over time Each chapter includes ten actions to empower you to apply these concepts to your own life and to revolutionize how you approach building alliances and achieve tangible results. Unbreakable Alliances is a masterclass in building strong relationships that will provide you with fresh perspectives, diverse expertise, and a support system to help you overcome even the most daunting obstacles.

Dan Goldbacher and Scott Weldy – OC Bird of Prey Center Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

How's this for cool? We're hanging with Scott Weldy and Dan Goldbacher who study and work with birds of prey at the Orange County Bird of Prey Center. Dan Goldbacher and Scott Weldy are experts in birds of pretty. How we managed their habitat is one of the most fascinating things you'll encounter. Joining us from the Irvine Ranch Conservancy is David Raetz David produced this episode. To learn more about the OCBoPC ocbpc.org The Orange County Bird of Prey Center (OCBPC) is a state- and federally-licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Orange County, CA, dedicated to treating and rehabilitating injured raptors and returning them to the wild. We believe that education is the best long-term solution to prevent and mitigate many of the challenges that raptors face and that raptors play an integral role in the balance of nature. We reintroduce raptors under specific conditions: following state and federal guidelines, respecting current wild raptor population cycles and considering environmental factors.

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