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PODCAST

The Second Act

The Second Act is about strength, awareness, and purpose in life’s next chapter. Hosted by Rob Vaughn — former strength coach, former law enforcement officer, and hockey coach — this show shares real lessons earned through experience, not theory. Here, we talk about what it means to stay sharp when you’re not 25 anymore: training with intent, leading your family, protecting what matters, and building a mindset that lasts. It’s not about perfection or hype. It’s about staying disciplined, ready,

education self-improvement

All Episodes

5:34

One Officer Responded Alone to a Violent Call. How...

The Second Act ·

2025/11/03

Birmingham, Alabama. October 2025.A call comes in: violent individual, possible weapon inside a residence.One officer responds.Alone.Within seconds, the situation escalates from calm conversation to chaos. The officer is overtaken. Taser deployment fails. Shots are fired.One person is killed.The officer is placed on administrative leave.The Reality of Single-Officer ResponseAs a former law enforcement officer, I’ve been on both sides of this.I’ve responded to calls alone because backup was several

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6:26

Road Rage Turned Deadly in 15 Seconds: The Red Flags...

The Second Act ·

2025/11/02

Milwaukee, Wisconsin. October 9, 2025. Thursday morning.An off-duty police officer is driving to work. Traffic is merging due to construction. A vehicle in front makes an aggressive maneuver, and makes contact.Both drivers pull over.The other driver exits his vehicle. Hand concealed in his pocket. Agitated. Quick approach.15 seconds later, shots are fired.The suspect is killed.This wasn’t a normal fender bender. This was road rage that escalated to deadly force in seconds.And here’s the thing: this

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5:12

Baltimore Officer Chases Man with Patrol Car—What...

The Second Act ·

2025/11/01

Baltimore, Maryland. October 2025.A viral video shows a marked patrol car chasing a man on foot through a residential neighborhood in the Park Heights area. The officer accelerates through an alley, across yards, and crashes through a fence.The officer has been suspended pending investigation.Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley called the video “disturbing and alarming,” saying: “This is not how we expect our officers to behave and this incident does not reflect the values or standards of

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3:41

What This 13-Year-Old's Kidnapping Attempt Taught Me...

The Second Act ·

2025/11/01

Galveston, Texas. October 2025.A 13-year-old girl is walking to school alone before 7 a.m. A man follows her for several blocks. Then he grabs her from behind.She bites him. Twice. Breaks free. Runs to school. Gets help.He runs away.That girl likely saved her own life.And as a dad and former law enforcement officer, this story hit me hard, because I have a daughter, and one day she’ll be walking to school alone too.So let’s break this down. What happened here? What did this girl do right? And what

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3:51

What Maintaining My EDC Teaches Me About Discipline

The Second Act ·

2025/10/24

I clean my EDC every time I use it.Not because I have it all figured out. But because it reminds me of the things I still need to work on.Discipline. Respect. Competence.I’m not perfect at any of these. But this helps me stay honest about where I am.DisciplineLook, I don’t always want to do this. It’s boring. It’s repetitive. And honestly, sometimes I put it off longer than I should.But that’s exactly why I force myself to do it.Because discipline isn’t something you have. It’s something you build

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3:55

Awareness Is a Superpower (And You Can Teach It to...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/23

It’s Halloween. My daughter’s going trick-or-treating tonight in downtown. And while she’s excited about candy and costumes, I’ve been working on something with her that’s going to help tonight—and honestly, every day.Awareness.I didn’t grow up learning how to be aware. No one taught me to scan a parking lot, to notice exits, to break tunnel vision when I’m focused on something. I had to learn it as an adult—first as a police officer, now through training. And honestly? I wish I’d learned it at 10

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9:43

What Would You Do? Testing Real-World Self-Defense...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/21

I created AI scenarios based on real situations to test my wife’s instincts and decision-making. One of these actually happened to her.In this episode, we walk through three scenarios:* A truck approaching on a walk (her real experience)* Loading groceries in a parking lot* An ATM situation at nightThis isn’t about living in fear. It’s about being prepared and knowing how to respond when something feels off.We break down:* How to reclaim control with commanding voice* Using available tools (shopping

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6:01

Apple AirTags: What You Should Know About the Tech...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/16

A Florida couple came home from a night out with friends and were ambushed at gunpoint in their own driveway. Two armed men forced them into their garage and robbed them. How did the suspects know exactly when they’d be home? An Apple AirTag taped under their car.This happened on August 19th in Odessa, Florida, and it’s a reminder that the threats we face in our second act aren’t always the ones we’re looking for. AirTags were designed to help people find their lost keys and wallets. But criminals

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5:41

Dead Friendships...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/15

Friendships in your second act look different than they did at 25. And if you’re holding onto relationships out of obligation rather than genuine connection, you’re not alone.My wife and I had a conversation recently that I haven’t been able to shake. We were talking about friendships - specifically, the ones that feel one-sided. The friends who only reach out when they need something. The ones who disappear when life is good but show up when things are rough - for them, not you. The relationships

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5:24

Finding Energy When You Don't Have It

The Second Act ·

2025/10/14

I’ve been battling something lately: finding the energy to get to the gym.It’s fall. Days are getting shorter. And my body keeps making excuses: “You’re tired. You trained yesterday. One day off won’t hurt.”At 45, this isn’t about toughness. It’s about breaking the mental hurdles we create for ourselves.Here’s what’s been working for me:Cold tub first. 39-42 degrees, 5 minutes. Cold exposure triggers norepinephrine and dopamine release - your nervous system wakes up. But more importantly, you did

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3:06

Welcome to The Second Act - An Audio Introduction

The Second Act ·

2025/10/14

If you’re reading this, you’re probably in a similar place I am.You’ve lived some life. Made mistakes. Learned a few things the hard way. And now you’re in what I call the second act - that phase where you’re not young anymore, but you’re sure as hell not done either.In this first audio episode, I introduce The Second Act - what it is, what it isn’t, and why I’m documenting this journey.What you’ll hear:* My background (former LEO, strength coach, hockey coach, armed dad)* Why I’m calling this “The

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3:00

From Zip-Tied and Robbed to CCW - My Wife's Firearms...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/14

In 2014, my wife was zip-tied and robbed while closing a restaurant. That feeling of helplessness changed her perspective on personal safety.Fast forward to now - she went from never firing a gun to being CCW certified. This is her story.What she shares:* The 2014 robbery and how it affected her* Why she decided to explore firearms training* Finding the right community at Fletcher Arms* Her advice for women with no firearms experience* How she’s building confidence graduallyShe’s not trying to

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6:01

The Mistake I'll Never Forget - Why I Carry Appendix

The Second Act ·

2025/10/13

I was in my early 20s, working in law enforcement. I’d just finished cleaning my duty weapon. I thought it was clear. I’d checked it - or thought I had. But I’d manually chambered a round earlier and forgot.When I pulled the trigger during a function check, it went off.The round went through my desk and into the wall next to me. But in that split second, everything changed.The AftermathAs a law enforcement officer, you’re supposed to be held to a higher standard. And I was embarrassed. Not just that

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10:15

I've Been Thinking: School Safety and Why We're...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/08

I’ve been thinking about school safety and homeschooling. My wife and I keep going back and forth on this.My daughter had an active threat drill this week at school. They practiced emergency scenarios. As a former law enforcement officer, I know how these drills work - and I know what they don’t prepare for.It’s great to have a plan. But it’s never practiced under high stress. Most teachers aren’t trained for this. And the gap between “lockdown procedure” and actual protection is huge. (For More

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4:42

The Cooper Color Code - What I Just Learned About...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/07

I just went through a class at Fletcher Arms and learned about the Cooper Color Code - an awareness spectrum developed by Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper back in the 1970s. This changed how I think about situational awareness.Most people live in Condition White - completely unaware of their surroundings. Head down, phone out, earbuds in. That’s where you get victimized.Here’s the breakdown:Condition White - Unaware Oblivious to surroundings. Where most people live. This is dangerous.Condition Yellow - Relaxed

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1:50

HR 38: Why I Have to Disarm Every Time I Cross Into...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/07

I live in Wisconsin. I’m CCW certified. But when I cross the border to see family in Illinois - 30 minutes away - I have to unload my firearm, lock it in the trunk, and separate the ammo. My Wisconsin permit means nothing there.HR 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, would fix this. It would require all states to recognize concealed carry permits from other states - just like driver’s licenses work across state lines.The bill was introduced in 2017, passed the House but died in the Senate. It’s

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2:09

Why You Can't Rely on Police Response Time for Your...

The Second Act ·

2025/10/06

Former LEO here with the reality nobody wants to hear: police work is reactive, not proactive. Response times are slower than you think, and criminals know this. They wait, watch, and act when police aren’t around.From the moment a crime happens to when a unit arrives at your location - you’re looking at minutes, not seconds. The 911 call alone takes 30-45 seconds. Dispatch adds time. Travel time adds more.This isn’t a criticism of law enforcement. It’s the reality of coverage, resources, and how

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2:15

When Your Wife Doesn’t Want Guns in the House

The Second Act ·

2025/10/04

I came across this question. I’ll read it to you so you have some context.Hey, Rob, I’m 42, married with two kids, nine and 11.I’ve been thinking about getting my CCW for a while now, but my wife is completely against having guns in the house.What would you tell a guy like me in this situation? I think it’s a matter of one, the wife being on board, it sounds like she’s not my biggest. Piece of advice would most likely be is invite her to come to a class if you have access to classes or training, not

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