CSM Bart Womack on Surviving Betrayal and Practicing Proactive Situational Awareness
Host Andy speaks with retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Bart Womack about his book, "Embedded Enemy," recounting the March 2003 Camp Pennsylvania insider attack in Kuwait.
Womack describes the chaos of responding in darkness with limited ammo and visibility, coordinating security, casualty collection, evacuation and ultimately identifying and apprehending Sgt. Hasan Akbar.
He shares how the incident reshaped his concept of trust and outlines proactive situational awareness strategies—trust analysis, observe/listen/report, "listen don't just hear," know your neighbor/coworkers, gut checks, and recognizing signs—using examples from schools, social media threats, and everyday suspicious behavior.
For more from Command Sergeant Major Bart Womack visit: https://bartwomack.com/
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00:00 Welcome
02:04 Meet CSM Bart Womack
03:24 Kuwait Night Begins
05:30 Explosions in the Tent
08:39 No Ammo Response
11:57 Chaos and Casualties
18:32 Suspect Identified
20:38 Akbar Captured
26:20 Aftermath and Losses
29:53 Lessons Under Fire
37:28 Trust Shattered
44:12 Diary Reveals Motive
46:22 Trust No One
50:14 Proactive Awareness Basics
51:25 School Shooter Reality Check
53:49 Observe Listen Report
57:57 Know Your Neighbor
01:02:55 Listen Dont Just Hear
01:10:35 Gut Check And Signs
01:16:07 Closing Thoughts
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