The Quiet Professional

S5E32: Working Dog Days & Life's Battlefields | Master Chief (Ret.) William "Billy" Clark

Original Recording Date: 2026JUN25.
Audio editing by Stephanie Bosch.
Views and opinions of the participants are their own.
 
Find #TheQuietProfessional across all podcast platforms and more content through the convenient Linktree ▶️ https://linktr.ee/tqp780 ◀️
 
Guest:
Retired Master Chief William "Billy" Clark – served over two decades in the U.S. Navy, with combat deployments supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He held leadership roles including Command Master Chief of Strike Fighter Squadron 105 and led USSOCOM's Northeast Wounded Care Program. A recipient of the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars with Combat "V," and numerous other military awards, he holds bachelor's and master's degrees in national security and communications. Today, Bill serves as Director of an intelligence and investigative cell in the tech sector.
 
Topics:
Forged in Fire – The hardships, resilience, and life-or-death choices that shaped Bill Clark into the leader and warrior he became.
The Bond Between Man and His Hound – Bill shares the extraordinary bond between military working dog handlers and their canine partners—a connection forged in trust, loyalty, and sacrifice.
Into the Fire – Bill recounts the December 4, 2007, battle that nearly claimed the life of his working dog, Aks, and the fight that followed for survival, recognition, and the honor owed to those who served.
 
References & Resources:
Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamclark1021
Hunter Seven Foundation website: https://hunterseven.org/
We Fight Monsters: https://wefightmonsters.org/ 
 

S5E31: By Water Beneath the Walls: The Rise of the Navy SEALs – Ben Milligan

Original Recording Date: 2026JUN12.
Co-host John Simpson.
Audio editing by Stephanie Bosch.
Views and opinions of the participants are their own.
 
Find #TheQuietProfessional across all podcast platforms and more content through the convenient Linktree ▶️ https://linktr.ee/tqp780 ◀️
 
Guest:
Ben Milligan – served as a U.S. Navy SEAL from 2001 to 2009, earning the Bronze Star and several other awards. He is now a Chicago-based writer and historian, known for By Water Beneath the Walls: The Rise of the Navy SEALs, and a sought-after speaker on leadership and U.S. military history, presenting to audiences from elite military units to Yale students.
 
Topics:
In the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday, we take an in-depth look at the process of writing big history—from years of research to bringing it to print. We explore the larger-than-life figures of SEAL history and the often-overlooked role the broader U.S. military played in shaping its origins.
 
References & Resources:
Ben’s website: https://www.benhmilligan.com/
Ben on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben.h.milligan
Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-milligan-a1162464
Find John Simpson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-simpson-b6114b59
John Simpson’s books are available below!
Foundations of Patrol Rifle Marksmanship
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2T629L6
https://blue360media.com/products/foundations-of-patrol-rifle-marksmanship
 
Foundations of Sniper Marksmanship
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2T1QN2X
https://blue360media.com/products/foundations-of-sniper-marksmanship
 
Snipers Notebook
Send check or money order for $30.00* to:
Simpsonian Institute
2774 N. Cobb Parkway, Suite 109 #141
Kennesaw, GA 30144
 
For more information, contact the author at: the-institute@live.com
 
* This pricing includes shipping within the United States. GA residents add 4% sales tax. Copy of police or military ID required for purchase. Orders will not be processed without a copy of your credentials. Add $10.00 for a Supplementary CD-ROM that expands on the book. International sales please contact for shipping prices.

S5E30: The Crowd Effect: Inside the Business of Advocacy and Public Power – Adam Swart

Original Recording Date: 2026JUN12.
Audio editing by Stephanie Bosch.
Views and opinions of the participants are their own.
 
Find #TheQuietProfessional across all podcast platforms and more content through the convenient Linktree ▶️ https://linktr.ee/tqp780 ◀️
 
Guest:
Adam Swart – is the founder of Crowds on Demand and a recognized expert in public mobilization. With more than a decade of experience, he provides unique insight into how protests are funded, organized, and used to influence politics and media.
 
Topics:
Context Matters — Why environment, timing, and perception can be more powerful than words alone.
The Power of Advocacy — Finding the people who hold influence, understanding their motivations, and learning how to move them to action.
The Inside Workings of Crowds for Hire — The tactics, players, and business behind organizing lawful movements at scale.
 
References & Resources:
Crowds on Demand website and social media: https://crowdsondemand.com/
Adam on X: https://x.com/ceoadamswart
Transparency in Political Demonstrations Act news article: https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/ceo-congress-law-who-pays-protesters/
 

S5E29: Dark Horizons: A Fictional Vision of America's Defeat – Ralph L. DeFalco III

Original Recording Date: 2026JUN01.
Audio editing by Stephanie Bosch.
Views and opinions of the participants are their own.
 
Find #TheQuietProfessional across all podcast platforms and more content through the convenient Linktree ▶️ https://linktr.ee/tqp780 ◀️
 
Guest:
Ralph DeFalco - is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, former Pentagon intelligence professional, and distinguished graduate and faculty member of the U.S. Naval War College whose career has spanned five decades and five continents. Now a historian, writer, and national security expert, he is the author of The Counterfeit (released in April), a near-future novel imagining a Pacific war in which China defeats and bankrupts the United States.
 
Topics:
Inside the Author’s Mind – A journey into the forces, obsessions, and experiences that shape a writer’s vision, and the truths hidden beneath the page.
Where Fiction Meets Reality – Exploring how imagined worlds reflect tough realities, revealing deeper narratives that blur the line between what is and what could be.
Warnings from the Future – Examining the real-world threats of today and following their darkest trajectories into tomorrow, where unchecked choices can reshape nations, societies, and lives.
 
References & Resources:
The Counterfeit: A Novel on Amazon: https://a.co/d/08HkeWdM
Ralph at the Law & Liberty online magazine: https://lawliberty.org/author/ralph-l-defalco-iii/
The Counterfeit on bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-counterfeit/0fce8c4d1d587850?ean=9781935448563&next=t 
 

S5E28: No Safety Net: Undercover, Trauma, and the Cost of the Survival – Richard ‘Rich’ Oakley

Original Recording Date: 2026MAY27.
Audio editing by Stephanie Bosch.
Views and opinions of the participants are their own.
 
Find #TheQuietProfessional across all podcast platforms and more content through the convenient Linktree ▶️ https://linktr.ee/tqp780 ◀️
 
Guest:
Richard ‘Rich’ Oakley – Retired law enforcement including 23 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Rich is a contributor to the book Wounds to Wisdom which talks about real experiences, trauma, and recovery.
 
Topics:
Policing in a Different Era — Undercover identities, unwritten rules, and high-risk operations in a time when officers often worked without a safety net.
Surviving the Streets — The drinking, the denial, and the coping mechanisms that flourished in the shadows of police work.
The Cost of the Badge — How years of loss, danger, and sacrifice ripple through mental health, friendships, and family life—and the road back from the brink.
 
References & Resources:
Find Rich’s work and social content on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bigbear43 
Contact Rich at: leohelpingothers@gmail.com