Tom Satterly is the epitome of the best America has to offer. Tom recently retired from a distinguished career with the United States Army. Having served his country as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and as a Green Beret, Tom was selected for training with the Army’s elite Delta Force. Selection for the year-long Delta Force Training requires physical fitness comparable to that of an Olympic athlete. As with the Basic Underwater Demolition (BUDS) training for United States Navy SEALs, completion of the training requires an incredible degree of mental toughness and adaptability. Tom was able to complete this training before being selected for an even more selective group of men who serve as Delta Force Special Operators.
Awarded six Bronze stars for his service to the United States Army, Tom survived 18 hours of intense combat in Mogadishu in a battle that was depicted in the movie BlackHawk Down. I have met three men who survived that terrible battle and have the deepest respect and admiration for all of our service members who fought there. In fact, awe would be a better description of how I feel about these men, the men who survived the Battle of the La Drang Valley in Vietnam, the assaults at Normandy, Tarawa, the Battle for Midway Island and other military actions where our troops have overcome incredible odds. Staying Alive – How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters is designed to help distill knowledge and concepts from people who have been able to apply them to survive events that many do not. While there are no guarantees in fast breaking life and death situations, there are possibilities and probabilities for dramatically improving human performance that we can learn and apply.
In his first public interview, Tom was kind enough to share what he could from his vast knowledge and experience for both the book and the video. As with other special operators, he must abide by appropriate restrictions on what he can discuss but was able to share with us concepts for improving human performance that the average person can learn and apply. I shared some of his insights with more than 600 educators and law enforcement officers in Connecticut last week and had feedback from a number of attendees who found his advice to be extremely helpful. His contribution to Staying Alive – How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters is both valuable and appreciated.
We feel truly blessed that this amazing human being has been so generous of his time with us so that others can learn from him how to make themselves and those they care about safer. He is currently serving as a trainer and consultant with law enforcement agencies and military groups, both overseas and here at home. His site can be found at www.worldthreatreduction.com.