58_Warrior Mindset with Steve Odom

Normalize PTSD

Steve Odom is the Owner/Operator of Spartan Tactical Solutions, a Former Marine, Former Sergeant, and SWAT Team member for San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
Social Media:

• Website: https://www.spartanshooting.com/
• Instagram: @spartan_steve_odom

Steve Odom is owner/operator of Spartan Tactical Solutions firearms training company located in San Luis Obispo. He served four years in the United States Marines as an Infantryman, fireteam leader, and squad leader. He was meritoriously promoted several times and awarded the “Navy and Marine Corps Medal” for heroism. He recently retired at the rank of sergeant after serving 29 years at the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office. He spent 17 years on the SWAT Team and was twice awarded the “Medal of Valor”. He has been a law enforcement firearms instructor for over 29 years and rose to the position of Senior Range Master for the sheriff’s office.

Steve is a lifelong martial artist and LAPD certified Arrest and Control Instructor. He has studied various traditional martial arts, Muay Thai, western boxing, and Brazilian Jui Jitsu. He has boxed and grappled competitively at the amateur level and holds a blue belt in BJJ.

Steve spent the latter years of his career developing a wellness program for the sheriff’s office to help other deputies deal with the impact of life as a first responder.
I really enjoyed talking with Steve. His approach to being prepared really resonates with me. I see some people in this space accept being a victim or accept being “broke”. When I started this journey, I noticed I had issues related to being insecure. That was a huge ego check for me. I was living a life and projecting an image of a person who was so confident. I was very confident while still running ops back in the day but somewhere along the way I lost some confidence. I think it had a lot to do with me not challenging myself anymore. I stopped pushing the limits of myself, and then I started doubting myself and what I was capable of doing or being. I started listening and believing those barking dogs. Ha, that’s a reference to a book by Rickson Gracie. He says, “Never lose sleep over the barking dogs. They are dogs, that’s what they do.” Talking to doctors at the VA saying that my TBI/PTSD was like a child touching a hot stove. Or being villainized for seeing life through a lens that’s not all rainbows and sunshine. There is nothing wrong with struggling with a traumatic situation. It’s not weak; it’s really freakin' normal.

I felt alone in the civilian word with my struggles. I notice when I tried to talk about the real stuff around some groups it would completely kill the vibe in the room or party. I just stopped talking about those things. It wasn’t until I reconnected with the boys that I found a big resource that I was missing: Reach out to those who have been there and done it with you. They are most likely having some of the same struggles you are and won’t judge you for asking for advice or just venting.
Resources Mentioned:

• Martial Arts
• Discipline
• Being a servant leader
• Having people in your life that hold you accountable
• Surround yourself with the people you want to be like
• Leadership courses
• Working out
• Sobriety
• EMDR
• Brazilian Jui Jitsu
• Peer support training to help identify problems early
• Warrior mindset
• Box breathing
• OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide and Act)
• Stress Inoculation (Exercise, combative, martial arts)
• Building resilience
• Build confidence
• 75 Hard Challenge
• Self-care (sauna, cold plunge)
• Journaling
• Eating well; properly fueling your body