Episodes
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For our final episode of 2024's "Summer Lookback" series, we revisit episode 4 featuring Brent Stratton and Marcus Sprague.
Brent is the Assistant Chief at a Southern California Police Department and the President of the California Tactical Officers Association (CATO). Marcus is a recently retired Lieutenant at a Northern California PD and the Vice President of CATO. Both Brent and Marcus are graduates of the CARO Strategic Leadership Program.
To view the original episode, its follow-up, and recommended reading, please visit: https://thedebrief.live/episodes/?modal-link=https://thedebrief.live/episode-4/ -
This episode in our summer lookback series features Lt. Lee McMillion. Lee is currently one of the two Lieutenants leading the Los Angeles Police Departments Metropolitan Division D-Platoon. Which is also known as LAPD SWAT. In total, Lee has spent 33 years as a Los Angeles Policeman of which 23 years have been spent at Metro, 21 with D-Platoon. Lee is one of only three men to have ever served at all possible ranks at D Platoon (Officer, Plus 1, Sgt, and Lt.). Lee has been an element member, an element leader, a squad leader and is currently a Platoon Leader. In his career Lee has participated in well over a thousand tactical operations with a wide variety of mission sets.
To view the original episode, its follow-up, and recommended reading, please visit:https://thedebrief.live/episodes/?modal-link=https://thedebrief.live/episode-3/ -
Missing episodes?
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The third episode in our 2024 Summer lookback series features Buddy Brown.
Buddy works for the York County Sherriff’s Office in South Carolina. Buddy has worked patrol, narcotics and training and spent more than 18 years on the York County regional SWAT team. On January 16, 2018, York County responded to a domestic violence call that led a suspect on the run in the woods behind a residential area. By the time the night was over Det. Mike Doty would be murdered by the suspect and three other members of the agency would be shot and seriously wounded, including Buddy. In this Critical Incident Review Buddy will take us through the timeline and events of the night as well as discuss their lessons learned and his recovery from catastrophic injuries.
To view the original episode, its follow-up, and recommended reading, please visit: https://thedebrief.live/episodes/?modal-link=https://thedebrief.live/episode-12 -
The second episode in our "2024 Summer Flashback" series features a legend in the tactical community with a list of career accomplishments that would take an entire podcast of their own. Mike Hillman was one of the original founders of LAPD SWAT, a Deputy Chief at LAPD, the Assistant Sheriff in Orange County California and a Chief of Police for the Los Angeles Port Police. He was one of the founders of the National Tactical Officers Association, headed security for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is a nationally recognized expert on leadership, crisis management, critical incident management, special operations and a wide variety of other subjects.
To view the original episode, its follow-up, and recommended reading, please visit: https://thedebrief.live/episode-6/ -
The first episode in our "2024 Summer Flashback" series features not just the first episode of this podcast, but the man who inspired the project as a whole. Not only was Sid Heale a legend in the special tactics’ community, he was a retired CWO5 in the United States Marine Corps serving numerous combat deployments including the Vietnam War, The Gulf War, and Operation United Shield in Somalia. Sid was also a retired Commander from the LA County Sheriff’s Department, had worked in the Special Enforcement Bureau, the Emergency Operations Bureau, and a wide variety of other assignments. Sid was one of the most prolific authors on tactical topics having authored several books and hundreds of articles.
To view the original episode, its follow-up, and recommended reading, please visit: https://thedebrief.live/episodes/?modal-link=https://thedebrief.live/episode-1/ -
Season 3 of The Debrief featured an impressive roster of guests, including: Andy Stumpf of Cleared Hot Podcast, former Delta Force operator Pete Blaber, and Lionel D. of Belgium’s elite Group Dianne (DSU). These guests, and others, provided an extensive body of knowledge and experience surrounding leadership, tactical decision making, and cognitive performance.
With this season now wrapped, and in keeping with our standard policy, we will be taking the summer off from new content. During this time we will be replaying five of my favorite episodes from Season 1 that you may not have heard before. Today, we’ll recap the tremendous progress made so far, and discuss the major changes being made for Season 4.
I also want to personally thank our subscribers and listeners for the nearly half-million views we’ve reached. This show started as a way to discuss important topics that improve operator safety, and has grown into something larger than I ever imagined. Please enjoy your summers, and I look forward to bringing you new, engaging, and insightful content next season. -
My guest today is Brittany Loney the founder and CEO of Elite Cognition. Brittany has almost 20 years of experience training high performing operators from communities as diverse as elite SOF warriors, professional and Olympic athletes, high-level coaches, and corporate executives. She also has over 14 years of experience training Special Operations Forces (SOF) and was the first cognitive performance coach embedded within a United States Special Operations Command (USASOC) Tactical Human Optimization and Rapid Rehabilitation and Reconditioning (THOR3) Program.
Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, peer reviewed academic journals, textbooks, SUCCESS Magazine, SOCOM’s SOFcast, and various other programs. In addition, Brittany has been a panel member or guest speaker at Global SOF Week, Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA), SOCOM’s Wellness Week, Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Learning Professional’s Consortiums, Women in SOF Symposiums, and countless other professional conferences.
Brittany has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Learning Systems from The Florida State University, an M.A. in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Sport Psychology from California State University, Fresno, an M.S. in Exercise Science from Florida State University, and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University where she was also a NCAA Division 1 basketball player. She lives her profession, spending much of her time working out, ultra-running, hiking, paddle boarding, and researching neuroscience, performance, and cognition.
I was first introduced to Brittany by some of our nation’s best tactical operators. Her work with US SOF units is unique in its approach to improving operator performance through physical, cognitive, and emotional training. I am extremely excited to have her on the debrief, because the broad scope and clear structure of her work will lay a foundation for several episodes to come on improving operator performance. I hope you enjoy my chat with Brittan Loney.
Book Recommendation:
The Daily Stoic Boxed Set Hardcover - Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman - ISBN-13: 978-0593544891
Warrior Mindset - Dr. Michael Asken, Loren W. Christensen, and Dave Grossman - ISBN-13: 978-0964920552
Contact Info:
Brittany Loney – www.elite-cognition.com -
There may be no US tactical and rescue unit more well known than the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit or ESU. Featuring a mission set that ranges from high angle ropes work to water rescue, from high-risk search warrants to hostage rescue, and from CBRN response to counter terrorism, ESU has sometimes been described as 911 for NYPD.
My guest today is Joe Bucchignano (pron: Buck-ig-nano). Joe started his emergency service career in 1997, working as an EMT and completing paramedic school in 1999. Joe worked as a full-time paramedic until 2003 when he joined the New York City Police Department and spent his first 7 years assigned to the 52nd precinct in the Norwood section of the Bronx. In 2010 Joe was selected to join the ranks of the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit, or ESU, where he spent the next 13 years of his career. During his ESU tenure Joe's assignments included patrol is ESU Truck 3 and Truck 1, being an adjunct tactics and medical instructor at ESU's Specialized Training School, and he finished his career as a full-time member of the ESU Apprehension Tactical Team. Joe also served with NY Task Force 1, a joint police and fire Urban Search and Rescue team which is part of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue response system. There he deployed several times to natural disasters within the United States as a rescue and logistics specialist.
Joe retired from the NYPD in June of 2023 and now serves as an Assistant Paramedic Coordinator for an EMS agency in Westchester County, NY. He is also the founder of Crisis Zone Consulting, a multi-disciplined training and consulting company which works with public safety agencies, private entities, and individuals to enhance their organizational and individual emergency preparedness.
This episode gives us an inside view of one of the world’s premier units. Including how they train, how they operate, how they manage their ridiculously diverse skill set, and the lessons learned by an ESU veteran.
Contact Info: https://crisiszoneconsulting.com/
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The evolution of special tactics in the United States is a complicated story whose roots lie in the violent social and political environment of the late 1960s. Highly unusual and televised events like the Texas tower sniper in 1966 and the Munich Massacre in 1972 created the need to develop special units to respond to events that were beyond the capabilities of patrol officers. While Southern California often receives all the credit for the development of special tactics, because of the efforts of LAPD D-Platoon and LASD SEB, it is important to understand that the west coast was not the only region trying to develop special tactics teams. In fact, by the early 1980's there were numerous regions who were all following parallel paths of development albeit in different stages. In these regions, tactical associations began to form that were focused on sharing information and training among agencies. One of these early associations was the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association (TTPOA) which was formed in 1984 and this year is celebrating its 40th anniversary. This seemed a perfect time to do an episode on the evolution and history of SWAT in Texas as well as the history and impact of TTPOA.
My guests today are three influential figures in TTPOA.
Lt. Dan Colasanto is the current president of TTPOA. Dan is a 30-year veteran of the Garland Police Department with 28 of those years spent on the SWAT team. Dan has worked in Patrol, Narcotics and SWAT and is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy and an Army veteran. In February 2021, Dan earned a Master of Arts degree in Homeland Security with a Concentration in Counter-Terrorism from American Military University. Dan was the SWAT Team Supervisor during the May 3, 2015 ISIS inspired terrorist attack in Garland, TX. Dan also serves as the Intelligence and Terrorism Chair for the NTOA.
Paul Ford has experience spanning both government and private sectors. Paul's diverse roles include being a police officer, instructor, writer, publisher, developer of numerous police training programs, and sales and marketing executive. Paul began his law enforcement career in 1985, assuming roles in patrol, SWAT, and as a detective. Paul spent almost a decade on the Austin Texas SWAT team serving as the unit's training coordinator and team leader. He is the recipient of more than 60 commendations, including three for meritorious conduct. In the 1990s, Paul played a pivotal role in reshaping and expanding TTPOA where he served as Secretary, Vice President, and Editor of Command Magazine. His dedication earned him the Association’s prestigious Excellence Award in 1999. In 2001 Paul transitioned to the private sector where he has held positions at Defense Technology and he is currently the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for CSI, known for their CTS and Penn Arms brands.
Sandy Wall is a true legend in Texas tactical community. Sandy spent 28 years with the Houston police department, 22 of which was on Houston SWAT. Sandy is a recipient of the TTPOA Excellence award, the TTPOA lifetime achievement award, and the National Police Associations Top Cop for the State of Texas. He has also received the Houston Police Department Chief's commendation for valor and the officer of the year award. Sandy has served three times as the president of TTPOA. He has also written two books, invented the Wall Banger system, and has taught and testified as an expert all over the United States.Contact Info:
TTPOA Website - TTPOA
Dan Colesanto – [email protected]
Paul Ford – Email - [email protected] - linkedin.com/in/paul-f-7b581214
Sandy Wall - [email protected]. -
My guest today is Lionel D. Lio is a retired team leader who spent 15 years with the
Belgian National Police - Directorate of Special Units, or DSU, also know as Group
Diane. I am excited to have Lio on The Debrief because his former unit is a fantastic
team who are constantly on the front lines for European counter terrorism operations,
like the one we will discuss today.
The operation we will be debriefing is a proactive warrant service against a Jihadist terror cell located in the small town of Verviers, Belgium that resulted in an extended gun fight and two suspects down. This raid was intended to, and did, prevent an imminent large-scale attack in Belgium by the terrorist cell that would later go on to commit bombings and attacks in Brussels and Paris.
As is usually the case with The Debrief, we will discuss the responders and, where
appropriate, use their names and units because they are heroes and need to be
remembered. We will NOT be using suspects names or identifying their specific groups,
because they are criminals and terrorists and need to be forgotten.
Books Recommended:
No Hero: The Evolution of a Navy SEAL Hardcover – November 10, 2014
by Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer – ISBN13: 978-0525954521
Lio’s Book:
In French - Terrorist Hunter | Editions Racine
In Dutch - Terroristenjager | Uitgeverij Lannoo
Contact Info:
www.lioneld.be
[email protected] -
In late August of 2020 the Kentucky State Police Special Response Team attempted to execute search and arrest warrants on a family compound in Johnson Hollow, a heavily wooded and very rural area of Kentucky. The suspect, who was being sought on potential murder and drug related charges, had hiding locations and weapons throughout the compound and had built a series of hardened firing positions from which to attack officers. In the 48 hours that followed, the team would have two Officer involved shootings with two different suspects all on the same compound.
This event would stretch the team and its resources to their limits, yet the team rose to the challenge yielding a successful outcome despite almost impossible conditions. This case provides numerous lessons learned and teaching points about rural operations and the dangers of unexpected challenges. My guests today are Sgt. Heath Ayers and Trooper Logan Smith from the Kentucky State Police Special Response Team.Links
Two fatally shot in KSP involved shootings in Knox County | News | thetimestribune.com
https://www.clayconews.com/news/16719-suspect-fatally-injured-in-2nd-officer-involved-shooting-in-knox-county-ky-victim-in-1st-shooting-identified
Books Recommended
Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown by Eric Blehm - ISBN-13: 978-0307730695
On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace by Dave Grossman & Loren W. Christensen - ISBN-13: 978-0964920545
On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Dave Grossman - ISBN-13: 978-0316040938
Contact Info
Logan Smith – [email protected]
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My guest today is Dr. Dan Dworkis. Dan is a board-certified emergency physician, an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the founder of The Emergency Mind Project, and the Chief Medical Officer at the Mission Critical Team Institute. Dan performed his emergency medicine residency with Harvard Medical School at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital / Brigham Health and holds an MD and PhD in molecular medicine from the Boston University School of Medicine.
Dan is the author of The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure. He is also the host of The Emergency Mind podcast.
I am excited to have Dan on the debrief because he not only has a unique blend of scientist and practitioner but is someone who has thought very deeply about how our minds work in critical incidents. Additionally, through his work with Mission Critical Team Institute he has looked at how those principles apply to tactical operators and first responders.
Contact Info:
Website: www.emergencymind.com
Email: [email protected]
Book:
The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure - Dan Dworkis MD PhD – ISBN13: 979-8746482327
Books Recommended:
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why - Laurence Gonzales - ISBN13: 978-0393052763
Meditations - Marcus Aurelius - ISBN13: 978-0812968255 -
Welcome to Battle Proven Leadership. My guest today is Bill Kirst. Bill is an author, poet, podcast host and one of LinkedIn’s Top Thought Leadership Voices on Change Management. Bill authors a monthly newsletter called “Leading Change in the Era of AI” which poses powerful questions while untangling the complex concerns posed by Artificial Intelligence.
Bill has worked at Adobe, Microsoft, IBM, the University of Washington and for nearly two decades has led companies, institutions, and government agencies through digital transformation journeys. Bill sits on the Alumni Board at The Johns Hopkins University. Bill served in the U.S. Army Reserve, finishing his service as a Captain in the Signal Corps. Bill’s podcast “Coffee & Change” was selected as one of the 10 Best Military Leadership Podcasts by FeedSpot.
I really enjoyed this conversation with Bill because he has spent his entire career working in organizational change. Implementing and confronting change is a constant battle for leaders, so it was great to have a chance to look at it through the eyes of an expert.
Contact Info:
LinkedIn
Coffee & Change Podcast – By Bill Kirst
Books Recommended:
Once an Eagle: A Novel - Anton Myrer - ISBN-13: 978-0062221629
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - Bessel van der Kolk M.D. - ISBN-13: 978-0143127741 -
My guest today is Rich Diviney. Rich is a retired Navy SEAL officer whose career spanned more than twenty years and included more than thirteen overseas deployments – eleven of which were to Iraq and Afghanistan. As the officer in charge of training for an elite Navy SEAL command, Rich spearheaded the creation of a directorate that fused physical, mental, and emotional disciplines.
Since his retirement, Rich has worked as a speaker, facilitator, and consultant with the Chapman & CO. Leadership Institute and Simon Sinek Inc., speaking to and training more than five thousand business, athletic, and military leaders. Rich’s book: The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance is, I think, a must-read book for anyone involved in leadership or in the selection and hiring of personnel.
Books Recommended
Man's Search For Meaning: The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust by Viktor E. Frankl (Author) - ISBN-13: 978-1846042843
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Hardcover by Yuval Noah Harari (Author) - ISBN-13: 978-0062316097
Books Written
The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance by Rich Diviney - ISBN-13: 978-0593133941
Contact Info
Discover Your Attributes -
Pete Blaber commanded at every level of one of the most elite counter-terrorist organizations in the world, The US Army’s First Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta. His time with The Unit included most of recent history’s significant military and political events (Panama, Colombia, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq). In 2006 Pete retired from the military and transitioned from leading elite combat teams around the globe, to leading elite corporate teams for one of the world's largest and most innovative Biotech Companies.
Pete’s first book “The Mission, The Men, And Me, Lessons From a Former Delta Force Commander,” is one of the most widely read books among tactical units and is required reading at many tactical leadership programs. His second book, “The Common Sense Way, A New Way to Think About Leading and Organizing" which builds on the legacy of the first book providing specific and concrete guidance on how to implement common sense into your leadership style. His third, and most recent book “Common Sense Leadership Matters: Toxic Leadership Destroys” is a case study of the death of Pat Tillman and how Toxic Leadership led to Tillman’s death at the hands of friendly fire.
Pete has an MBA and an MS in National Security and Strategic Affairs.
I am excited to speak to Pete not only because he lead one of the most elite combat units, but because he is a very deep thinker on the topic of leadership and has a unique ability to articulate his lessons learned and his research in a very practical and down to earth fashion. I hope you enjoy my chat with Pete Blaber.
Contact Info
https://www.peteblaber.com/Books Recommended
The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander by Pete Blaber - ISBN-13: 978-0425223727
The Common Sense Way: A New Way to Think About Leading and Organizing by Pete Blaber - ISBN-13: 978-0578995878
Common Sense Leadership Matters: Toxic Leadership Destroys by Pete Blaber - ISBN-13: 979-8218224837
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My guest today is Dr Claire Park. Dr. Park is a Consultant in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine for London HEMS, and Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at Kings College Hospital in London. She is also an army consultant with over 20 years of deployed military experience. Claire is the Medical Adviser to the Specialist Firearms teams of the Metropolitan Police Service and has worked closely with all of the emergency services in London on developing the joint response to high threat incidents, in particular following the attacks of 2017. She is also the Chief Investigator on a UK nationally funded research grant looking at evidence for improving patient outcomes in the hot zone of major incidents. I am excited to have Claire on the show because she has a unique combination of real-world experience in combat theaters and practical experience and research in civilian tactical law enforcement. She has also been at the forefront of the UK's new approach to mass casualty events and the 10 second triage system.
Contact Info
Dr. Claire Park
[email protected]X - @ClairePark01
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Welcome to Battle Proven Leadership. My guest today is Mark Polymeropoulos. Mark is a retired Senior Intelligence Officer for CIA who spent 26 years working in field operations and leadership roles. Marc is one of the intelligence communities most decorated officers and the author of "Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA." His book is a fantastic journey though the lessons he learned while working in the most dangerous theaters in the world. I am excited to have Marc on because his real world experience leading people in high risk clandestine operations is directly on point to the mission of Battle Proven Leadership.
Book Recommended
Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield – ISBN 978-0-385-49251-5
Contact Info
marcpolymeropoulos.com
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My guest today has such a diverse skillset and resume that its almost hard to summarize. Andy Stumpf enlisted in the Navy while he was a Junior in high school, entering military service in 1996. After completing boot camp he went on to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, also known as BUD/s. After earning his trident he began his SEAL career attached to SEAL Team Five, in Coronado California. In 2002 he joined one of the most elite counterterrorism unit in the military, The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (aka DEVGRU). While on a combat deployment, an Iraqi insurgent shot Andy in the hip at close range with an AK-47. Doctors told him it would be years, if ever, before he recovered the use of his leg and returned to full active duty. Four years later, after extensive work, Andy returned to the Naval Special Warfare Center as the Leading Petty Officer for 2nd Phase BUD/s training. While completing his two-year instructor tour, Andy submitted his package to become a commissioned officer. In 2008, he became the first E-6 selection commissioned through the Limited Duty Officer Program in the history of Naval Special Warfare. Upon commissioning, he joined SEAL Team Three and completed his final combat tour to Afghanistan.
Throughout his 17-year career, Andy executed hundreds of combat operations throughout the world in support of the Global War on Terror including the hostage rescue of Jessica Lynch. He was medically retired in June of 2013. His awards and decorations include 5 Bronze Star Medals (Four with Valor), the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, The Navy and Marine Corp Commendation Medal with Valor, Three Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medals, Two Combat Action Ribbons, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
After retirement, Andy continues to support the SEAL community, and their families. In 2015 he set two World Records after jumping from 36,500 feet and flying over 18 miles in a wingsuit to raise 1 million Dollars for the Navy SEAL Foundation.
Post military, his business experience includes managing corporate development, licensing, and charitable initiatives for a global fitness brand. He also founded a consulting firm dedicated to ensuring that the lessons learned from the Global War of Terror are utilized by business leaders as well as Federal, State, and local entities.
Andy also hosts the fantastic Cleared Hot Podcast which has close to 20 Million views on YouTube.
Contact Info
Cleared Hot Podcast - https://www.clearedhotpodcast.com/
Books Recommended
Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War – Robert Coram - ISBN-13 : 978-0316796880
About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior – Col. David Hackworth - ISBN-13 : 978-0283999598 -
It's been an amazing year on The Debrief. In the 18 months since we launched the show, we've accomplished more than we ever thought we could. To date there have been more than 100,000 downloads of the show. We've recorded 31 episodes of The Debrief and 5 episodes of Battle Proven Leadership and covered a wide variety of topics. To end our second season, we thought it might be fun to do an episode that gave you a behind the scenes view of this year's critical incident reviews, as well as the most memorable moments of each.
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On July 22, 2011 Norway experienced two terrorist attacks (a bombing at a government building in Oslo and a mass shooter event at a youth camp on nearby Utoya Island). These were perpetrated by a lone rightwing extremist. These attacks were unprecedented for the peaceful county of Norway and stretched the Norwegian first responders to their limits.
My guest today is an active member of Norway’s most elite tactical and counter terrorism police unit - Beredskapstroppen (bearee-id-schkop-stropen), also known by its callsign Delta and internationally as Delta Norge. Because of the nature of his current assignment and the nature of their work, it is critical that we maintain his anonymity. As a result, we will not be showing his face on video or using his real name.
Additionally, because these events resulted in the deaths of 77 people, most of whom were children, and the injury of more than 300 others we will not be glorifying the attacker by using his name. It is our hope that the memory of the attacker will be forgotten but that the memories of his innocent victims will not.
Links Official Report on the Event - NOU 2012: 14 - regjeringen.no
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