Jack McFarland: 32 Years Inside the DEA — Undercover Operations, the Cocaine Corridor, and Leadership Under Pressure | Be Yourself Podcast
Be Yourself Podcast

JackMcFarland

Retired DEA Supervisory Special Agent — on 32 Years Inside Federal Law Enforcement, a $1 Million Undercover Operation in Philadelphia, Leading the Caribbean Cocaine Corridor, and Why Purpose Is the Foundation of Courage

31 minutes
DEA · Undercover Operations · Leadership · Public Service · Community
Watch on YouTube Jack's Website

About This Episode

What Does It Take to Walk Into Danger Every Day — and Still Stay True to Yourself?

Jack McFarland did not set out to become one of the most decorated agents in DEA history. He was a high school teacher and football coach — the kind of person who motivated young men on a field in Pennsylvania. Then a package arrived from a friend in Washington, and everything changed. By 24, Jack was getting yelled at in Quantico. By his mid-career, he was hauling a million dollars in $20 bills through the streets of Philadelphia. By the time he retired, he had supervised narcotics operations across four countries in the Caribbean and trained law enforcement officers from around the world.

In this episode, Jack gives a rare and unvarnished look at life inside the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. He talks about what the DEA actually does — not the Hollywood version, but the real thing: the years of building cases, the international cooperation, the hierarchy of federal, state, county, and local partners who have to trust each other with their lives. He talks about the moment a weapon was pressed against his ribs by a suspect, and why he did not quit.

But the episode is not just about law enforcement. It is about the deeper question that Sergey brings to every conversation: how do you find work that truly matters to you? Jack's answer is earned over 32 years of public service — and it is as direct and plain-spoken as the man himself. You find your passion, you work smart, you give back, and you lead by example. No shortcuts, no excuses.

01
What the DEA actually does — and how it operates across 90 countries
Most people know the FBI. Far fewer understand the DEA's scope — over 200 domestic offices, operations in 90 countries, and a mandate to enforce federal narcotics law both inside the United States and with foreign partners around the world. Jack breaks down the structure, the sister agencies, and what a "special agent" actually means from the inside.
02
From high school teacher and football coach to federal agent at 24
Jack's path to the DEA was not planned. He was coaching American football and teaching high school when a friend sent him application packages for both the FBI and the DEA. The DEA called first. What followed was Quantico, a field assignment in Philadelphia, and a career that would span three decades. The teacher-coach mentality never left — Jack credits it with shaping how he led, motivated, and trained others throughout his service.
03
The $1 million undercover flash roll in Philadelphia — 100 kilos, 40 personnel, no room for error
In 1991 or 1992, Jack's team executed one of the most audacious undercover operations of his career: they brought a million dollars in $20 bills — roughly 112 pounds of cash — onto the streets of Philadelphia to convince traffickers they were serious buyers. The operation involved ground surveillance, air units, and approximately 40 personnel from federal, state, county, and local agencies. It resulted in the seizure of over 100 kilos of cocaine.
04
The Caribbean Cocaine Corridor — leading DEA operations in the US Virgin Islands
As Resident Agent in Charge in the US Virgin Islands, Jack oversaw DEA operations in one of the most strategically critical drug transit zones in the world. Cocaine from Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Suriname flows north through the Caribbean before reaching the United States — and Jack's team was in the middle of it. He also coordinated with Dutch, French, and British law enforcement agencies, an experience he describes as one of the most rewarding of his career.
05
Training international law enforcement at Quantico — tactics, defensive combat, and building credibility
Between field assignments, Jack returned to Quantico as a special agent instructor, teaching physical training, defensive tactics, entry training, vehicle containment, and high-speed driving. He trained not only new DEA agents but also law enforcement officers from overseas — and he reflects on the non-negotiable lesson of credibility: if you do not know what you are talking about, you will lose the room, the mission, and the trust of every partner in it.
06
Finding your passion, working smart, and giving back — the leadership philosophy of a 32-year career
Jack's philosophy is not complicated, but it is hard to live: find work that genuinely motivates you, work smart rather than just hard, and never stop giving back to the community that shaped you. Every year, Jack and 17 of his former high school football teammates return to their old school on the first Saturday of October to donate to the current football team — TVs, weights, game consoles. Leading by example, he says, is how legacies actually get passed on.

About the Guest

Jack McFarland — Retired DEA Supervisory Special Agent, Speaker, and Community Leader

Jack McFarland spent 32 years as a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration — one of the most elite federal law enforcement agencies in the world. His career took him from the streets of Philadelphia, where he worked domestic narcotics investigations as a young agent, to the DEA Academy at Quantico, where he served as a tactical instructor training both American agents and international law enforcement officers, to the US Virgin Islands, where he led DEA operations in the Caribbean Cocaine Corridor.

Before the DEA, Jack was a high school teacher and American football coach — a background that informed his entire philosophy of leadership, motivation, and teamwork. He never stopped being an educator. Whether teaching a new agent how to take a punch, building a joint operation with Dutch and French partners in the Caribbean, or motivating his team through the long hours of a complex investigation, Jack brought the same energy to every room he walked into.

Since retiring, Jack has become an active voice in the public service and leadership community — speaking, engaging in podcasts, pursuing a book, and exploring opportunities with speakers bureaus to bring his story to larger audiences. He is also a dedicated community leader, organizing annual giving-back events with his former football teammates at their old high school. His message is consistent: find your passion, lead by example, and never stop giving back.

Who He Is
Retired Supervisory Special Agent of the US Drug Enforcement Administration with a 32-year career spanning Philadelphia field operations, tactical instruction at Quantico, and leadership of DEA missions in the Caribbean Cocaine Corridor. Former high school teacher and American football coach.
32 Years of Federal Service
Jack served through multiple high-profile DEA assignments — domestic undercover investigations, training international law enforcement at Quantico, and commanding narcotics operations in the US Virgin Islands. He retired as Supervisory Special Agent after one of the most varied and decorated careers the DEA has to offer.
The $1M Flash Roll
In 1991–92, Jack's team brought a million dollars in cash — 112 lbs of $20 bills in duffel bags — onto the streets of Philadelphia to prove their cover as drug traffickers. The operation, backed by 40 personnel and air units, resulted in the seizure of over 100 kilos of cocaine.
Leading by Example
Every first Saturday of October, Jack and 17 former high school football teammates return to their old school to donate to the current team. TVs, weights, game consoles — $60 a person. Jack calls it giving back to the school that gave them their foundation. He calls it the most important thing he does all year.

Key Quotes

"

We came out on the streets, meaning the the agents with the against the bad guys. We brought a million dollars on the street to show that we were serious drug traffickers. It's some serious cash.

Jack McFarland
"

You got to find something that that is you... But you got to find yourself and if and if it punches you in the mouth, you got to get back up again. If you don't get back up again, then you're going to be useless. Don't do that to yourself.

Jack McFarland
"

Working well with others is very very important in our mission and even in any day life with the general public you got to work together man you got to work together to get the final outcome.

Jack McFarland

Episode Chapters

0:00 Episode Intro 0:33 What Does the DEA Actually Do? 3:46 From Teacher & Football Coach to Federal Agent 4:45 Life Inside DEA Training at Quantico 8:53 Why Motivation Matters 10:39 A $1 Million Undercover Case 13:34 The Global Drug Trade Explained 15:10 Working with the FBI and Other Agencies 19:54 Career as a Law Enforcement Agent 24:05 Finding Your Passion 25:24 Why Jack Plans to Write a Book 28:24 Giving Back to the Community and Leading by Example 30:49 Final Reflections

Full Transcript

BTW: This episode of the Be Yourself Podcast is produced by Beverly Media. Want a podcast that looks and sounds this good? Check out Beverly Production →
0:00 Episode Intro
Jack We came out on the streets, meaning the the agents with the against the bad guys. We brought a million dollars on the street to show that we were serious drug traffickers. It's some serious cash and in cash bags with you. We had we had two gentlemen acting as undercover agents, undercover guys carry them in duffel bags. Heavy $20 bills and a million dollars is a heavy it's like 112 lbs.
0:33 What Does the DEA Actually Do?
Serhiy Hello everyone. Welcome to the Be Yourself podcast. The podcast on expressing our true selves with Sergey. Today my guest is Jack McFarland who is a retired supervisor special agent with the DEA. Jack, welcome to the show.
Jack Thank you Sergey for having me. I really appreciate it, brother. How is everything?
Serhiy I'm I'm doing great. It's 700 p.m. 6 p.m. here in Ukraine. Where are you? And uh how's the weather there?
Jack Uh near Washington DC about 6 hours behind you guys. The weather today is uh cloudy and and kind of cool today. It's overcast.
Serhiy Nice. Nice. So Jack uh for those listeners and my viewers who don't know uh what Drug Enforcement Administration does, can you briefly explain what it is and uh how did you get involved with with this with this institute?
Jack Very good. Once again, thanks for having me. I'm I guess I'm one of your first uh American uh federal agents to be on your show. So, I'm very honored and and privileged to be doing this. Uh the United States Drug Enforcement Administration um aka DEA is a is a a federal law enforcement agency that oversees and enforces the federal narcotics laws here in the United States of America. Not only in the United States of America, but also around the world. Um, we have offices throughout the United States, over 200 some offices in the United States and also 90 countries we're in actually working with our our foreign counterparts. Uh, it's a very very elite organization. It's a very massive undertaking. It's a very big undertaking. And the United States Enforce Administration is your title is a special agent. Now, you'll move up. I did I moved up into a supervisory position where you would take a group of agent personnel and you would supervise them. And once again, it's it's a it's an agency that's been around since about 1973 in the United States of America here. It's a lot of people might realize that they think, well, what is the federal agency in the United States? Okay, our sister agency, the FBI. Ah, everyone knows the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Great organization, but there are so many other organizations in the United States government, the DEA. There's also Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, which enforces firearms laws. Uh there's also US Marshalss. The US Marshalss being the oldest law enforcement agency in the United States. Uh handling all types of handling the handling the prisoners. So with DEA, how did I get into DEA? Well, I got into DEA this way. Uh a friend of mine who was working in Washington DC at the time. He was working for a US senator. Okay, so in in our federal government, US senator and he was one of his staffers. So he So Jim sends me a package to apply to the FBI and to the DEA. So I said this like in 1987. Now I'm a little little older uh than you, Sergey, but 1987 I was I was you know going to be uh 23 years of age back in the day. So I applied to both agencies and dur I was competing for both positions and the DEA came a calling. offered me a position to go to our training facility which is just south of Washington DC in Quantico Virginia. It's home of the United States Marine Corps facility as well.
3:46 From Teacher & Football Coach to Federal Agent
Serhiy So I question before you applied before you applied did you have any training or anything?
Jack Very good question. Believe it or not I was a high school teacher and a football coach. I taught high school. Go figure. Right. So good question. Yeah. So I'll back it up. So I was a high school teacher and a football coach. American football, okay? Not the soccer, but American football. Okay. So, yeah, it's a tough guys, you know. So, uh played it all my life. My father was into teaching and coaching. So, that's the route after college that I took. So, once I was looking for I really wasn't looking to get into like say federal law enforcement, but with my good friend of mine sending me the application packages, I said, "Why not? We'll give we'll give it a chance. We'll give it a shot." So, I did. I went through the process and I found myself as a 24 year old young man in the in Quantico, Virginia at the DEA Academy uh getting yelled at and screamed at. So I was like it was a lot of fun. A lot of fun.
4:45 Life Inside DEA Training at Quantico
Serhiy Wow. Wow. Wow. So and from that point forward from that how the story unfolded.
Jack Sure. So from that point forward when I when I graduated from the academy you get a you get a field assignment. So my field assignment was out in Philadelphia. I was in the Philadelphia field office. So that's where we work the investigations. Now you're going to work domestic mean local investigations. You're going to work international drug enforcement investigations. Uh lot lot of great cases. We did uh seized a lot of drugs, seized a lot of assets. Uh some nice cars. I actually I se I seized the BMW convertible which I drove around as my government car if you're familiar with that. Seizing a vehicle and say, "Oh, now it's ours." because you violated the law. So he did do that and uh so then from there I went down to uh Quantico which was one of my uh I went back to Quantico as a special agent instructor, a tactical instructor. I taught physical training, defensive tactics, track uh entry training, vehicle containment training, high-speed driving training. It was a blast. I did that for a number of years. uh I mean with all the basic agents and also the uh also the um uh the senior special agents but what's very interesting is we also trained the international law enforcement that would come over was awesome a lot a lot of law enforcement from overseas would come in and we we had the opportunity to train them in the tactics what's a tactic a tactic is how do you enter into a house and you clear a house with you know you're looking for the bad guy what's a defensive tact what's a defensive tactic learn how to box, learn how to wrestle. Think about that. Not a lot of our people knew, never got hit, not never got punched in the face in their lives, right? Oh my god. So now we teach them to take a punch and how to give a punch. Everyone's got a plan before they get punched in the mouth.
Serhiy Right. Exactly. That's And I believe that's a Was that a Mike Tyson quote there?
Jack Mikey Mikey Tyson. And that's one that's that's one serious boxer there. Absolutely. But but you understand you understand that. So I spent a number of years there which I thought was a fantastic position to have. It was very very respectful position to have and being the former teacher and a coach that I was I thought it fit right into my scheme of things. So then my next thing I got promoted and I know you're probably going to go oh wow a tough assignment but I was promoted as the resident agent in charge to the United States Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. You I'm waiting for it. I'm waiting for it in the in the blue green water and all the sunshine and the and the warm weather. I'm waiting for it to say something. So most people like, "Oh, tough assignment, huh?" Well, it was a tough assignment because it's assignment where it's called the cocaine corridor. Now, if you're not familiar with the g geographic, uh I know your your good friend Danny, we I was giving him a ge geography lesson about it. Think about the drugs coming out of South America, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Surinam, off the northern coast of South America and pushing up into the Caribbean Sea. If your viewers want to check out where's the Caribbean Sea, get on get on on your uh your your We're going to we're going to draw it right here in postprouction. Yeah. Yeah. Draw it. And you're going to have your islands to the right of you as you go up up the water. Islands to the right. South America, the Central America, countries to your left. So, as the as the drugs come up to the United States of America, that's when we start we do our investig. We actually do our investigations because we have we have agents that are in country and then we we monitor, we we investigate and we work well with others. You know that's a big deal you know um you know working well with others is very very important in our mission and I even even in anyday life with the general public you got to work together man you got to work together to get the to get the get that final outcome.
8:53 Why Motivation Matters
Serhiy Okay so these are uh is this fair to say that that period of your life and of your service was the most exciting time in your life?
Jack Wow great question. uh teaching and coaching is is definitely was fun. It was it's not a uh earning experience meaning moneywise but it's a learning experience. What do I mean by learning experience? You learn how to motivate people. I find my passion is to motivate people and you you'll hear me mention that again and if we other questions whatever but motivation is very important. So I was able to motivate as a teacher and a football coach other person other students to move on to do their things in life. Kind of cool right? kind of cool. Next, next next with myself with the motivation and dealing with DEA, you know, I had some great assignments. I mean, think about this. Uncle Sam, which we know as Uncle Sam, you know, United States of America, uh, stations you in the Caribbean for four years as the boss and and you got these great people working for you and you're and what you're doing, you're arresting people and you're seizing drugs. Kind of cool. Uh, but I gotta say most exciting. Uh, that's a that's a tough question. It's either between being that young agent in Philadelphia, you know, in Philadelphia and you're a young guy, you know, you're you remember I don't remember the TV show Miami Vice. If your listeners remember the TV show Miami Vice, it's an old show from the the late 80s. I might be speaking out of turn here, but if you get a chance, look Miami Vice up. That's what we were doing, man. You know, dressing the part and driving the nice cars and and doing undercover work. And it was kind of cool. It it was kind of it was kind of fun.
10:39 A $1 Million Undercover Case
Serhiy You're painting a an elusive beautiful picture and I can I can imagine it. I can I can see it. But let's how about this uh pivot for this question? Not like a period of your time, but maybe some of the most standout moments something that you can tell us that maybe is not under, you know, some um non-disclosure agreement or something.
Jack We're good. It's all They're all adjudic. So, you're asking me about cases. You're asking me talk about an investigation. Bring them. Okay. I me I mentioned this on on with Danny. If you don't mind, I'll just stay with Danny. We had an investigation in the city of Philadelphia where we we were undercover and we negotiated for 100 kilos of cocaine to be delivered to us in the city of Philadelphia. We came out on the streets. We came out on the streets, meaning the the agents with the against the bad guys. We brought a million dollars on the street to show that we were serious drug traffickers because because they're always uh wary. They're always trying to see if that's not Exactly. They thought they thought Exactly. They're like thinking, "Who are these people? Are they for real?" So you you're in a fictitious role, an undercover role, and you have to play that role, and you have to be very careful because you don't want to end up getting hurt, injured, killed, or wounded. So, we did an investigation with some some bad guys and bad girls, but we took a million a million US dollars. Now, I don't know what that equates to in your currency, but it's some serious cash. We had we had we had two gentlemen acting as undercover agents, undercover guys carry them in duffel bags. You know, heavy heavy $20 bills and and and uh a million dollars is a heavy it's like 112 pounds.
Serhiy What year was it?
Jack this year that was have to be uh I've said I mentioned this on other shows it had to be somewhere around 91 or 92 1991 1992 that's unheard of I mean to do a million-dollar flash roll we call it was unheard of but we had such a great boss and I had such a great senior partner that we knew we can control us and do you want to know how many bodies we had out there watching that watching the undercovers and watching the money plenty plenty I'm talking like probably we had air units. We had we had ground surveillance. We had probably 30 or 40 probably like 40 personnel on the street from all levels meaning federal, state, county, and local. Local being like the Philadelphia Police Department. So that money and our people are not going to get hurt. But we got a we got over a 100 kilos of cocaine in Philadelphia. Now you might say to yourself, well that sounds like a lot, but is it really a lot? But in the Caribbean, you're seizing boatloads of a,000 kilos. A thousand kilos. That's a ton.
13:34 The Global Drug Trade Explained
Serhiy And how many people from the other side came to make this sort of transaction? Were there a lot of
Jack That's a very good question. I'm going to back you up a little bit in regard to that. You had the one person that was working with us against us or or as a bad girl and then there was another one or two guys. There wasn't many people. There wasn't many to do it. They knew what they needed to get done and they wanted to get it done. So, we're like, "Okay, well, let's get it done." So, we were we we were definitely doing it in a in a way that was very protective for us and to get the seizure of those uh 100 kilos of cocaine. Now, people might say, "Well, what what over in over in your your your area, what does it what does a kilo cost?" A kilo in the United States of America in Philadelphia at the time was costing about 25,000 for 2.2 pounds. Boom. Over your area. I don't know the numbers. I don't know how much it would cost, but it's going to be more than 25,000. That's because because it's why you're further away from South America. The further you go, the more chance it gets taken off. So, think about that. So, that's why the the drug trade in in not only in states, but a the African continent, Europe, they try to get to Lisbon, Portugal, because Portugal sticks out like a nose. They try to get to Portugal and get in there. Spain, the UK. So, the the further it goes, the more it costs. So, for us, we knew how much it was going to cost.
15:10 Working with the FBI and Other Agencies
Jack And and let's be honest, I mean, hitting these hitting these traffickers for um you know, you take a,000 kilos off, it's like it's a good hit, but you know what? They set themselves back up and they do it again. They do it again.
Serhiy So you're able to seize and bust the bad guys on the spot right there, right?
Jack Yes, sir. Yep. We can we can of course have our investigation they they in Philadelphia when it when it was delivered once the delivery took place the arrest then took place. DA doesn't mess around. We don't uh I mean other a personnel from other agencies can say about their agent as well. And and I love a cooperative spirit. I really I like to stay in my own lane. Uh we're here to help. We're here to assist. We do some uh we do some great work every day. Every day.
Serhiy I just watched Cash Patel, the director of FBI. Uh in Philadelphia. Did you see him in Philadelphia?
Jack I saw I saw the news there. uh the there's an ongoing investigation with regard to um kind of sabotaging games, NBA games. So NBA, the basketball association is under investigation because Chanca Bilips and other uh figures there they supposedly were selling the information right to to some guys so that they could bet on game. So it's it's all in all involved gambling.
Serhiy So I when you're saying that uh FBI or DEA do not mess around, I I trust you because it seems like they you guys you guys and FBI you you you have no problem arresting whatever level of of the uh person that it can be. Right. So everything everybody's everybody's uh the same uh under the law.
Jack Yes, absolutely. I mean some are some are bigger players than others. Some have more responsibilities than others. If you were just a a normal uh u mule versus you're the organizer, there's going to be different levels, but as I said, you're getting the cuffs put on you. You're going in. You're going in. You're going to answer some federal charges. If you really want to get a chance, you talk about Cash Pateller. Take a look at his news conference in Philadelphia a couple days ago uh in North Philadelphia. They were doing the Kensington Alageney section of Philadelphia. I worked those areas back in the 80s and 90s. Check them out. It's a rough area. And they did a nice job there. The FBI and in cooperation with the local authorities did a nice job. We work we work well with the bureau. I remember back in the day was squad 2, squad 3, some great investigations because I believe if you bring all the all the personnel together just like the military, they bring certain uh things to the table certain, you know, if it's a SEAL, a marine recon, a raider or you know a P power rescue jump, whatever. I mean, I'm I'm probably forgetting some about the guys and the gals. All the different agencies have different things to offer. And that's what's great about I used to I used to love when we worked with say in the I'll go back to the Caribbean. Um loved working with in the Caribbean, the Americans, the Dutch, the French, the Brits. Wow. All that resource you had to work with. And it's it's it's a lot it's a lot of personnel to work with. And um it it's something that was a lot of fun because you would be at these meetings and the Brits want to do this and you know you want to do this and you want to supply this, they want to supply the Dutch. It was great. It was a great it was a great cooperative spirit. And the bottom line was you don't want to step on other people's toes. You try to be you try to be positive. You try to be a team player, but there are sometimes you got to pull a person aside and say, "Okay, listen, I get where you're coming from, and this is what we need to do. How do you think we can manage an an agreeable arrangement just like when you were studying an economics in in in your university, okay? You're you got your master's degree in your economics. You know, what's the difference between microeconomics and macroeconomics, right? You're you're an economics major. You tell me, right? So, you have to kind of go and have make sure that you're know what you're discussing. Same with me. I better know what I'm discussing because if I go in front of other people and they're going, "Oh, man. This this dude's like he's whacked, man. He's way out there. We can't we can't do those kind of missions. We can't do that stuff. It's not going to work." Bang. And and then what happens there, Sergey? No credibility. Zero credibility. So, you got when you work with other other personnel from other agencies or other countries, you got to know what you're talking about. So they so they they they get on board with you and and we work together.
19:54 Career as a Law Enforcement Agent
Serhiy Here's a question that arises. You're speaking very highly of the DA and it seems like you really had the time of your life there and that's awesome. And you know my show is all about finding something that speaks truly to one's heart, right? because I believe that every one of us deserves to have a career that is tied to our real passion, right? So, what what would do you think people don't understand about u you know serving uh in federal law law enforcement, working in federal federal law enforcement? maybe some some misconceptions or or any other uh things that you can point out with with regard to uh you know a career uh as a law enforcement agent.
Jack That's a great question. Um I always like to intro, you know, pat you in the back with some great great questions. You know, being a former u supervisory special agent for 32 years, um brought a lot of uh a lot of joy, man. lot a lot of motivation, a lot of joy for myself. Uh yes, there were days that you were tired, you were down, you're like, "Oh my god, what are we doing?" But you know, you you knew deep down that the next day is going to be better. So, you know, if you fail, you got to get in there and try again. Don't don't quit. But, you know, when I was a young agent, I I had a a weapon pulled on my ribs by a bad guy. I could I could have I stopped my career right there and and walked off the job and and and and quit. But I said, "No, this this is part of the job. This is what we have to do. So, we have to continue forward." And I had great people surrounding me. There's no doubt about it. I had great bosses. I had great uh personnel. So, it's someone has to understand doing the work that the United States Drug Force Administration does. It's work that's for the country. It's for the people of the country and also for and also for the world. It really it really truly is. You got to find something that that is you getting your you find your passion. I don't care if you're a a DJ and and you're you're mixing music and you're you're a bartender, you're and you're swinging drinks, what whatever passion you decide, what you want to do. You want to become an economics major and you want to and you want to rid the world of, you know, supply and dem you want to do the world of supply and demand, that's great, fantastic. But you got to find yourself and if and if it punches you in the mouth, you got to get back up again. You know, we were just talking about Mike Tyson there and all that. Great. That was a great quote. Absolutely got to get back up again. If you don't get back up again, then you're you're you're going to be useless. Don't do that to yourself. Don't do that to your potentially your family or your family. You know, DEA is I provide it myself. My wife would with an amazing life and it's great, but we it didn't come it didn't come out of hard work, though. You know, I'm not talking going out and working, you know, 10 12 hours a day. I'm talking what are you doing to make it better? Are you wasting time? Can we get this thing done? Is it going to move forward? I used to always say in a quote, "Work smart, not hard." Now people say to me, "Well, geez, you're show me work hard." No, you got to work smart and then then the other stuff just kind of comes comes as it comes.
24:05 Finding Your Passion
Jack Some people can do things, Sergey, that are very simple to them. Other people like, how can you do that? And I'm going to be honest with you, for me to write a book would be a nightmare. It'd be a nightmare. But me to tell you about a book, I I I I couldn't stop talking because what they say about an Irish man, give a m I give a a m a mic a mick. I mean, it's me. Give a mick a mic. I talk I'll talk to you all day long. Seriously, I talk all day long. My voice cracked, but um it's true. So, some every has their strengths and their weaknesses. When I became a boss, I had to I had to find out who what strength did this agent have or this what did this agent have. Some agents could work undercover and they can they can, you know, sell popsicles to a guy with a white gloves on. They're that good. Some guys and gals, they can't do it. So, you have to find what what really you're passionate about. Are you passionate about selling cars? Are you into cars? You into motors? What are you into? But you got to find out. And the day that comes is if you're not digging it, then you got to say, I'm this is not for me. I got to do something else.
Jack I hope I hope I hope I answer your question. I hope I did. But being yourself, knowing and don't let don't let ever anybody like talk down to you or you know, oh, he's only this or he's only that. Let me tell you something. There's my my friends of mine from high school and and college football buddies and that. They were wonderful guys. Wonderful guys, all successful. Why? We were private school kids, private education, private school kids. You know, we were we we truly were. and and they've always stressed academics, academics. Well, I'll be the first to tell you I wasn't an a A+ student, you know. I mean, give me that B+, whatever, you know, but I'll take it. But it's all about how much do you want to continue and what you want to continue on doing in life because life goes like that, brother. Life go you know it. I'm telling you, I don't know what your age right now, Sergey, if you're 20, 28, 29, 27, I don't know, but but life I'm like I wake up one day, I go, "Wait a minute." I'm like, I'm doing what? 60. I'm like, "Are you kidding me? What's going on here?" You know?
Serhiy Yeah. Last passing by really fast. uh we have to make the best of our stay here on this planet.
25:24 Why Jack Plans to Write a Book
Serhiy Um tell me about your intention to write a book. Why did you decide to write a book and what is it going to be about?
Jack You know that's a that's a great question. Um, I got into I got into this um podcasting radio talking uh on on a dare in mid June and people are like, "Dude, you only been doing this since mid June and you you did this, this, this, this, and this already." And I'm like, "Yeah, I'm like mid June." I said, I when I put my mind to something, you know, my nickname back in the day in Philadelphia was Axen Jackson because I'm gonna I'm not gonna sit back. I'm I'm gonna come for you. I'm coming for it, you know. So it's only it's only basically uh end of October. So we're talking what like four months, four and a half months, whatever we've been doing this. So all these people I meet, yes, I've been in touch with uh I've been blessed. I've been in touch with a literary personel. Actually two uh and these ghost writers and why do you want a book? Well, I'm also in touch with what do you call them? a um uh speakers bureau to go out and do big speeches and uh get out there in front of the audience, which to me is is is fantastic. I have no problem doing that whatsoever, which is great. And and I'm I'm being very humble about that. But for the book, the book has to be something that's going to get you in the door to do it. And and I find that I'm kind of like really, I don't know about that, you know, set me up. Let me talk to you. Let me come in and interview with you. I might change your mind. But everyone seems they have to have a book. You know, their name is this and it's like, oh, the the number pub publish published author of the the kill zone. Come on, man. You know what? So what? You went on an operation one time and he shot some R uh rounds down range and all of a sudden you're going to write a book about the 250 page book, 70,000 words, and you're going to put on a book. So I'm just looking at an option. I'm looking at an option to say, "Okay, look. Hey everybody, I'm I'm an author, you know. I got some I got some books up there. I'm an author, you know, or whatever like that, you know.
Serhiy But right, so it sells better. I I feel you. I feel you. I also want to write a book. It's just a sexist thing to to have a book these days, right?
Jack I know. It's like, got to write a book. It's like It's like you telling me, well, I like I prefer to eat a hamburger and then you're going to tell me, no, no, you need to eat this chicken this fish sandwich. I'm like, I don't like fish sandwiches. So now they're trying to No, no, you need to do this. You need to do this. It's like I don't got to do anything. Seriously, I mean, I'm just doing it. I'm I'm having fun and I'm out fun promoting the DEA. Your audience where you're located, I'm sure you're going to do well. You got you got the drive. You got the passion. You got a good sense of humor. I can tell you're a good a good good person, man. Bust this all over Europe for us out there. You know, who knows? They'll be they'll be flying you and I to, you know, Perry Perry to do some type of speaking engagement. Who knows? You know, I'm on I'm down for that, man.
28:24 Giving Back to the Community and Leading by Example
Serhiy Listen, as we wrap up, tell me about importance of giving back to your community because I think Ukraine as well as United States, we have something in common as far as loving our nation, right? And um just tell me uh how how important is community in your life and you know uh giving back to to it.
Jack Community community giving back to community is very is very important. Uh I'm just going to put this out to you when I'll put this out to you. Every year every year the first week of October this is going to blow you away. every first week of every o last several years, the last several years, my high school football buddies of mine, we go back to our old high school and we donate we donate different types of items to the football team every first Saturday of October and we have a reunion and there's 18 of us, Sergey, 18 former senior football pusher. You know, over in the States, you have four years of high school, freshman, sophomore, juniors, and seniors. High school now, not college, not university. Every year this year, we got the football team, giving back to the school that gave us our education, our high school education. We gave back to them a 55 in color TV, a a drink refrigerator, a PlayStation 5, and some video games. How cool is that? The kids and the players loved it. They loved I I actually talked to the head football coach just the other day. He said they love it. Giving back. Little things like that. And all it cost us the 18 football players was $60 American dollars a piece to buy this stuff. The year before that we bought some weights for the weight room. New weights. The year before that we bought this sound. You know what a sound box is here? You put the music and it and it blares out of it, you know. And so every year you're giving back and and and and it makes you feel it makes you feel great. It makes you feel fantastic. So I think that's very important because what happens is later on those players will do the same things we did for the for the the other teams as well.
Serhiy Yeah. You lead by example. You lead by example, my friend. You lead by example.
Jack Yes, sir. Beautiful. Beautiful.
30:49 Final Reflections
Serhiy Thank you so much, Jack. That was a wonderful interesting conversation.
Jack Oh, I I appreciate you, brother. I I wish you nothing but the best and uh you know if you need me again, look me up. But um thank you. Thank you, bro. Thank you very much.
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