Executive Protection Tools of The Trade

Just like building a house or repairing a car the right tools often make the job significantly easier.  While agents and operators possess varying skills levels your tools are designed to help enhance your operational capabilities and maximize your efficiency.  Below is a selection of commonly used tools of the trade, which can help you, become more efficient in conducting your business.  They are listed in alphabetical order and not tactical importance.  Just as the situation should dictates your tactics, your individual skills, threat level, detail and environment should also help dictate your tools.  It is not expected that an agent would carry all of the tools listed below on every detail, but ideally the ones which best compliment the assignment.

Body Armor – sometimes the shield is more important than the sword.  It is a must have for protection specialists.  It is more important to not get you or your client shot, than it is to shoot, shooting is extra credit.  Personal armor is designed to absorb the impact from handguns, some shotgun projectiles and shrapnel from explosions.  All body armor is not created equal so please do your research.  Metal or ceramic plates can be used with a soft vest, to provide additional protection from rifle rounds.  Soft vests are commonly worn by protection specialists and law enforcement whereas hard-plate reinforced vests are mainly worn by combat soldiers, police tactical units, and other high risk protection teams.  Typically the slimmer the profile and lighter the weight the more expensive the vest will be.  Understand your vests rating capabilities – Level 1 through Level 3.  Most vests will provide minimal assistance against a knife slash, but almost no assistance against a stab or puncture.  There are some very good high tech vests which are stab resistant however they are priced accordingly.  Buy the best vest your budget can afford and upgrade as soon as practically possible.

Communications – in some cases a two way radio is a great communication tool in other cases a cell phone with a good Bluetooth ear piece is a better low profile communication option.  As the public is use to seeing professionals chatting on their cell phones.  Make sure if your cell phone or your PDA is your primary communication tool, make sure your cellular provider is as good as the rest of your equipment.   It doesn’t do you any good to have high tech phone or PDA and a low tech provider.  Make sure whether using a two way radio or cell phone your ear piece has good noise reduction capabilities.   During your advance work make sure your communications will work in the region you are traveling or in the event facility.  If working with a team, make sure you have hand signals in the event you lose verbal communications capabilities.

Credentials – one day someone is going to ask you to present them.  Don’t get yourself in legal trouble by working without the proper credentials.  Make sure you understand the carry and use of force laws in the states or countries you work in or will be traveling too.  Remember our job is to reduce risks and deal with threats.  Don’t create undue risks to yourself or your client.  Working without the proper credentials can land you in jail and get both you and your client sued.

Edged Weapons – can be used to cut or puncture things, they are also extremely useful in a close quarter deadly force situation.  They rarely malfunction and they never run out of ammunition.  Look for stainless steel knives with high carbon contents in the blade as it enhances sharpening and edge retention capabilities.  Also look for knives with non slip grips, hand guards and strong locking construction to minimize/eliminate lock failure.  I prefer knives which give you options in how you can wear the tool.  Many of the modern tactical folders also feature open assist devices that aid in faster deployment.  You want the ability to change the position of the clip to allow you to hang or wear the knife in your preferred pre-deployment position based on the situation.  Knife carry considerations and legality vary from state to state.  Don’t carry a felony.  Effective range 3 – 4 feet or within arm’s reach.

Expandable Baton – Provide psychological deterrence and can be devastatingly effective as a contact tool with proper training and user motivation.  They may also be used as a come along device or for glass break situations.  They can be deployed collapsed like a kubotan or extended as a defensive barrier tool.  They are used to intercept an adversary and can extend your defensive range by an additional 16 – 31 inches.  They primarily provide adherence through pain compliance.    Some of the more modern expandable batons also double as pepper spray dispensers.  Effective range is 3 – 6 feet.  Expandable batons are now losing some favor to other non lethal options; as some professionals voice concerns about potential excessive force liability.

Firearms – are like nuclear weapons once you release them, it is extremely difficult to recall them.  They are historically considered as a last option for many, but in the protective services business the threat level, environmental conditions and the actions of the perpetrator or adversary will often dictate your response.  You should become very familiar with the use of force laws and carry laws within your city, state or country.  Deadly force encounters are typically sudden and incredibly violent.  Most gunfights are over in 3 shots or less and with an elapsed time of roughly 3 seconds.  The cadence is often much faster than the participants anticipated.  I recommend a person carry the largest caliber they can shoot accurately.  Accuracy should always trump caliber size.  While there are many fine firearm manufacturers and calibers I prefer to stay with the more traditional calibers of 9 mm, .38, .40 and .45 caliber and larger modern gun manufacturers like Beretta, Colt, Glock, H&K, Kimber,  Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Springfield.  You will find a greater assortment of ammunition and proper fitting accessories (holsters, lights, lasers etc) with the larger brands and more popular calibers.

Handcuffs – provide increased control of violent aggressors.  Hinged handcuffs also provide increased lateral rigidity, while chain handcuffs provide enhanced flexibility in application particularly during confrontation.  They can also be used as an impact weapon if necessary.   Effective range 3 – 4 feet or within arm’s reach.

Impact Flashlights – Impact flashlights are multi-use tools.  They can be used as an illumination device to help keep your client from tripping in the dark or they can be used to temporary blind or disorient an adversary’s night-adapted vision.  Impact flashlights typically have hardened edges for use as a self-defense striking tool.  They neutralize the threat via pain compliance.  They are often allowable in environments where traditional weapons are not permissible.   Effective range 3 -4 feet as an impact weapon or within arm’s reach and 5 – 15 feet to blind or disorient.

Pepper Spray – is an inflammatory.  It works by irritating mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, and causes crying, sneezing, coughing, hard breathing, pain in the eyes, temporary blindness.  The duration of its effects depends on the strength of the spray.  Without treatment the full effect lasts approximately thirty to forty-five minutes, with diminished effects lasting for hours.  Extreme caution should be used when deploying in small confined spaces or large crowds due to collateral damage to non combatants.

Pepper spray typically comes in canisters, which are often small enough to be carried and easily concealed.  Highly concealable pepper spray dispensers are usually effective only at very close range typically 3 -4 feet within arm’s reach.   The tool’s name is derived from the active ingredient oleoresin capsicum (OC).  OC derived from many of the hottest chili peppers in the world.  Unlike typical aerosol dispensers, the Kimber Guardian Angel pepper spray blaster emits two individual shots of a powerful OC mixture and allows you to keep an attacker at a distance, as it can be discharged from 13 feet away.  Powered by a pyrotechnic drive, the two independent charges travel at 90 mph and cover 13 feet in 1/10 of a second.

Stun Gun or Stun Knuckles – provides unparalleled psychological deterrence, as most people don’t like being on the other side of the juice.  They help extend your defensive capabilities and usually will keep you from having to break something or someone.  A stun gun is an electrical self-defense device that uses high voltage to stop an attacker through pain compliance.  Touching a person with the prongs on the stun gun or stun knuckles immobilizes quickly or helps create a reactionary/distance gap.   The stun gun is designed to adversely impact the nervous system. It dumps its energy into the muscles at a high pulse frequency that makes the muscles work very rapidly, but not efficiently.

A stun gun is not the same as a taser. A stun gun is a direct-contact weapon. In contrast, a taser delivers electrical shock remotely by means of barbed contacts connected by wires. The stun gun’s effective range as a contact weapon is 3 -4 feet or within arm’s reach.

Tasers – a taser is a conducted energy weapon that utilizes compressed nitrogen to shoot two small probes up to 15 feet. These probes are connected to the weapon by high-voltage insulated wire. When the probes make contact with the target, the weapon transmits powerful electrical pulses along the wires and into the body of the target.   The taser relies on neuro muscular incapacitation not pain compliance.   Tasers jam sensory and motor functions, which inhibits muscular control.  It can totally incapacitate upon impact regardless of the body part it touches.  Traditional firearms often require contact with a vital area to quickly neutralize a threat. In contrast to a hand gun, a taser’s advantage is that it typically requires far less practice to get a similar result.

Tasers are generally not designed to be used as direct contact weapons.  One of their major advantages is providing protection from a distance. However, many of the newer models are also designed with direct capabilities.  Another advantage of a taser is that they have been shown to be extremely reliable in taking down even the most aggressive adversaries.   A taser can even penetrate approximately two inches of clothing.  Because of their extreme effectiveness, tasers are considered to be one of the best choices among non lethal defense weapons available.  Effective range up to 15 feet.

Mark “Six” James is the Executive Director of Panther Protection Services and a published author on tactical weaponry.   For more information visit his site at www.PanterProtectionServices.com

The Unusual: BulletProof Clipboards

First there were bulletproof T-Shirts.

then there were bulletproof summer Polo’s

Next there were bulletproof Underwear.

Now you can accessorize your outfit with the inclusion of a bulletproof clipboard.  The folks at ThinkGeek.com, which have some up with some pretty unconventional inventions in the past, have added what they call the Bulletproof Body Armor Clipboard to their line-up and even included a video field testing it.

From their tongue-in-cheek product description:

Each Bulletproof Body Armor Clipboard is a section of Level II body armor, with a clip attached to hold the paper. Level II body armor is tough enough to stop the penetration of 9mm bullets.  The Bulletproof Body Armor Clipboard is the toughest clipboard we’ve ever held. Sure, it’s heavy, but when you own a clipboard that can stop bullets, weight doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore, other than your own awesomeness for being the only person in the office to own aBulletproof Body Armor Clipboard.

For more on the clipboard including video of their field test, click HERE.

What Its Like For a Woman Training To Be A Bodyguard

by Lori Edwards

I distinctly remember coming to the sudden and uneasy conclusion that I really didn’t have any idea what I was getting myself into.  My seatmate on my flight had asked me why in the world a girl from Texas would come all the way to Minnesota by herself, especially in January, without any personal history there or family ties to the area.  I chuckled a little and explained that I’d be attending a class that would train me to become a bodyguard.  He wondered aloud if I was serious.  I simply smiled and nodded.

I’m not exactly what you’d picture a female bodyguard to be.  Although I’m very athletic and have two black belts in Taekwondo, most people don’t suspect it.  In fact, most folks would take one look at me and drop me into the category of “indoor girl” pretty quickly.  And of course, so did my seatmate.  In rapid fire succession, he began showering me with questions regarding all the things the class might require of me, and if I thought I was adequately prepared for it.  The only response I could manage was, “I really don’t know.”

I spent the rest of the week finding out.

The 5-day ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course is arranged very intelligently.  Beginning with some brief welcoming statements and announcements, we jump right in.  ICON CEO, Elijah Shaw, starts with some lectures about team formations and foot drills.  About an hour in, we hop up from our seats and start literally walking out the things that his 17 years in the business has taught him.  Then we move into tactical weapons drills led by Assistant Instructor and resident firearms expert, Mike Briggs.  Holster drills on verbal command with a realistically heavy, but imitation firearm consume the next hour or so.  I must admit, having never handled a weapon either real or fake, this was challenging to me.  Trust me when I tell you, that during the initial movement drills I probably have never found my left and my right so ridiculously confusing.  Thankfully, our final instructor and champion mixed martial art fighter, Justin Newcomb rescued me by announcing to the class that it was time to take two hard laps and meet him in the gym.  Aaaahhhh, relief.  This part is something I know I can do, –Interval training.  The instructors tell us we will have a 5-minute workout.  It’s true.  What they don’t tell us, is that it’s a butt-kicking five minutes.  I’m game, and have the sneaky suspicion this won’t be the last time we’re at the gym. Then back to the classroom to discuss some of the broader issues of Executive Protection.

Did I mention, all this was before lunch?

We spend that afternoon and the next few days repeating the cycle of classroom discussion, walking/formation drills, weapons drills later on, live fire at the gun range), physical training and industry-specific do’s and don’ts.  Each session, we expand and practice our skills, and information received at a pace that only NASA can truly comprehend.  The instructors begin throwing in unexpected surprises to keep us guessing, and learning.  At the end of every day, I am spent.  I had no idea the amount of information that these professionals must process, and how quickly they must process it in order to keep their clients safe and sound.

Add to all that craziness the unique challenges that come with being female, and you begin to get a reasonable idea of my personal experience.  I wanted to make sure that I made a good impression right away, so I showed up on the first day looking nice.  Not formal ball-gown nice, but reasonably professional.  I had spent ample time online researching ICON and was well aware that Elijah Shaw is nearly always in a suit.  First rule of business: Never show up sloppy when the boss expects a suit.  I also knew that this course was very hands-on, and as such, there would be some physical activity.  No details were given as to our daily schedule or the demands thereof, so I decided to land somewhere in the middle.  I wore nice pants, a jacket I could remove easily, and my favorite stiletto boots.  I did fine until break time when Mike Briggs wandered up asking me if I had brought gym shoes.  I had, but they were in the hotel, because surely our kindhearted instructors would warn us of what we’ll need when we’ll need it.  Heads up future classmates:  a deliberate lack of pertinent information is a constant, so come prepared for anything – just like in the real world of VIP Protection. Needless to say, I spent most of the day running laps and all the other physical training in barefoot. (And carefully.  I mean you don’t really want to ruin a $65 pedicure slamming into the gym equipment so I considered it practice in situational awareness).

I also tried my hand at figuring out when it was safe to put my boots back on.  Just as soon as I had convinced myself that the workouts were finished for the day, I slipped them back on.  About that time, Justin Newcomb tiptoed up behind me and whispered, “You’re gong to want to take those boots off again….”.  Bless him.  I actually thought about running the laps while wearing the stilettos, but decided against it.  So I just gave up.  I wore running shoes the remainder of the week, however there’s more to the story where those boots are concerned.

Everything went smoothly until Friday night.  I ended up pulling an all-nighter as part of a real-world exercise through which ICON puts its course attendees.  I took the first client shift, which lasted from roughly 10pm to 6am.  I was wearing a radio device with which I have no previous experience.  In the chaos of last-minute information and preparation, I threw the earpiece on and the radio in my front jacket pocket.  There were several loose wires flapping about, but I didn’t really care as, the clock was ticking and I had to get on post.  No worries right?  Well that is until the instructors came to visit me on site.  There’s something very unsettling about three grown, strong men standing together in a huddle while smirking and rubbing their foreheads.  Mike Briggs convinced me to slip off my suit jacket and got me reorganized into the very picture of a female Close Protection Agent:  black jacket, white shirt, black skirt, black tights and those 4 & ½ inch black stiletto boots.  I’m a mom, so I know what its like to stay up all night looking after someone.  I’ve just never done it in those boots before.  You learn in training, so you don’t make the mistakes in the real world.

Twenty-four hours later, I find myself about to enter Force-on-Force Drills.  In that moment, I have no idea what is about to happen, I only know I’m not really crazy about the sound of it.  I’ve never shot the realistic airsoft training weapons before.  More importantly, I’ve never been shot BY the airsoft training weapons before!  I had nightmarish visions of being in a room with all my classmates and instructors just shooting ferociously until someone has the compassion to yell “TIME’S UP!”.  I worried needlessly.  That’s not what force-on-force drills are about.  These exercises are designed to place the trainee in situations that as closely as possible mimics real world experiences.  Trust me when I tell you they are valuable and bring a whole new element to the course.  To this day I find myself mentally rehearsing some of the multiple scenarios I went through that evening.  In my mind I’m moving the client, negotiating check points, climbing walls, jumping over people or things, asking questions, taking charge, providing cover, evacuating, locating exits, thinking critically, and looking for the less than obvious.

I think that’s the point of good, solid training:  It stays with you.

Before the ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course, I was just a yoga-mom from Texas.  During this course I challenged myself to become something that I’ve always envisioned:  brave, decisive, resourceful and capable.  In the middle of the week I questioned my decision to be there, and I questioned my ability to do this job to the extent that I thought about packing up and going home.

I’m so glad I didn’t.

By the end of the course, I had experiences I will never forget, and was handed opportunities I’d have never believed.  I was challenged far more than I expected, resulting in a depth of confidence I’ve never known.  I loved it so much that I’m actively seeking my next opportunity to train.  I’ll get some gun range time with Mike Briggs later in the spring, and hopefully, I’ll get to take the 10-day Advanced Executive Protection Course soon.  In the meantime, I’m hoping to establish a foundation in the industry through Advance work—The security preparations and logistics that occur before the actual client even enters the area.  We had one assignment specifically on advance work during the course, and I did particularly well at it.   I now find myself making mental sketches of practically any building I walk into, even here in my hometown.  I draw mental route cards, too, when I’m traveling.  So, I’ll be looking for opportunities to continue to implement skills, while my girls are attending summer camps and other things.  Eventually, and with continued training, I’d like to move toward protecting female celebrities at events, and finally as their personal protection.  We girls gotta look out for each other, you know.  I have to believe that for the newcomer or as a refresher, whatever your goals or interests are in the field of Executive & VIP Protection, this course will meet them.

Take it from the “indoor girl” – you’ll be glad you did.

Note:  We plan for this to be the first of several articles by Lori that while chronicle her experiences as a newcomer in the Executive Protection Industry. (of course without violating any client confidentiality.)  We hope that it will serve as an inspiration for others and the realities of the profession.

Tom Brady & Gisele Bodyguards to Appear in Court Over Shooting

The true art of Executive & VIP Protection involves not only safeguarding your clients well-being, but also their reputation. Here’s how NOT to protect your client:

A trio of Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady’s bodyguards will have their day in Costa Rica court after allegedly firing shots at paparazzi during the couple’s wedding two years ago.  Miguel Solis, Manuel Valverde and Alexander Rivas are slated to attend a “private oral hearing” in Puntarenas on April 29, after charges were filed by Agence France-Presse photographer Yuri Cortez and Rolando Aviles of Costa Rican newspaper Al Dia.

the report says that the photographers were on public property when private security guards forced them back onto private property, demanding they turn over their photographic equipment, when one of the bodyguards fired his weapon at the photographer’s vehicle when they attempted to leave scene.

In addition it looks like their clients may also have to give testimony in the incident. If there was an immediate threat, that’s one thing, however it does not appear to be the case at all in this instance.  What a wonderful wedding gift courtesy of the security team.

Source

See Related: Security vs. Paparazzi at Gisele’s Wedding

New “Caption This” Winner

Results are in for the latest installment of the Bodyguard Blog/ Facebook “Caption This…“ Contest.

The golden ring this edition goes to Russ Saunders from the great State of Wisconsin:

‎"Well," Commander Chong thought to himself, " I probably could have been more specific when I yelled "cover me." ~ Russ Saunders

This week prize is a full set of the ICON VIP Protection Paper Targets, the first line of targets produced for the Executive Protection Professional.  To order your own set click HERE.

Caption This pt. 13

The weekly  ”Caption This” feature of Bodyguard Blog returns as we ask readers to supply their own witty comments to humorous Executive Protection/ Law Enforcement / Military related photos.

This weeks photo gives new meaning to the term “stacking”.

without further adieu, feel fee to  ”Caption This…”

*To participate, leave your comment here AND on our Facebook Page at www.Facebook.com/IconServices.  The one with the most “likes” next to their comment will win a surprise gift.  (remember, even if you are not leaving a comment, vote for the one you think is the most humorous.)

Caption This pt. 12

A Day in the Life of an Executive Protection Agent

I recently ran across a posting from a good friend of mine Dave Marris, in which he decided to share a snapshot of the inner working of a Detail he had just completed for the benefit of newcomers to the industry.  Thinking that would be something that readers of Bodyguard Blog would also enjoy, Dave was kind enough to give his permission for it to be reprinted in it’s entirety.   I think it offers a glimpse of one of the many types of assignments that a Close Protection Specialist might find themselves involved with.  So without further adieu.

A Day in the Life

by Dave Marris

I just recently performed a 2 day assignment for a friend of a friend. For those aspiring people that would like to get involved in the industry, what follows is a no holds barred description and timeline of a typical 2 day assignment. No glitz, no glam…just a rock hard description of the type of work you are getting yourself into.  I myself, I love it…always have. However I warn you, this work is not for the weak of heart, mind, body or spirit. What follows is a 40 hour plus, non-stop roller coaster ride, with zero sleep.  To those of you that may think this would be easy…I challenge you to try it, staying awake that long. And remember, you will be performing it sans any stress at all (insert sarcasm here).

This is a long read. Think so? You should try DOING it…

*BTW, all information shared here is open source material. No OPSEC information with-in the assignment has been compromised.

Client: The Cleopatra Exhibit, along with 2 principles.

Objective: Guarantee safe transport of two Egyptian Nationals and approximately 300 million dollars worth of Egyptian artifacts (3 tractor and trailers) from current venue in Philadelphia, PA to new venue in Cincinnati, OH.

My Position: ATL, team medic.

Special Equipment: Motorola radios, personal handguns, 1 x long gun-Bushmaster M-4, 1 x shotgun-Mossberg 500, medical gear, GPS.

Timeline: Trucks and PAX MUST arrive at new venue by 0800 of day 2. A press conference is scheduled for 0900 and the one 5,000 pound statue must be uncrated by then so as to be used as a center piece for the cameras. Contractual clause states payment will not be rendered to security company should failure of timeline occur. At no time is any one truck to be separated, either all arrive or all do not. No truck is to be opened at any time by anyone other than the two Egyptians. To do so would cause the curse of 1,000 years and so on… (Rolls eyes.)

My Earnings: $1,000 US dollars, pre tax.

Day 1 (This is all day one as you have to sleep in order for it to count as two days)

0800: Meet with the team to discuss overall plan of operation, routes, comms, etc.

0845: Team splits to accomplish pickup of rental vehicles and inspect loaded trucks at storage location. Sub-Team 1 will pick up clients; Sub-Team 2 will take possession of trucks, check seals, secure and stage trucks for movement. Sub-Team 3 accompanies Team 1.

1000: Sub-Teams meet at storage facility, enter order of march, confirm discussion from earlier meeting. One of the Egyptian Nationals is sick, vomiting and diarrhea. Neither speaks much English and no interpreter has been assigned by the client. This information was never discussed prior to jump-off time. Egyptian National insists on making the trip anyway. Being the team medic, I dispense over the counter meds and some Flagyl to help control the sickness.

1045: Convoy departs Philadelphia for Cincinnati, timeline allows for transit time, including stops and fueling of 14-16 hours, which should put us into Cincinnati well ahead of schedule.

1200: The sick Egyptian needs to stop for a bathroom break. I administer 2 more Imodium to try to stop the diarrhea. Team 2 vehicle (client team) smells like a bad sewer. All chase vehicles refuel since the opportunity presents itself.

1600: Proximity Pittsburg, PA fuel/bathroom stop in major route truck stop. Light snow has begun to fall. One of the drivers of the trucks now decides to pull his truck onto the “free” scale at the truck stop. Up to this point we had not hit a weigh station. Driver informs TL that his vehicle is +- 2,000 pounds above the maximum allowed for his wheelbase. This is a major issue as there are a number of state weigh stations between us and the destination, where the trucks are required to stop, enforced by State Police. This truck will not be allowed to continue if found to be over weight. Security is informed that we will be delayed until a resolution comes from the trucking company about how to proceed. I inquire about length of delay and am told we can not proceed until the green light is given by someone from the trucking company to accept liability. We move trucks and escort vehicles into a defensive posture. TL and truckers hold up with comms in one of the trucks, making numerous phone calls. I extricate my long gun from its case, brought for this very reason, and several jaws hit the street.   After 2 hours of chatter and delays while the snow has continued to fall and accumulate, I go over to the “meeting truck” and pound on the door, climb up into the cab. More conversation and I finally convince the driver to continue. If we see an open weigh station, we will pull over, stop and deal with it then. Until then, we roll.

1830: Depart the truck stop.

2000: Approaching Wheeling, WV. The snow has increased from light to something else. Visibility is lowering, as is our speed. We are now traveling at an average of 40 MPH. The chase vehicles are 4WD but the TT trucks are carrying precious cargo, so the speed drop is critical and necessary. We are losing precious time, but still have plenty of time to complete the trip with a few hours to spare.

2130: Approaching the Ohio border, truck 3 calls out over the radio that he has a mechanical problem. Snow has continued and speed has dropped to 25 MPH. His alternator light has come on and his truck computer has dropped his power output to half to save the batteries. Truck 1 informs the convoy that there is a truck stop not far from where we are, and since truck 3 has a small internal generator, he should be able to make it.

2150: At the truck stop we lift the engine cover to find that the serpentine belt on the engine of truck 3 has broken. The broken belt whipped around and also took out the tension pulley. Not good. The truck can not go far without proper repair. Several phone calls are made and a repair shop is open within 4 miles of our current position. They however do not have the parts. The parts will be have to be brought in from another location. This truck is the climatically controlled truck of the 3 and the seals of this truck can not be broken in an uncontrolled environment, so calling another truck to transfer the cargo is not possible. We load up and drive to the repair shop. Good news is the sick Egyptian principle is feeling much better. She wants to know where the “doctor” studied medicine.

2230: After arriving at the repair shop, truck 3 is pulled into the repair bay. The owner wanted to disconnect the tractor from the trailer so that the climate control generator fumes would not make the air in the shop foul. I was tasked with staying with the truck in the repair bay while the rest of the team set security outside. (Remember the long gun?) I told him to open a window. The repair guys were not happy with the fact that I was carrying a rifle in their shop. I told them to get over it and I guess they did.

2300: Parts arrive along with a mechanic that is a specialist with this kind of work. He can not give me a timeline for the repair. I ask him to please hurry.

2345: The mechanic informs me that the shop will be closing at midnight and he does not know if the repair will be completed by then. I tell the mechanic’s helper to go and find the shop owner, and call the TL on the radio and ask her to come inside. With all players there, I inform the TL of the problem. She asks me what I think and I state that I think the shop will be extending hours for the evening. The shop owner agrees. (I sincerely believe this had everything to do with the fact that I had an M-4 slung over my shoulder.)

0030: Repair complete. Per the TL’s orders I flip the owner of the shop a hundred bucks and the mechanic fifty for being good sports. The next obstacle will be the weigh stations.

0045: Order of march is resumed. Snow continues to fall heavily and roads are becoming covered and slick. Average speed is 35 to 40 MPH and we are still some 200 miles from the destination. Luckily for us the weigh station that caused the earlier concern is closed due to the crappy weather. We roll by without incident.

0245: Approximately 100 miles from destination we stop at yet another truck stop for fuel and coffee. Snow continues to dog us and everyone is a bit irritable and tired. We have been switching off drivers, but the contract calls for 100% alert, so no one has slept.

0315: Back on the road. Visibility and road conditions have continued to deteriorate. Lead truck driver is considering calling the roads to hazardous to continue. The TL calls him on the radio and tells him this is unacceptable and we need to continue even if at 25 MPH.

0415: Like magic, the snow suddenly stops. 5 miles further up the road, there is not even any sign of the snow. Ohio is a weird place. We push to 70 MPH and start to make some time. I am driving and tired and beginning to see ninjas with poison dart blowguns peering out from the bushes on the side of the road.

0630: Arrive at the venue with 1 and a half hours to spare. That’s right, we bad. Despite the need to overcome a number of obstacles…success.

0730: Trucks are staged at the loading docks. Local union workers begin unloading the first of the 3 trucks.

0800: Press and television crews begin to arrive. They are filming the unloading and set up process for the statue. Our team is asked to help with securing the area and checking entry credentials, since this is a private event.

0900: The press conference begins.

1100: Press conference runs overtime. Unloading of the trucks begin. This process is incredibly slow as the Egyptians insist on touching every crate as it comes out of the trucks, then mumbling a few words. This is compounded by the fact that every piece of the display is considered “priceless” and must be handled with utmost care. We are contractually bound to supervise the unloading process.

1500: Unloading is complete. We say our goodbyes and head to Daton airport to catch a 1700 flight back to Philly. Downtown traffic is bad and we are delayed enough to miss our flight. After an hour at the airline counter, we are finally put on a flight to Philly via Newark. We have very little time between flights, and we are all traveling with weapons in Pelican cases. If we miss the connector in Newark, out weapons will be on the baggage carousel unattended in Philly.

1935: Depart Daton.

2050: Arrive Newark.

2150: Depart Newark.

2230: Arrive Philadelphia.

2245: Wife and son arrive at the airport to pick me up.

0000: After a shower and a stiff drink (hey I earned it), off to bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. Seriously.

Dave Marris is well regarded in the close protection industry, and has spent over 15 years in private security working as both an instructor and an Operator in a number of high-risk environments including Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, Southeast Asia, South and Central America.

Executive Protection Course Round Up

ICON is proud to announce the successful completion of our January 5-day ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course!  Thank you to the 14 students that made it to the end, giving their time, dedication and hard earned dollars to attend.  (Not to mention the fact that all did their due diligence and knew they were talking a course in Minnesota, in January! –extra kudos goes for that fact alone.)

Once again the attendees came from various countries (Canada, Australia), ages, colors & genders (thank you to the 3 ladies in attendance), to meet in an environment that leveled the playing field.   By the time the course wrapped, everyone –instructors included — were tired, but as the motto goes:  Train hard, Win easy.

Next course, March 23-27, 2011.  To sign up for future classes, click HERE.

“I recognized the enormous benefits in training internationally with like minded professionals in our field.  Having instructors and presenters that actively work within the industry and who are willing to share their wealth of practical information, transposed to world class training that was both interesting & informative, with a focus on the real aspects of the work.  I will not hesitate to recommend the course to my friends and colleagues in the industry.”  ~ Chris Feretopoulos from Melbourne, Australia on why he choose to attend the course.

Protecting the Principal

2010 – The Year in Review

As 2010 winds down I’d like to thank all of the readers and contributors of Bodyguard Blog for their support.  I’ll admit it was a challenge to run my agency, ICON Services Corporation, be an active Operator, and keep the Blog going on a consistent basis.  One of the things that helped, was constantly pulling in fresh content as well as realizing that I didn’t want Bodyguard Blog to be just about ME.

Some of our most popular post in 2010 were the Industry Spotlights, in which we cover professionals in the world of Executive Protection featuring:  The UK’s Shaun West, Old Soldier: Dave Marris, Sexton’s Jerry MacCauley, Mark James & Benjamin Alozie. (Look for more Female Close Protection Agents in 2011!)

In keeping with our philosophy that the Bodyguard Industry is more than just guns and take downs, we enlisted the aid of Protocol & Etiquette Coach Susanne Dancer to provide some lessons in the “soft skills” that would help us more effectively do our job.  You can find her tips on Protocol & Etiquette HERE.

And lastly, we all know that the job of VIP Protection is serious, but the people that do it, are just that –people, and can even crack a smile once in awhile — we introduced the very well received “Caption This” feature.  if you want to take a break from a stressful day and chuckle at humorous photos (and comments) click HERE.

Once again, thanks for  reading.   Big plans for 2011, so stay tuned!

~ Elijah Shaw