Keeping The Plates Spinning

It’s been a hectic but productive month on this end.  15 days crisscrossing Australia on assignment followed directly by 15 days with my instructor hat on for the back-to-back ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course, and the ICON Advanced Executive Protection Course.

*whew*

Even in the mist of doing all of this, I had planned to jump a flight and get to Baltimore to speak at the 2012 Protective Security Conference that is now ongoing.  I spoke there last year and it was a blast interacting with the other attendees and speakers.  Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on your perspective) A major client scheduled an important event that involved quite a few moving parts and it because apparent that due to some of the complexities, I was personally needed on the assignment.  Knowing full well how the last minute nature of the industry works, the host of the PSC were gracious enough to understand,  and I will continue to give them my full support and plan on again being involved and in attendance next year.

One very cool post script to all of this was that I was able to use several of the past and present ICON Advanced Course Graduates on the multi-day Protection Detail.  (They were after all the advanced course).  From real world training, to real world experience.

In a perfect world that’s how the industry is supposed to work.

“Unlearning” To Succeed In Executive Protection

Just kicked off Day 1 of the ICON Academy Celebrity & VIP Protection Training Course.  The first day is always pretty interesting with everyone getting a feel for each other and the pace of the class.  Because so many of the students come from military or law enforcement backgrounds, I always like to spent some time talking about how that alone will not automatically qualify a person to successfully perform Executive Protection work.  In fact in some cases it’s necessary to Unlearn some of the practices and techniques that have been ingrained from those fields.

A Day in the Life of a Executive Protection Agent (Excerpt)

A Day in the Life: 

 Assisting On a Protection Assignment

By Edward Nielsen

You are at home getting some rest, and your cell phone rings. It’s the call you have been waiting for. The Team Leader on a Protective Security Detail is telling you they need last minute assistance to provide security for a well known recording artist who is in town during the weekend of a major sporting event.  What do you do? Well let me tell you what I did. I immediately asked where and when I was needed. His answer to me was “now,” and then proceeded to give me the location where the client will be at a few short hours from then.  I quickly got dressed and proceeded to the location, getting more specific instructions while in transit. I arrived at the site and met with the head of security for the venue to see where the client would enter and where his cordoned off VIP area was located. I then contacted the Detail Leader and let him know contact was made with the venue security and all are awaiting his arrival.

A few hours later, and just prior to the Client’s arrival we hit another obstacle – due to the massive crowds, the police officers on site had now blocked off the adjacent streets and would not let vehicles closer to the venue. –No exceptions.  The frustration of the officers was very evident, likely because of the amount of people that voiced their displeasure at them once they learned the routes were blocked off.  I tried a variety of approaches with the officers but they did not intend to change their mind regardless of the VIP.  Of course the Detail leader did not want to hear that, and even in the heavy traffic, I knew they would be arriving shortly and there was no way the client was making the quarter mile walk on foot. I enlisted the aid of the venue security and after putting our heads together, got access to a vehicle from the interior side of the street closure.

Once the Principal’s vehicle arrived, we quickly moved the client and the travel party into the new vehicle and whisked it down the street.  I, however, watched that last part happen curbside, as I was now tasked with parking and securing the client’s vehicle in a location where parking spaces were a valuable but rapidly shrinking commodity.  After finding one, I then knew I had almost a half mile jog to get back to the security detail, all the while keeping in the back of my mind that I am going to have to do this again when it’s time to leave…

…Continued in the Spring 2012 Issue of The Circuit Magazine.   To subscribe to The Circuit – The Magazine for Bodyguards and the Official Magazine of the North American Bodyguard Association, click HERE.

The Circuit - The Magazine for Bodyguards (previous Issue)

ICON Academy Scholarship Program: 1 Students Experience

To the Icon Scholarship Selection Committee:

First and foremost I would like to say thanks and express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity that allowed me to be awarded the ICON Academy Scholarship for the Celebrity / VIP Protection Training course of first quarter 2012. The wisdom and expertise the instructors imparted along with the lessons learned during the course will go with me throughout my career.

After being asked to work security at my church I had an instant interest and desire to learn more about the security industry. Later as I began my research into the steps necessary to begin a career in Executive Protection, I have to admit, I became a bit disheartened after seeing that the training courses were very expensive. It is for this reason that I was shocked to see that ICON offered a scholarship program; to my knowledge, no other company out there has a scholarship program –at least none that I could find during my research.

Realizing that this was my opportunity, I completed and turned in all the necessary documents to fulfill the requirements, including what I would later be an important part, namely the section on how I would use skills obtained in the course to better the industry and my community.  Once the deadline was reached, my family and I were extremely excited to learn that I had been awarded the scholarship.

The CPC training course was challenging both mentally and physically but after coming out on the other side I can truly say it was all worth it and I would not trade that experience for anything. The instructors challenged us to take an active role in our development and to think outside of the box where security is concerned. Each instructor brought their own unique style and feel to the training from real life experiences that let us see things in different perspectives, not just teaching scenarios from a book.  My education is in no way complete, and I have additional courses already on the books but this jumpstart was instrumental both financially and motivationally.

To Elijah and all the staff at ICON: Thank you for giving back and offering a scholarship that levels the playing field, giving individuals the opportunity to obtain top notch training at, in my opinion, one of the best companies around.  ICON has given me a chance to achieve my dream and anyone who has a genuine desire to learn but not sure where to begin, you have my strongest encouragement to research the program.

~ Uriah Riley

ICON CPC, Course Graduate, January 2012

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Click on the highlighted link to learn more or apply for the ICON Academy Scholarship Program.

Next Dates

Celebrity & VIP Protection:  April 25 – 29, 2012 (Financing & Scholarships Available)

Advanced Executive Protection (High Risk): April 30 – May 9th, 2012 (Financing & Scholarships Available)

Student Experiences After ICON Executive Protection Training

“When I consider what the primary difference was which made my ICON experience a greater value and overall experience to my previous training, I believe it is due to the fact the ICON course was  student-centric.  In other words, the course was designed to create and support an environment in which the students actively contributed to their own learning.  To create a course such as this, ICON put in significant time and effort to design and implement experiences which were designed to rapidly transition from the classroom to the real world”.

Donna Angevine

ICON CPC, AEP Course Graduate, January 2012

“I think that reality based training with stress is the best way to learn.  Sitting in a classroom can only teach somebody so much.  Putting people under stress and forcing them to think then act, then reviewing their actions is a much more effective way to learn and you and your staff taught me a lot.  Each member of your staff is a true professional and an effective teacher.”

Jimmy Menzoian

ICON CPC, AEP Course Graduate, January 2012

“In my 15 day journey, a total mental and physical transformation took place. During training, I was introduced to hand-to-hand combat, defensive tactics, and firearm training that was in addition to other tactical and dynamic instruction.  One advantage that ICON has over other Executive Protection courses is the top notch instructors who present up-to-date real life experience in the EP industry.   ICON has given me a great head start into the Executive Protection industry”.

Michael Brown

ICON CPC, AEP Course Graduate, January 2012

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Next Dates

Celebrity & VIP Protection:  May 2-6, 2012 (Financing & Scholarships Available)

Advanced Executive Protection (High Risk): May 7-16, 2012 (Financing & Scholarships Available)

To learn more about the ICON Academy Executive Protection Training Course click on the link.

The New ICON Advanced Executive Protection Course Graduates

Congratulating the new graduates of the ICON Advanced Executive Protection Training Course.  Long hours, challenging assignments a few surprises, and the ever present  mantra “drill, drill, drill”.

Thanks for giving 100%! Your efforts showed!

Next course:  April 30 – May 9th, 2012  Special Financing & Scholarship Opportunities Available.  For more information click HERE.

Executive Protection Tips Videos

Had a great time over the last few months working on the Bodyguard 2 Minute Tip segments with Harlan Austin of Bodyguard Careers.  The aim is to give some “bite sized” nuggets that would be useful for individuals that are interested in getting into the field of Executive Protection.  So far the response has been extremely positive and in 2012 we plan on more installments, as well as other participants.  In the meantime, you can catch up on the tips in one place by clicking below.

Ethics in Executive Protection

Bodyguards & Professional Email

Choosing An Executive Protection School

Choosing the Right Footwear

January 2012 Executive Protection Course Wrap Up

Just completed the first ICON Celebrity & VIP Protection Course of 2012.  The ICON Training Academy hosted an intensely motivated group of men and women who decided to invest the time and the resources in continuing education in the field of Executive Protection.  Our goal is to leave students with an experience that delivers the realities (good and bad) of the industry.  So in addition to the “exciting stuff” such as shooting and counteraction drills, there is also the element of stress, fatigue and the looming possibility that because the attackers often get to choose the time and the place – potential failure.

Last night I got to sit down and review the anonymous course evaluation forms, and looks like the overwhelming consensus is that we succeeded in our goal.

Special thanks to my fellow instructors, support staff, and “special guest” and giving a hearty welcome the newest ICON Alumni.

~Elijah Shaw

Next class:  April 25-29, 2012

Special financing & Scholarship opportunities available.  To learn more about future courses click HERE.

A Visual Diary of The ICON Bodyguard Training Academy

Take a moment to check out  a visual diary of students and instructors of the ICON Executive Protection Training Academy. With courses specializing in Executive Protection, Celebrity Protection & Weapons Tactics.  ICON offers real world training by instructors who do the job every day, not just teach “theory” from a text book. For more information about the training courses, including the special finance and scholarship opportunities, click HERE.

An Open Letter Regarding the ICON Bodyguard Scholarship Program

To the ICON Selection Committee:

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to all responsible parties for making the Icon Academy Training Scholarship possible.  I was thrilled to learn of my selection for this honor and I am deeply appreciative of your support.  The Icon Celebrity & VIP Protection Course that I attended was truly a learning experience that I intend to use to further my career in the Executive Protection Industry.

I’m currently a law enforcement officer with over fifteen years of experience which has included serving on SWAT, the Gang Unit, the Street Crime Unit, as well as being assigned to the Housing Authority Unit. I can honestly say that being a law enforcement officer does not instantly qualify one to be a bodyguard. While the overall intentions of both an officer and bodyguard are to protect, the methods of protection differ, in some cases dramatically.

During my training at ICON, the CEO, Elijah Shaw touched on different subjects such as the profiles of a celebrity, the challenges one would face in the industry, and of course the responsibilities of a bodyguard.  One of the things I enjoyed was that the classroom time was never strictly lectures; we also participated in a variety of drills and exercises that ensured we understood the subject matter. Also during class, we were being pushed physically by several of the instructors, including Justin Newcomb, a champion Mixed Martial Arts fighter who I now know to be a quiet and reserved pillar in the industry.  Justin Johnson, another talented instructor who is also active in the operational side of the industry, (an important point) provided extensive firearms training during the course that imparted me with some valuable tools.

The week was also filled with some very prominent guest instructors who are very recognizable names in the industry such as Tony Scotti of Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamic’s Institute and Mark “Six” James, of Panther Protection Services. Both were gracious enough to offer their expertise and answer off-the-subject questions during breaks.  I would certainly suggest future students research these individuals so they can fully appreciate what their presence and participation says about the program.

The last part of the training concluded with our participation in a real life Security Detail (one of several running simultaneously). I had the honor of being chosen to be team leader, and responsible for an actual celebrity VIP, T*** D***, of VH1 reality show, “Scream Queens” from the moment her plane arrived in the city.  The assignment was a learning experience in which me and my team were able to take our classroom training and apply it in the most hands on way possible.  Everything that Mr. Shaw and the other instructors introduced in class became reality.   In short they capped an already impressive course with the best illustration I could think of involving understanding what it takes to be bodyguard on a Celebrity security detail.    

In closing, I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to get in the industry or advance their current skills. I would like to thank the Selection Committee for making the opportunity possible.   While I am not sure if anything like this scholarship program currently exists elsewhere in the industry, it makes perfect sense that it would be found at ICON as they appear to be innovators.  Please thank Mr. Shaw, who I found to be a humble individual whose reputation preceded him, along with the staff, guest instructors, and VH1’s, T*** D***.    I promise you I will continue along this path to success in the Executive Protection field and eventually give something back to others.  I see myself doing this both as a Professional Bodyguard and as well as an Alumnus who will donate towards the ICON Academy scholarship providing a rare opportunity for a future student like myself.

Sincerely,

Curtis Greene

ICON 2011 ALUMNI