On Tuesday, January 20th in Washington D.C. there was a story reported regarding the singer Usher, who was in town with his wife Tameka Foster for the Presidential Inauguration. The New York Post newspaper printed a report from a source who claimed that Usher’s bodyguard was nasty to a little girl who asked Usher for an autograph. The story stated that Tameka laughed in the girl’s face and that the bodyguard was “meanly refused” on behalf of Usher. The story stated that after they left, “the little girl was crying.”

Well, it just so happens that I personally know the individual who works with Usher, and I called him and asked about it. He said the story was absolutely a fabrication and that the “source” didn’t get anything right about the situation. He said that Usher, his wife and he himself were all extremely polite and kind to the little girl, telling her “sorry, but this just is not a good time.” They were trying to get to an inauguration event and didn’t want to be late.

The general public doesn’t seem to understand that celebrities really do try to be as accommodating to them as possible, but sometimes they need to be somewhere, and cannot stop to chat or sign autographs. My buddy is a long-time bodyguard; seasoned, professional and possessing an extremely upbeat attitude. I cannot imagine that he would be nasty to a little girl; the absurdity of the story is what prompted me to call him.

Oh, and the individual who witnessed this “story” and no doubt reported it, was a member of the Paparazzi; you know, those people who hound celebrities LOOKING for anything that might be deemed “newsworthy.”

Training to Train?

Several years ago, the United States Army published something that many of us had just been thinking about for years.  Their article illustrated that there is a significant difference between “training to train”, and “training to task”.

So much of our training these days in law enforcement and private organizations is driven by litigation.  That is, the fear that if we don’t demonstrate acceptable amounts of the appropriate training, we could fail a regulatory audit or get sued. So, as a response to this problem, we “train so that we can say that we were trained” according to a particular standard (e.g. ethics training, Sarbanes-Oxley, sexual harassment training etc).

On the other hand, training that drills down specific needs, techniques and protocols, that must one day be used to accomplish an important task (e.g. save a life) by the person who learned it, is known as “Training to task”. In other words, the student knows throughout the class, that they will soon have to perform the skills being taught in a competent manner.  And one of the hazards we found in this type of presentation is that if students don’t recognize an

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One of the best tools to use for yourself is to create profiles at some of the social networking websites. In the past, we’ve recommended FaceBook, MySpace and the like. These sites can be used to advertise your services, and offer a (FREE) way to have a presence on the world wide web.

Here are some tips to effectively utilize these websites:

• Do not mix “business” with your “social life” on these websites.

Employers are indeed searching the web for information on potential hires. Whatever is on the internet, be sure it represents your most professional, polished self. Post only photos that present you in the best possible light.

• Limit what personal information you post. Remember, in our business if

we want to protect our clients, we need to limit the public’s access to these clients-which means limiting access to our own homes, and/or families. If someone is trying to get your rockstar or CEO client, and they have information on you, that is information that could be potentially threatening to not only your client, but to your own family as well. Don’t indicate your address or telephone number. Protect your own privacy.

• Block everyone but your closest, must trusted friends from posting

or blogging at your profile. You don’t want potential employers to read unflattering things about your behavior in your private life.

• Consider spending the money on professional photos. The photos you post

of yourself should be straight-forward; no sunglasses, nicely dressed, ¾ shot with a pleasant expression.

So that you can have full control, you may want to hire someone to build a website and to create an email address that reflects your website (Ex:
haustin@bodyguardcareers.com) The cost to have a professional build a simple website is minimal, and may be the best way to protect your reputation.

Position: Lead Security Guard

Location: San Antonio, TX

Salary: 38,117.00 – 49,555.00 USD per year

Posted: February 11, 2009

For more info click on this link: Job Alert

Mickey Brett, former bodyguard to Angelina Jolie, is writing a book about his days with the star, including details of the beginnings of her relationship with Brad Pitt. The book’s ghostwriter Robin McGibbon has commented “This is going to be a very revelatory book.” She doesn’t believe printing the truth will upset Jolie, since “she knows the truth,” according to a story in Grazia, a UK magazine.

Bodyguard Brett was employed by Jolie from 2000 to 2007 and was with her around the clock during that time. In gratitude of his service, not only was the bodyguard undoubtedly well-paid, but also was given gifts, including an Aston Martin car, worth approximately $200,000. Supposedly, the book is expected to not only address precisely when their relationship started, but also stories related to their private sex life.

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BGC: Yet another example of unprofessional behavior that reflects poorly on our business. Stories like this make me cringe. This so undermines the trust clients need to feel when hiring someone to protect them. The general public just doesn’t understand what it would be like to be a celebrity. These people don’t WANT to hire bodyguards; they have no choice. Can you imagine how YOU would feel if you had to have someone shadowing you 24/7?

Can you imagine how it would feel to have to spend anywhere from $50K and up on a salary for protection, only to have that individual turn around and disregard protecting your personal life by writing a book? This man was with her for 7 years. This betrayal is appalling, and his career as a bodyguard is over. I suppose he thinks this book will see him through retirement. I won’t be purchasing a book because that would mean I support his despicable behavior.