Bodyguard 380 Product Review
By Mark “Six” James

A friend called me the other day and asked if I wouldn’t mind taking a moment to write a review of the Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 380.   As a protection specialist and firearms instructor, I chuckled and said, “Harlan you know I don’t shoot starter pistols.” He then replied, “You have never seen a handgun you didn’t like to shoot.”  I said, “You are right, give me a week and I will get back with you.”

My everyday carry weapon is typically a compact or full size .45 ACP or 9 mm subcompact when I want to travel light.  I am not one to be sucked into the caliber wars as accuracy should always trump caliber size and in close quarter engagements it is often your tactics more so than the caliber size or marksmanship which will keep you alive.

However I am a proponent of a person carrying the largest caliber that they can shoot accurately.  A well trained operator will handle their business with any caliber you put in their hand, unfortunately most people are not well trained and handgun encounters are rarely one shot stops.

I had seen the “Bodyguard 380” advertised but had not taken the time to really look into it, as I had not historically been a big fan of pocket guns.

Although, I am a firm believer the situation should always dictate the tactics and the tools.  With that said there is a definite place for pocket guns.

Personally I think pocket guns function best as secondary and tertiary tools.  Most have poor sighting systems, undersized grips and are often underpowered.  Probably the biggest challenge I see with them is how they are often sold.

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How to become a bodyguard: By Doc Rogers
Considering a career change from your present line of work, maybe the bodyguard industry is the right fit for you? This article gives 10 powerful thoughts to help make this a reality.

1. Do you have the ability to help others? As a bodyguard you keep your clients out of harm’s way and give them the confidence they need to achieve their business and personal goals securely.

2. Continuously learning. As a professional bodyguard you will be constantly obtaining special knowledge (expertise) from your formal training, on-the-job training and independent study (often at your own cost). You should never stop learning the trade.

3. Appreciation for different cultures.  You will gain an understanding of the world we live and work in, so you can better protect your clients. As a bodyguard you will learn about the cultures and the traditions of the countries you will be operating in as well as the respect for it’s people.

4. Great salary. Bodyguarding is a labor intensive profession. Charge your clients accordingly. You want to avoid having your fees to low or to high. Provide the best quality service at the best price, at a happy medium. As a bodyguard you won’t starve, but you won’t become a millionaire either.

5. Bodyguarding is a rewarding profession. Bodyguards have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of their clients. Bodyguards are not only rewarded with money, but also the feeling of fulfillment in keeping their clients safe.

6. Career security. Even with a weak economy bodyguards are still needed worldwide. Bodyguards rarely take pay-cuts; our salaries stay stable even in these tough economic times.

7. Job mobility.  Bodyguards can move to any part of the world and conduct business.  Bodyguarding is an excellent mobile occupation that allows you to live anywhere in the world and there’s a big world out there with lots of opportunities.

8. Prestige and respectability. The respect accorded to trained bodyguards rivals that of law enforcement and the military. Bodyguarding is considered a noblest profession, according to folklore it’s the fifth oldest profession in the world.

9. Client versatility. You have a choice of working with high powered business executives, politicians, superstar athletes, famous entertainers and celebrities, as well as everyday individuals who are under threat.

10. Life long friendships. Bodyguards develop life long friendships with other professionals throughout the world. Some of these friends will become your second family while on the road. This is one of the greatest aspects of the job.

Always keep safe and God speed.
Doc Rogers is the author of Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards and president and CEO of International Corporate Executive Protection Ltd. Doc has earned a Ph.D. in Security Administration from Southwest University and he is SE Asia’s leading expert on executive protection and corporate security. To learn how to make a full time living as a corporate bodyguard visit the websites below for more information.

http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=182707
http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Executive-Protection-Inspiring-Bodyguards/dp/1425135927
http://international-corporate-executive-protection.com/order.asp

By Doc Rogers
7 Great Ways to Improve Your Executive Protection Career
Many young EP agents discover that the competition is fierce and a good a EP career is not as easy to acquire as they have expected. When trying to improve your EP career, you should applied the following methods over a period of time; as nothing worthwhile happens overnight. Apply these following improvement tips daily and watch your career takeoff.

1. Love Your EP Career. As bodyguards we wake up each morning  protecting clients from insane or psychotic individuals who prey on the rich, famous and powerful. You’ve got to love your BG career because if you don’t love it, you’re not going to last long in the industry.

2. Read EP Literature. Devote a few hours a day reading EP and related topics to keep up on the latest EP trends, to spark new ideas and to get motivated. Because motivation is what guides and maintains your goal-oriented behavior.

3. Improve Your Physical Appearance. Make an investment in a new suit and tie, quality shoes, hair cut, join a gym to lose weight or bulk up. Remember, these are classified as investments not liabilities.

4. Join BG Associations: Join a professional association to network with other professionals in the business and to attend association workshops and meetings. A highly professional association is the North American Bodyguard Association the National the Director is Mr. Elijah Shaw.

5. Get a BG Career Mentor: Having a BG mentor is invaluable for improving your career. Professional mentors have been there and done that.  They have the experience, connections and know-how to assist you with your BG career improvement goals you wish to accomplish. Mr. Harlan (Hucky) Austin President of Bodyguards Careers has a career consulting program that is fantastic.

6. Email BG Colleagues: Keep in contact with BG colleagues in the industry you have met. If you haven’t stayed in touch, re-establish contact with an email like this: “Wanted to send you this email to say that our friendship is a strong one and you can call on me if needed at any time.” Include your website and contact information. Don’t take up their precious time or ramble on, but do let them know about any recent BG training you have received.

7. Be Results-Driven. To improve your EP career you need to be results-driven and have a mission-oriented mindset. Focus your attention on your shortcomings. Create a training regimen for yourself: advance work studies, basic and advance EP tactics, report writing and contract writing, as well as motorcade dynamics. I hope these seven tips will help you to achieve your BG career goals. Best of luck and God speed.

By Rick Colliver
In my capacity as both a “consumer” of protection services and as a member of several associations seeking to standardize and professionalize the protection industry, I spend my spare time talking to other security professionals, attending conferences and surfing the internet for protection training programs; all in an effort to identify the competent professionals in this business.

By now, most of us agree that protection is a unique career field that we can’t learn about in college, in the police academy, or by watching re-runs of our favorite crime drama. Depending on where we envision our careers going, we should embark on a never-ending pursuit of training and refinement, hopefully from competent and capable instructors. But, how do we find them?

I have often been disheartened when I have been told by school operators (or worse yet, they advertise this on their websites) that “we don’t waste time on theory…we get people out doing the hands-on stuff”.

Are you kidding me? Do you really consider protection theory a “waste of time”? What is it about the protection profession that would make us different from any other profession out there, where we feel comfortable diving into specific techniques without understanding why we’re performing them?

Would you want someone taking your tonsils out after only having watched it done a couple of times by another doctor? Or would you rather your surgeon had several years of graduate level anatomy and physiology supporting their knowledge of “where to cut”?

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Bodyguard job hunting is a job in itself, and there are many ways of going about it. Job agencies, sending out resumes and posting ads are the traditional ways to get a BG and they still work. However, there are more ways to hunt for a bodyguard job. Use the bodyguard job hunter’s checklist below for your assistance.

1. Direct approach; knocking on the door of the corporation you are interested in working for and dropping off your resume personally. This may be done whether they have posted an bodyguard job opening or not.  This is called “cold calling” contacting the corporate bodyguard department or executive protection unit directly to find out if they foresee any upcoming vacancies.

2. Most bodyguard jobs are not advertised; for this reason it is a good idea to send your resume out to corporations at random. There are always hidden BG jobs waiting to be discovered out there.

3. The old standby networking; however I believe it should be done with a new twist. Don’t ask everyone you meet you are looking for a job, first develop a relationship with that persons, let them know what resources and expertise you bring to the table. How you can help them, and not how they can help you. The more people you develop a relationship and know what you bring to the table the more opportunities you will have.

4. Target overseas companies; don’t be afraid to send your resume to overseas corporations if you are not having any luck locally. Make a list of overseas companies in the areas of operation that you would like to work. Call these overseas companies directly to see if they have any bodyguard job openings.

5. Meet directly with bodyguards; put on some professional attire and meet up with bodyguards that you have met on the social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). Again, tell them how you can assist them with their operations locally and overseas. Don’t ask for a job, build a friendship, but do bring your resume for his or her review and for verification of your bodyguard training and experience so they know you are a legitimate professional.

6. Look for temporary bodyguard employment; these type of jobs can be found at boxing, mix martial arts (MMA) events, concerts and cultural entertainment and beauty pageants, anywhere there is a need for bodyguards due to local or international stars, celebrities, VIP’s and famous individuals being in attendance. Obtaining a temporary bodyguard job at one of these events, get your foot in the door, you may be called upon for future work or it can lead to permanent bodyguard position.

I hope this has been of assistance and I wish you all Good Luck on your bodyguard job hunt. Keep safe and God speed.
http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=182707

http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Executive-Protection-Inspiring-Bodyguards/dp/1425135927

http://international-corporate-executive-protection.com/order.asp