You see, while Hucky does a good job of playing the role of “Good Cop” on this site, I have the unenviable role as being the “Bad Cop” when it comes to keeping Bodyguard Careers running smoothly. I am the Yin to Hucky’s Yang. The Jackie Chan to Huck’s Chris Tucker. The Vanilla Ice to Hucky’s MC Hammer (ok, that is a stretch).

As you already know, Bodyguard Careers provides useful information and services to our readers that we feel are among the best in the Executive Protection Industry. From weekly feature articles to job postings to monthly emails to a robust resume submission system, we try to provide something for everyone who visits the site. All of these services are FREE to our visitors, and are funded by revenue that we receive through advertisements on the right and left hand sides of our blog.

Until now, these ads have provided sufficient revenue to cover our hosting charges, email delivery fees and development costs. Unfortunately, revenue has been on a steady decline, and the site is no longer carrying its own weight. Call it the economy or call it something else, but the bottom line is this; we need help in order to keep this site up and running.

This brings me to the reason why I write this post. I wanted to point out a new feature that you will see on the right hand sidebar of the site. This is a “donate” button from Paypal that allows you to donate money to help support our site. We are not asking for much, but if you could spare a few dollars, it will go a long way toward keeping this site alive and thriving.

If you want to keep Bodyguard Careers FREE, please DONATE today. $1,$5, $20, any little bit counts!

(Note: You can donate by clicking on the donate button on the right side of the screen)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Female bodyguards, tell us  your thoughts.

Just 2 Seconds

By: Gavin de Becker

Review By: Bruce Alexander from Executive Protection News

I just finished reading “Just 2 Seconds” by Gavin De Becker, Tom Taylor and Jeff Marquart. If you had to buy only one book this year on executive protection, this is it. Part philosophical, part practical, part tactical, part academic and part historical, “Just 2 Seconds” covers the essence and essentials of preventing an attack on a principal.

The book has three main themes. The first theme addresses attack methodologies from the perspective of how time, distance and space impact both the attacker and the protector. This sets the basis for the second theme which is how to implement preventative strategies and techniques which capitalize on the attackers’ limitations as manifested by time, distance and space. The third aspect of the book is a “compendium” of attacks that is probably the single most comprehensive collection of various criminal and terrorist attacks relevant to executive protection.

The book reflects the thorough research which has come to characterize books written by Gavin De Becker. This trait is most evident in the attack compendium. The attack compendium is an excellent collection of various attacks that have occurred around the world. What is particularly unique about this section is that various attack methodologies are depicted which are then cross referenced by the authors to illustrate either preventative or protective measures which had an impact on the attack. Not every attack is directly related to executive protection however this does not diminish the value of the book since there is a learning lesson associated with every example.

The book also contains additional material which by itself, is worth the price of the book, De Becker shares  various forms and techniques that his firm uses when providing executive protection. The form he provides to his clients regarding how they should conduct themselves in regards to crowd situations is an exceptional resource. There are also several practical executive protection techniques that his firm uses which are worth replicating.

Between the advice, techniques, examples and case studies, this book would be a bargain at twice the price. My only complaint about the book is that I didn’t write it.

Bruce Alexander

By Fred Burton and Ben West

The U.S. presidential campaign trail presents a host of challenges for the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protective detail assigned to cover the presidential candidates, something we’ve discussed previously. Major presidential candidates have been afforded USSS protection since the 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy at a campaign event. Due to the nature of modern presidential campaigns, the candidates’ schedules are packed with events that often start at breakfast and continue long after dinner. Candidates also hopscotch across the country, often visiting several cities in a day and sometimes visiting multiple venues in the same city.

The Security Challenge of Campaign Season

In the last weeks before the Nov. 4 election, the campaign of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama hit several different cities in one day, meaning that several teams of advance agents were deployed around the country at any given time. For example, on Nov. 3, Obama visited Jacksonville, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Manassas Park, Va. Campaign managers often adjust itineraries on the fly to meet the needs of the campaign.

This tempo constantly forces protection agents into new environments with very little time to plan and implement security measures. Wherever Obama traveled during the campaign, USSS agents would send advance teams to scout airports and motorcade routes, plan security for campaign sites, conduct liaison with local police and keep tabs on any persons of interest during the visit. The advance agents are supplemented by teams of extra agents to help secure sites; dog handlers and explosive ordnance disposal technicians to check for explosive devices; and uniformed officers to help control access to sites, man metal detectors and provide countersniper support.

Due to the nature of political campaigns, once a candidate like Obama lands and safely arrives at an event location, there is frequently tremendous exposure to the public. This is true not just on stage behind a podium but also as the candidate works the crowd, shaking hands, kissing babies and talking to voters. As seen during the May 1972 attempted assassination of George Wallace and the later attempts against presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, it is during these times of close interaction with the public that a VIP is at the highest risk. Would-be assassins can use the crowd for camouflage and quickly get a close shot at the VIP, leaving little time for agents to respond to the threat. Because of this, working the crowd is a difficult task and one protection agents hate. Fortunately for the Obama protective detail, with the election period over they will find themselves in these kinds of situations less frequently.

Finally, there is the issue of the USSS being stretched very thin due to the nature of an election season. The USSS is charged with protecting former presidents and first ladies as well as, of course, the first family and the vice president. But during an election season, the presidential and vice presidential candidates are also assigned a security detail. Due to the perceived threat against Obama, a detail equivalent to a full presidential protection team was assigned to him. Such a high level of protection is unprecedented for a presidential candidate, and it helped stretch the USSS very thin.

Now that the election is over, Obama’s schedule will be greatly simplified, and it will take far less manpower to cover him. Obama will certainly have some travel, but the majority of this time probably will be spent between Chicago and Washington. This will allow the USSS agents protecting him to catch a breather and to establish a more secure, stable perimeter around the president-elect. Sen. John McCain’s protective detail also will be eliminated, freeing up even more bodies. The relative calm of the transition period will end with the January 2009 inauguration ceremony and festivities, the next serious headache the USSS will face.

Past Threats to U.S. Presidents

U.S. presidents always face an array of threats. Four U.S. presidents have been assassinated: Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy. Assassination attempts have frequently occurred, with every president since Richard Nixon having been targeted for assassination, with some threats more credible than others.

The tremendous amount of power and symbolism of the office makes U.S. presidents prime targets for assassination. Obama will be no exception. But in addition to bearing the title of president, Obama also will be the first black president — something that introduces a whole new and more serious threat matrix. Obama uniquely faces a threat from white supremacist groups, some of which believe a black president should be killed.

Two plots to assassinate Obama were broken up during the campaign season, and several more remain under investigation. During his campaign, Obama was the target of a few threats that attracted considerable press coverage but in the end didn’t amount to much. Press portrayals aside, reviewing the facts establishes that these incidents were certainly not viable threats to Obama.

In one instance, authorities announced in late August that three Colorado men had been arrested after police found illegal weapons and methamphetamines on the men. During interrogation, federal agents learned that the group of methamphetamine users had discussed harming Obama. One of the men wore a swastika ring, indicating a possible link to the neo-Nazi movement. In the end, though, the three men were indicted on drugs and weapons charges alone, as the U.S. attorney overseeing the case said the evidence was insufficient to charge the men with conspiring to do bodily harm to a presidential candidate. While the group had discussed the topic, it apparently had made no overt acts in furtherance of an attempt, an element required to bring conspiracy charges.

In another instance, two young men from Tennessee and Arkansas who had conspired to go on a crime spree that would end with an attempt on Obama’s life were arrested Oct. 22. Their scheme was outlandish from the start, and included robbing a gun store, killing 88 blacks and beheading 14 (both significant numbers to the white supremacist movement) and then performing their coup de grace on the presidential candidate while dressed in white tuxedos and top hats. As it was, the two managed only to be scared off by dogs during an attempted home burglary, shoot out a window of a nearby African-American church and draw neo-Nazi symbols on their car in sidewalk chalk. The two had met to discuss their plans on a Web site associated with white supremacists and skinheads. While their plan hardly got off of the ground, the two did show a high level of enthusiasm for their mission that certainly could be replicated within the white supremacist movement.

White Supremacists and an African-American President

The Obama presidency occurs against the unfortunate backdrop of a history of assassinations of prominent African-American leaders in the United States. These have included Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. (Evers’ assassin was a Ku Klux Klan member, while King’s assassin, James Earl Ray, at the very least harbored racist sentiments.)

Broadly, there are three schools of thought among white supremacist groups on how to view Obama’s election.

The first school of thought is that someone should (or will) threaten Obama because of his race since his election has outraged white supremacists. While publicly making such a call is grounds for arrest, plenty of white supremacist blogs and Web message boards talk of the inevitability of an attack on Obama in a very suggestive way. This school of thought believes that such an attack would inflame racial tensions, sparking riots along the lines of those that followed the 1968 King assassination. Such violence would be viewed as positive in this thinking, as open combat between whites and blacks would bring their ideology to the forefront.

The second school, reflecting perhaps the most widely echoed dogma within the white supremacist movement, believes that an Obama presidency benefits their movement since it will serve as a wake-up call to white America. Once Americans of European descent realize how far they have fallen now that a black man has been elected to the most powerful office in the country, goes the argument, they will flock to join white supremacist groups to reassert their power. An Obama presidency, this school argues, is thereby good for the white supremacists since it would swell their membership rolls and give them more influence and publicity. Former Louisiana state representative and Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke supports this line as does fellow white supremacist leader Tom Metzger.

This second school of thought is bolstered by the argument that the other candidates weren’t going to be any better, as they were all under the influence of the even more despised Zionist Occupation Government (ZOG). Adherents of this anti-Semitic conspiracy theory believe that Jews pull the strings behind a puppet U.S. government. Obama, in their opinion, is at least not under the heavy influence of Jewish interests. This line of reasoning is in no way an endorsement of Obama, but more of an instance of them making the best of a situation they see as terrible for whites in the United States.

The third and last school of thought holds that the U.S. government, which is secretly controlled by the ZOG, is plotting to attack Obama itself. This group believes ZOG will blame white supremacists for the killing, which they will use as an excuse to clamp down on white supremacist hate speech as well as gun ownership.

Conspiracies and Lone Wolves

The USSS is much more adept at countering group conspiracies than lone wolf actors. Lone wolves are very, very difficult to uncover, especially if they remain isolated and tell no one of their plans. Groups are much easier to track, as their movements are more noticeable and their operational security weaker, as all members must remain silent to keep the plot clandestine. The money trail is also a dead giveaway for groups, as outside organizations will often fund their operations, helping them buy equipment and supplies in preparation for an attack.

Considering this, white supremacist groups are under very tight surveillance by U.S. federal law enforcement agencies, and scrutiny of their activities will only increase as Obama takes office. As seen in the Tennessee case, online discussions and postings can come back to haunt Internet collaborators. It would be very difficult for even a small group to operate below the radar of not just the USSS but also the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency, all of which will have their proverbial ear to the ground to protect the president — one of the most important national security missions these groups have.

The lone wolf, in the end, poses the most likely threat to Obama, and to any target for that matter. The lone wolf’s ability to act alone, keeping his intentions, activities and whereabouts to himself, makes it very difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify a threat before it is too late. But the lone wolf also must be very smart and have some access to resources such as weapons and vehicles — characteristics severely lacking in the two cases above that targeted Obama.

The real threat emerges when intent and capability are joined. White supremacists have the intent, but so far have not exhibited capability. We would expect federal authorities to uncover many more plots to attack the president that have been hatched by white supremacist ideologues. So long as they remain amateurish like those in Denver and Tennessee, the president remains secure from the white supremacist threat. But if a combination of ideology and ability to act as a lone wolf comes along, the threat level rises.

Given the ties that figures within the white supremacist movement like Duke have with hostile foreign countries such as Russia and Iran, a scenario comes to mind in which a foreign country could secretly fund and train a low-level member or simply a sympathizer of the white supremacist movement to carry out an assassination. Duke has praised Russia’s nationalist movement and has traveled there several times. He also attended a 2006 Holocaust denial conference in Tehran, Iran, where he was in general agreement with the Iranian regime.

Indications of such foreign connections have come up during investigations of past assassinations. Lee Harvey Oswald attempted to obtain Cuban and Soviet visas in Mexico City before he assassinated JFK. Recently, declassifications have tied Oswald to known KGB assassin Valery Kostikov. While these circumstances alone are not enough to conclusively link outside meddling with the JFK assassination, they certainly do raise questions. Additionally, Ray fled to Europe on a fake Canadian passport after killing King. He was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport two months after the King assassination with large amounts of cash, indicating Ray had outside help in the killing.

Presidential security is a serious national security matter. A successful (or even unsuccessful) attack on a president causes instability in the United States and in the wider world. And given the especially delicate balance that the United States, Russia and countries of the Middle East are striking right now, an attack on the president would destabilize U.S. foreign policy and have a heightened impact on national security. Domestically, the assassination of the country’s first black president would run the risk of devastating race relations — and white supremacist movements see themselves as substantially benefiting from racial strife.

This report may be forwarded or republished on your website with attribution to www.stratfor.com.

1) Weak Executive Protection Foundation

Today’s EP specialists are professionally trained. Gone are the days of hiring a big and menacing individual. If you do not have training on your resume, consider investing in your future by taking courses with one of the better schools we’ve recently highlighted at this website.

2) You’re Not Conducting Due Diligence

You say you’ve sent out 30 resumes, but have had no response? Well, have you done your part and taken the time to investigate the companies or individuals to whom you’ve sent your materials? Are you certain they are hiring? Did you carefully follow the submission directions? I recently posted an ad for an associate who needed applicants with a Bachelor’s Degree. Do you know how many resumes I received from individuals who did NOT have a degree?  The ad didn’t say “Bachlor’s Degree preferred but not required” (which would mean it’s fine if you don’t have a degree). Sending resumes for a position, when you don’t have the required skills, is a waste of time and energy. It sends a message that you can’t follow directions.

3) Where’s Your Tenacity?

“Tenacity” means follow-through, the dogged determination to succeed in this field. So you sent out a resume on a hot job prospect. Assuming you are indeed qualified, and follow directions well, then most important thing to understand is that executive protection is a “stick to it” kind of profession. A lot of people want to do this kind of work, but most give up too easily. You hear stories all the time about  people who submit manuscripts and are rejected-a good example is Jack Canfield, motivational speaker and creator of the “Chicken Soup For the Soul” series who says he received 144 rejections before a publisher believed in him and his idea. (By the way, the way book publishing works, you can only send out your manuscript to one publisher at a time, and then you wait as many as 6 weeks for a response! Now THAT’s tenacity!) He is now a millionaire many, many times over.

4) No Network

Many jobs in this field are filled without the need to place an advertisement. Word-of-mouth and professional friendships or personal friendships can keep the opportunities within a small network of talent. You need to figure out how to develop a network for yourself. Developing a network requires research and creativity. There is something important that networking allows, in addition to access to information. It is an opportunity to showcase your personality, your people skills, your sense of humor and intelligence. These are valuable assets to securing work in the field. Let people get to know you, beyond your resume or bio. Develop some friendships with like-minded individuals without an agenda.

5) Creativity in Your Pursuits

You’ve heard the expression “think outside the box” which means, don’t think in the same old way! There’s a great story about a car salesman who worked for Lexus. During lean times, people aren’t out shopping for cars and the dealership just wasn’t getting any customers. So, he worked out a deal with a local upscale country club, and brought 10 cars where he offered patrons the opportunity to test drive the vehicles. He not only made his quota, but automobile sales for the dealership went through the roof! Think about how you can get to the people who need your services outside of the usual “send a resume.” People have resources and potential contacts at their fingertips, but often don’t have the courage to start a dialogue or friendship with someone who could be of help.

6) Reinvent Yourself

When times are tough, and you need to work to survive, it may be a good time to reframe yourself and what you have to offer. Think about this: We’re coming into the holiday season. There are a lot of country clubs, hotels, concert venues, theaters, restaurants, clubs, and department stores that will be hosting special events which may require either executive protection or even simple security services. It may not be big money or glamorous, but you’re adding to your resume, perhaps learning or using some new skills, and perhaps networking by meeting private individuals or entertainers or executives who DO need executive protection beyond the holidays. Have your business cards on hand, you never know when a conversation with an executive at a hotel function could lead to a job! Tell him/her that you’re moonlighting doing security for holiday money but that you are a trained and qualified Executive Protection specialist. Be professional, warm but not aggressive or overly pushy about it. You need to finesse these situations.

Revamp your resume and cover letter. Freshen it up! If you’ve been using the same materials for a year, and not getting anywhere, think about spending the money to revise it. Work with a professional who can guide you in creating a stronger resume and eye-catching cover letter. Bodyguard Careers can help you

Due to popular demand, the International Academy of Executive Protection Agents is going to offer another round of courses in Washington D.C Las Vegas and New York, the first and second week of February. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from one of the top professionals in the business!

For more information please contact Harlan Austin via email:

hucky@bodyguardcareers.com

For more than twenty five years British born Jacquieline Davis survived as one of the top operators in a male dominated profession - the secretive, often dangerous world of covert operations. After leaving the police force she worked as a bodyguard, where her training - which included combat training - and a willingness to risk everything for “the client”, led her into increasingly dangerous operations, so much so that she became recognised as “The World’s Top Female Bodyguard”.

Her book, The Circuit is a fascinating account of one woman’s amazing experiences involving the dangerous job of rescuing children and adults around the world to the more glittering world of guarding well-known celebrities such as Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli and J.K. Rowling. Available from amazon.com or www. jacquiedavis.com

BGC: How did you get started in the Executive Protection Field?

JD: Back in the 1970’s, police pay was very poor and everybody moonlighted to earn more money. Working as a bodyguard  was one of those jobs we were asked to do. Our Pay as a bodyguard was £30 per day for 12 hours.  It was a fortune to us as police take home pay was about £120 per month ($240 dollars at today’s rate).  I was then asked by an agency if I would like to train as a Bodyguard, I said yes and the rest is history.

BGC: Who are your typical clients? Celebrities? Executives?

JD: Most of my clients are Executives, I shy away from the pop bands and singers, they have minders, not Bodyguards.

BGC: What is a “minder?”

JD: A minder is like a doorman–all brawn and no brains and no training.

BGC: Has the demand for female bodyguards/CPOs increased, or have women been able to break “the glass ceiling” and so are finding success in this type of work?

JD: The work has always been open to women but very few applied to do the job, I don’t think many women knew it existed.  It will always be a man’s world and I have no problem with that, men work just as well on teams for me as females.

BGC: What advice to you have for new people (particularly women) who are interested in getting into this field?

JD: Get a basic sense of discipline and fitness and be prepared to learn new skills that may seem alien to you at the moment. Do not expect to do a CP course (close protection) and them automatically get a job. You may have to send out lots of CV’s (resumes) before someone calls you. Leave your feminist views at home. Be as good as you can be but accept that women are a minority in this industry,

BGC: What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions about the bodyguard/EPS field?

JD: People think we lead a glamorous life and although we do travel in private jets and stay in five star hotels–after 12 to 16 hours of thinking on your feet–believe me, it is not glamorous.

BGC: While protecting a client, what has been the most dangerous or challenging situation you’ve had to handle?

JD: I had a client whose family had been killed and a hit had been put out on him and his surviving 4-year-old daughter. I was brought in to guard them. The people after him were foreign government agents so we had to move around the world often staying in hotels or safe houses for a couple of nights before moving on, not easy when you have a four year old asking “why?” all the time.

BGC: Are there any interesting or unusual differences you’ve noticed between EP work in the United Kingdom and in the United States? Are the expectations different? Are there more opportunities for women in Europe?

JD: I have to say–having recently opened an office in Los Angeles–I am shocked by the lack of training American bodyguards have. In the UK to work as a  Bodyguard you have to complete a 150-hour course then take an exam and be licensed by a government department. I shall now be running CP/EP courses in the USA to bring any Americans that want to work for me up to European standards. They will then also be eligible to apply for a British SIA license and work in Europe.

There is a lack of female bodyguards in the USA and we are addressing this issue. I will be conducting a lecture tour of the West coast to talk to female groups about security work and how they can get into it.  I did this on the East coast a few years ago and I now have a few female Bodyguards in that area. For more information, visit www.greymans.com. I am the director of Protective

Services, which means I deal with the clients, put EP teams together and often act as Team Leader. I am also a qualified Instructor in Executive Protection and Surveillance.

BGC: Can you share both your favorite and least favorite aspects of working in Executive Protection (we really want to help new people to fully grasp what this work is about!)

JD: May favorite aspect is the travel and meeting people who are usually at the top of their field, and making friends for life. After all, your life depends on your team mates’ actions. My least favorite aspect is the long hours. Working with an ungrateful or non-cooperative client, or a client who has employed you as an expert but then proceeds to tell you how to do your job, disregards your advice and then gets into either an accident or worse…just look at what happened to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, when Fayed senior ignored the advice of the bodyguards. Also, working within the constraints of a tight budget that stretches the team thin.

One of the most important things you need to do for your career is make people aware of who you are. As Professor Leonard Holifield suggests in his recent interview, one way is to create a website to promote yourself and your skills.

Another useful method is sending out resumes to as many potential employers as possible. Who needs bodyguards? Celebrities! One of the most powerful informational tools you can obtain is The Celebrity Black Book

2008: Over 55,000 Accurate Celebrity Addresses. This book can significantly expand your database of contacts.

A great feature of the Celebrity Black Book is that you can pay a small fee and have online access to the latest information–actors, musicians, sports figures and the like are often changing agents, business managers, and public relations people. A free 30 day test-drive of Contact Any Celebrity’s membership Web site and online database is available (just mail or fax the coupon included with the Celebrity Black Book).

It is important to understand that you may never hear from these individuals. The success of your endeavors depend on a number of issues:

First, your cover letter and resume have absolutely got to be top-notch.

These people are barraged by people in the industry, media, charitable companies, autograph seekers and yes, the public at large, which may include strange, obsessive and bizarre people!!

Anything less than articulate, professional, well-crafted materials will simply be thrown away.

Secondly, the individual may not NEED your services AT THIS TIME. They may just not have the time to send a (qualified) candidate a letter, but those (again, top-notch) materials may be going into a folder for future needs.

You just won’t be informed of that.

Thirdly, you cannot expect one cover letter and resume to get you noticed.

Persistence is the key to succeeding. I personally know the story of a junior executive who wanted very much to land a particular client. He called the client’s office every Thursday at the same time and left a message. He never got a return call, but he continued to call every Thursday at the exact same time, leaving his name, company and telephone number. He did this for over 6 months. Finally, the potential client called, impressed by the persistence this young man showed. He granted him a meeting, and the junior executive landed the client–the biggest in the history of the company–and landed himself a six-figure position with the company!

Lastly, the above referenced story is only as successful as that all-important meeting was successful. They say that “Luck” is “where Opportunity and Preparation Meet” and it is true! You can be the most persistent person on the planet, but when it comes time to deliver, you’d sure better have the goods! You need to be able to interview well and “pitch” whatever it is you’re selling–especially when it comes to Hollywood!

The Celebrity Black Book can be very helpful to you, but don’t spend the money on this resource until you have a cover letter and resume that warrants the cost of the book, your time and any postage you’ll spend getting your materials into their hands. It is also now available in Kindle format from Amazon. VISIT CELEBRITY BLACK BOOK TO READ REVIEWS AND LEARN MORE.

by Leroy Thompson Paladin Press, 1984 120 Pages

This book is certainly dated, but has some good information. It has somewhat more fluff than substance, but is an entertaining read. Topics related to bodyguarding include: protecting and securing the home, office, and automobiles, threat assessment, weapons and tactics. There’s alot about the “perks” of this type of work, and the author highlights the glitz and glamour of the job. A good primer for someone curious and looking for an overview of the profession.

Looking for Executive Protection Specialist with a minimum of five years domestic, corporate EP team experience, preferably several years with a CEO/family. Candidates
need to be athletic and in excellent physical condition with a Bachelor’s degree.

Good salary, OT, Bonus, paid relocation and great benefit package, to include a take home car and gas card. For immediate consideration, please e-mail your resume as word attachment to hucky@bodyguardcareers.com