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Getting Creative in Beirut

Featured Articles

Operating in Beirut: Part 2

By: Georges Tabet

Upon my group’s first meeting with our client it became quite obvious that a number of issues needed to be both addressed and resolved.  During the initial meeting with our client he stated to me, “I need you to guarantee me that I will not be killed”. This is not the first time I have heard this statement and most likely it will not be the last.

In reality, while I honestly wish that I could give someone that definitive answer of “Yes, I can guarantee you that you will not be killed”, the truth of the matter is that you cannot make that promise.  I have known many fine protective operators with an experienced team that ended up getting ambushed by a small arms contact or blown up by an IED.  It was not because of anything they did, it was just their time, and in this business as most of you working in a hostile environment know, you can only cheat the undertaker so many times before your number comes up. I’m a realist and like any good operator, I know my limitations.

After explaining this to the client, I was able to make one guarantee to him. I assured him that whoever was trying to kill him would have an extremely difficult time of succeeding. In addition, I ensured the client that my current team was a top notch group of protective specialists.  My team currently consists of Lebanese, British, and American operators who are talented, experienced and creative when putting together operational plans and then executing them.
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Bomb attack kills Afghan MP and four bodyguards

In The News

IED attack targets Afghani Government Official and bodyguard team; 4 Dead.

The violence in Afghanistan continues. On March 19th, a senior Afghan lawmaker and his four man protective detail were targeted and attacked by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in the province of Helmand.

The IED attack killed all four members of the bodyguard detail that had been assigned to protect Afghani parliament member Daad Mohammad. Daad was miraculously not injured in the attack.  The protective detail was hit in the Lashkar Gah District causing extensive damage to the vehicle they were driving.

Initial reports from the site of the ambush describe the IED attack as “well planned”, additional information suggests that the IED attack was detonated by remote control rather than being command detonated.

Bodyguard Careers contacted one of the team members that was assigned to a US backed protection detail in Helmand province to inquire about the current ground situation.  The team member reported back via e-mail that the Taliban and Al Qadia have been extremely active in this region of Afghanistan and are making strong leaps at resurrecting their extremist movement.

The region is a “hot bed” of enemy activity which caused the need for trained and experienced high threat protection team members to remain in the area. Though no one has claimed responsibility, the ambush has all the earmarks of a Taliban operation.

Interview with Latonya D. Dupas

A Professional Speaks

A (NEW) PROFESSIONAL SPEAKS

Bodyguard Careers is pleased to introduce Latonya D. Dupas. A relative newcomer to the business, Dupas is doing everything right to move forward in her pursuit of a long-term, successful Executive Protection career. Her determination and focus is inspiring and serves as a fine example of the kind of self-motivation required to succeed in what is a challenging field. She shares with us how her military and security background has served as a foundation for her career pursuit and what it is to be a female in a male-dominated profession.

BGC: How did you get your start in Executive Protection?

LDD: I have friends who work in security and they would ask me if I ever thought about being in corporate security. I think it was because my demeanor is very matter-of-fact, and straight-forward, and my skill set lends itself to Executive Protection.

My background is working with at-risk youth as both a counselor and an educator, which requires the ability to be an effective communicator; often negotiating or diffusing potentially violent situations. I also have a military background. I’ve always been a self-starter and law enforcement didn’t feel like the right fit. I started to do some research online and wrote letters to key people in the EP business.

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Dear Wannabe Employee,

Career Advice, Hucky Austin

By Hucky Austin

I know that in your mind you think you are the perfect fit for Tiger Media International. However, you failed to mention what you are applying for; was it the custodian, the receptionist or the security position?

By the way, my name is spelled “Thompson” and since I am a female, I was a little put off by the fact that you addressed me as “Mr. Terry Thomsen.” I suppose my first name threw you off. I suppose somebody didn’t do their research prior to submitting their materials.

Speaking of research, you mentioned that you “love to work with animals.” Our business, Tiger Media International, is a public relations marketing firm. No tigers. Or lions. Or bears.

Oh my.

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Not Above the Law

Executive Protection Articles

Recently it was reported that due to unpaid parking tickets, the vehicle
belonging to the security detail protecting former President George Bush’s
daughter Jenna Bush, was towed. Baltimore City has not confirmed (or
denied) if the vehicle belongs to the Secret Service, although Adrienne
Barnes with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation stated it’s a
“protective matter of national security.”

Vehicles with three or more unpaid parking tickets are being booted or
towed in the city; part of a newly launched campaign to collect unpaid
tickets. Currently, there are approximately 80,000 unpaid citations issued
by Baltimore City, which amount to $130 million in lost revenue, and the
city is intent on collecting on these fines.

Barnes was able to confirm that the “agent in charge” of Jenna Bush’s
protective detail is making arrangements for the vehicle to be released
from the impound lot.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nobody in protective service has a “get out of jail free” pass…not even
the Secret Service! I’m guessing the “agent in charge” is sporting some
bright yellow egg on his face over this snafu.

This story serves as a great lesson for two reasons:

First, it illustrates that just because an agent is protecting someone
famous doesn’t mean the rules no longer apply. If the agent decided to
park illegally, or the meter ran out, or whatever the circumstances might
have been; there will be consequences. If I choose to park in No-Parking
Zone because I feel it will be safer for my celebrity client to  disembark
the vehicle in that location–I KNOW that I’m doing something for which
(if caught) there will be consequences. If I simply forgot to feed the
meter, and the time runs out; I can expect a ticket. . . and I can assume
it is my task to be sure the ticket is paid.

Secondly, somebody isn’t minding the paperwork–an often overlooked and
necessary part of working on any detail. Surely, a ticket was left on the
car. Then, a follow-up citation was sent. Somebody was responsible for
paying for the ticket. Whoever was responsible for the maintenance,
paperwork, parking, insurance and overall management of the vehicle wasn’t
doing their job. Perhaps this was a case of “the right hand not knowing
what the left hand is doing.” Which of course brings into question the
efficiency of the Secret Service Agency; and sheds an unfavorable light on
a government run organization.

A situation like this can be very embarrassing, whether it involves a
public organization or a private client; especially if the story is leaked
to the press. It’s the kind of mistake that–depending on the
employer–might even cost an EPS his job.

Operating in Beirut

Featured Articles

Operating in Beirut: Part 1

By Georges Tabet

Beirut Lebanon was once called the Paris of the Middle East, it was a beautiful city that had culture, incredible hotels a fabulous night life and pristine white sandy beaches, but the start of a bloody 15 year civil war, that took the lives of an estimated 130000 changed this cultured and peaceful country into the wild west of the Middle East.

When the fighting ended in the spring of 1991, the country had transformed itself into a divided nation, a nation that during the hostile years had nurtured a number of groups
That had risen into powerful politically charged armed groups with names like Hezbollah, Amal (the Lebanese Resistance Detachments) and the Syrian Socialist National Party. Many of these groups are hostile towards westerners and are backed by hostile nations such as Iran and Syria.

Any protection specialist worth their salt and who has operated in Beirut after the civil war fully understands that the city and country can stay quite and non threatening for extended periods of time and then without a moments notice or escalating build up can suddenly explode into a hostile situation.

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