From Service to Shield in Executive Protection

by Jake Mahar

Imagine a career where all your skills and experience are put into action every day. A field where anything is possible and every corner of the planet can be your playground. Truly a career that is not just a job… it is an adventure! Welcome to the world of Executive Protection.

Executive Protection goes by many names and acronyms: EP, PSS (Private Security Services), CPS (Close Protection Specialist), DPS (Dignitary Protection Service), etc. Even the Hollywood-venerable “Bodyguard” is used at times, although just about every professional in the industry hates being associated with that term. For this article, though, let’s just stick with “EP” for the purposes of this conversation.

A World with No Rules

Historically, much like “Fight Club,” the first rule of EP is you do not talk about EP. Like a whisper in the wind, you think you have seen or heard something about a job somewhere with some guys in some place doing something cool, but then it vanishes without any further insight or knowledge. That is because the industry as a whole is essentially run by a massive word-of-mouth referral network. Who you know is absolutely more valuable than what you know most of the time. This is evidenced in every multi-team detail where competencies can span the entire range from legitimate Tier-1 operators down to something akin to drunk chimpanzees with a hammer. It is truly the Wild West out here.

Therein lies the catch; you must be prepared to operate and succeed in an ecosystem that is simultaneously abstract while requiring absolute precision. The last-minute pivots and changes to mission-set become as normal as breathing. The good agents are always physically fit and at-the-ready for a day that might include 17 miles of walking, shifting within an hour from plain-clothes low-vis events to black-tie formal affairs, domestic/international flights, public and private transport logistics, and light-moderate-extreme shielding of a Principal from potential bad-actors.

All of this is done while balancing the need for the same Principal to be available to the public for interactions that enhance their image or brand, and, when you need to run interference, it is done in a way that gets the job done while not reflecting poorly on the Principal. The only “rule,” therefore, is to get your Principal from point A-to-B without harm or inconvenience. It is equal parts tactical hard-skill capabilities working symbiotically with a level of soft-skill customer service that, when done well, blends seamlessly into the background of whatever corner of the world you find yourself in.

But here is the good news: if you decide this is the place for you, your hard work and dedication to your craft will be rewarded with opportunity. A smart, fit and capable agent on a shitty team will stand out like the diamond they are, and that can absolutely be leveraged to move up and out. Corporate “poaching” happens all the time. EP agents build reputations through their reps and exposure to the masses in the field on the job, and those individuals will quite literally write their own ticket onto bigger teams with bigger budgets, further reach and generally more stability. Nothing goes unnoticed for long, and once you are in the arena with all of us, you simply cannot hide your competency or lack thereof. A dearth of events occurring with your Principal can be in spite of your actions or because of them, and while the Principal might not know the difference, the rest of us in this world seeing what is going on will.

Ready Player-One

To get started in this field you essentially need two things: an unarmed and an armed private security license. While these license names and types can vary from state to state, the general content and path to procuring them is through a structured 40-hour classroom course. Unarmed licenses are a small barrier to entry that, quite frankly, only requires a high school diploma and the ability to read. This basic license is just that: basic. It covers general security information like how to make rudimentary observations, applicable state laws, rights and responsibilities of a licensed security professional, etc. Some courses will touch on use of force and techniques/options surrounding hands-on scenarios, but many are simply sit-and-click sessions on a PowerPoint. This is the same level license you will see in the hands of static security at Target, Walmart, the mall, etc. required for those positions.

The armed license is an upgrade to the basic unarmed. Obviously, it deals with the added complexity of an armed security position. Case law, rights and responsibilities, weapons handling and a proficiency qual at the range will be standard. As anyone who has either served or worked in law enforcement can attest…the live fire qualification standards required for these positions are extremely low. We all know the type of person that cannot pass these basic quals, as well as the type who thinks passing this qual was a major achievement. In other words, check this box and actually go train.

Each state has various tweaks to the doctrine and content, but essentially if you pass the class in one you can, and will, pass in them all. That is an important item to note because, by law, having a private security license in one state DOES NOT transfer directly to having those powers recognized in any other state. The same goes for being a current law enforcement officer moonlighting or working “off-duty” in private security. You are not covered in any capacity if someone hires you for security work without a private security license regardless of LE credentials.

A large number of officers have been jammed up in personal litigation because of this. It is also a major red flag in contract acquisition with clients when experienced industry professionals see clients using off-duty cops instead of hiring licensed contractors. It shows not only their willingness to cut corners on legal requirements but also a propensity for usurping the system that is actually set up to protect both them and us. In other words, if you see this type of behavior just remember when the shit hits the fan and the blaming begins, you can almost guarantee it’s your head that will come off long before anyone else’s.

Beyond these two private security licenses, you also will need a concealed carry license (CCW). Even if your state is a Constitutional Carry state, it likely still has a concealed license you can obtain which is useful when applying for other states’ licenses. Many states have reciprocity that helps keep you from having to go and shoot quals during initial licensing or renewals.

As such, a lot of us in this industry end up carrying dozens of different state licenses for both armed and unarmed security. There are also times when a specific client or detail can recruit out-of-state talent and then issue temporary licenses for that gig under their umbrella. Depending on the path you find yourself on, this can either be a big deal or not relevant at all. What you should keep in mind is if you want to play with the big kids in this industry and make the real paychecks, you need to be ready to jump on a job in any state or country at a moment’s notice. That means having multiple active licenses, multiple active concealed carry licenses, your passport, a TWIC (Transportation Workers Identification Card), TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Clear, petty cash for both CONUS and OCONUS destinations, etc. along with go-bags of clothing and kit that can pass through carry-on without issue.

Who Does #2 Work For?

The potential clients and Principals you could find yourself working for is quite literally anyone on the planet just short of POTUS. State department officials, elected representatives, social media influencers, actual famous celebrities, globally worshiped demigod athletes, public and private UHNWI (Ultra High Net Worth Individuals) are all literally on the table. You could also find yourself rogering up for a gig that pays $70/hour to essentially stare at sheetrock walls and hallways while you hurry up and wait… for a week… in Spokane… for 12 hours a day… with no one to talk to… because there is the chance a hostile-terminated employee could walk into a building. And you will take that job and paycheck with a great big smile on your face because this industry is big wave surfing at its finest and you are certainly not going to miss a major set of income waves when they come your way.

Finding Purpose Again

The true immeasurable commodity of this industry is the real reason this article was written. Whether you had a full career or not in law enforcement, military, fire or any other Team > Individual organization, thousands of us lose that sense of direction and purpose in the private sector once we are out. The honeymoon phase of leaving a service position for the “greener pastures” of the private sector fades incredibly quickly. It usually happens when you realize there is no one coming to help you, the overwhelming failure rate of businesses is insane, and the lack of community and team that you desperately wanted to create is usurped by the cutthroat nature of private industry.

It isn’t just a loss of team that hurts, though; it can quickly become a loss of identity. If you are the type who values maintaining skills, capabilities, etc. you can soon become disenfranchised when you see others “winning” contracts and building revenue while compromising everything you personally value. You are most likely going to be faced with an incredibly difficult decision of taking a paycheck from an entity you cannot stand just to keep the lights on and food on the table for your family and yourself, or taking the moral high ground and going hungry/cold/foreclosing/etc. The unfortunate nature of being an adult and working in this world is you sometimes have to choose from bad and worse options.

The vast majority of us are truly rudderless when we separate from service for all of these reasons and more. The aim of this article is to show you or someone you know there is an entire world out there that has the potential to give you everything you need after service. Even though it is not formally a trade industry like electricians, plumbers, welders, etc. it certainly can function like one. The trades are built around jobs requiring specialized skills rather than a four-year college degree, while providing career advancement opportunities through ongoing training, apprenticeships and more. Our world of Executive Protection is identical to this if you approach it the same way. The overwhelming majority of highly successful professionals in this industry took all of their experience from their military or first responder communities and applied it directly to this craft. You can too.

If you think you are ready to jump in, or want to learn more about Executive Protection, feel free to reach out any time. The industry is always in need of stronger agents pushing the standards even higher!

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As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.