Why wouldn’t you want someone with experience?

Anyone in the Executive Protection business, or anyone trying to get into it knows that this can be a very difficult career.  It doesn’t matter what position you are applying for there is requirement. It may be attendance at a certain school, a certain qualification such as SCUBA, or that you can run 10 miles.  Almost certainly there will be a previous work experience requirement.

This can be frustrating to those who are just getting started.  How, after all, do you get a job requiring experience if no one will hire you unless you have experience?

And if you think that’s frustrating, consider this: More than once, I’ve been told by a prospective employer, “Some of our clients will not talk to you because of your experience.” I bet you just thought to yourself that’s just not possible. But yes it is, and I’m absolutely serious.

I wonder if the people saying that have actually sat down and thought about how that really sounds.  I also wonder if the clients telling those people have thought about how that sounds as well, considering their life may depend on it one day. It might sound something like this, “Security Director Bill, I want you to find someone to protect me, but I don’t want them to have real life experience.” You can see the image of Security Director Bill walking off scratching his head wondering if he really heard that correctly can’t you?

After leaving the military I found myself a rather nice job in corporate security, which is where I learned about the Executive Protection business.  I thought to myself, that seems really interesting, and personally I couldn’t think of too many other private sector jobs that were more honorable.

That was roughly twenty years ago.  While my career has been good, it was much tougher than I thought to break into.  I started by working short-term protection details by taking vacation days from the corporate job.  My first break at a full time detail came from a former supervisor on an overseas detail at that, and did I ever get an eye opening experience look into the protection business.  Since then I’ve been able to work a variety of different details, and I count them all as good experiences.

Years ago I was lucky enough to make a good impression on the right person. How you ask? One day that same person called to say that he had talked with Dr. Kobetz; they discussed having me become their newest instructor. Not only that they wanted me to put together a 1-hour class on my experiences overseas for their 7-day program.  When I asked why I was being asked it was simply stated that not only did I have previous EP experience but that I also was one of the few that had relevant real world experience. That was one of the proudest moments of my career, going back to where it all started.

All of which brings me to today.  I have left a detail overseas, taken some well-deserved time off and caught up on life. I have also continued to teach as well as learn while at the Executive Protection Institute. Talking with fellow instructors there and others whom I look up to in this business I was shocked and have learned that there are some people out there who do not want my experience.

20 years of experience to be exact. Experience in protecting young children.  Experience with corporate executives. Experience with private family protection.   Experience working high-level government details. I have experienced small arms attacks and complex attacks involving roadside bombs, to name a few. I could go on but you get the point.

By no means am I trying to take away anything from those experienced protectors who have not worked overseas.  I know many people in this business that are extremely good at their job and have not worked overseas. They would probably do just fine should their client be attacked.  Really, what are the chances of a bomb going off here in the US?  Actually there have been a number of attempts, most notably the 2010 Times Square [attempted car bomb], and now the Boston Marathon [ongoing investigation] bombing. What are the chances of your client being shot at here in the US?  Have you seen the latest crime statistics?  Does your client travel anywhere outside the US?  The risks go up if they do.  We no longer live in the world of Ward and June Cleaver.

For the past 7 1/2 years I worked in Iraq. SURPRISE! If you haven’t figured it out yet, yes, I’m one of “those guys” as a security recruiter has sneeringly said.

Actually, I was contracted to the US Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. In other words I was now filling the role of a DSS Special Agent performing protective services out of an American Embassy and Consulate, minus any investigative role. I also had no legal law enforcement authority. I worked under authority of the US Government, had a security clearance and Diplomatic Passport.

Over the years I watched as the news media has called us everything from mercenaries to hired killers. Nothing could be further from the truth. I still am unable to equate the work I did with being a mercenary.  Protective duties have nothing in common with being a soldier for hire. I was also NOT a Private Military Contractor. I was not contracted to the military in any manner.  While I did protect military personnel and also worked along side them I was neither a mercenary or private military contractor. My job title was Protective Security Specialist so please stop using those other terms.

Getting hired required attending a 45-day training course among other things. Some of the training was very good and part had no relevance at all.  The training was fast paced, demanding, and required by the government.  That last part I would like to highlight.  REQUIRED by the GOVERNMENT.  The government made the rules, all of them.  Everything from weapons, rules of engagement, vehicles, I mean everything.  At times it seemed I was not allowed to think for myself.  Was it frustrating? At times yes it sure was.

In the early days Baghdad was out of control to put it bluntly.  There was the daily shootings, snipers, rocket and mortar attacks, multiple car bombs, roadside bombs, kidnappings, and beheadings. Chaos on a scale you couldn’t imagine unless you were there to witness some of it. The US Government mandated that all motorcades would consist of a minimum of 3 armored SUV’s and 10 personal security specialists. Was that the best way to operate given the circumstances? Yes and No. However that’s what the government wanted.

Some security details in Baghdad were able to operate using a much lower profile than the Diplomatic ones. For some it worked well, for some it turned out to be a disaster. This was a place where tactics, ingenuity, intelligence, and a little luck would keep you alive.  Our detail was slow to act but eventually tried low profile tactics.

Moving from Baghdad to another city in the Northern Kurdish region was quite the culture shock. If ever there was a place to run low profile details this was it.  Again, the government takes time to change. Eventually things turned around and motorcade profiles started getting lower.  By the time I left I was running single car movements using 2 agents. Some days it was casual dress, others it was suit and tie.  Just like a normal job, almost.

Earlier I mentioned Rules of Engagement. Just like any law enforcement agency, we were not allowed to just shoot up the town.  By now I assume some of you are wondering if I ever fired a weapon in the course of protecting someone? You may have even assumed I probably fired hundreds of rounds after that much time in Iraq. I’ll elaborate on this later just to add a little suspense.

Let’s take a look at what happens after the fact if you do? You, your team leader, and detail leader are off to see one of the DSS agents.  You bring your weapon in for inspection, unloaded of course. You are then asked to provide details on the incident, including your justification. If the agent is satisfied with your explanation you then have the pleasure of writing it all down on an official statement, in chronological order. Pretty much the same as any law enforcement officer who fires his weapon in the line of duty, except you don’t get any days off.

Others and myself have worked hard to get a good reputation for the work we performed in Iraq. I think the pile of recommendations and commendations I have speak for themselves. The one I am most proud of was from the Ambassador for actions under fire. I have even had principals I protected overseas change their opinion, one of those being a military officer who flatly stated that he hated us. At the end of the day he made a point to shake everyone’s hand and tell us how professional we were and that we had changed his view of us.

So, you are the decision maker on hiring for a security detail. You decide who will protect the life of your client. You look at resumes or interview people and try to pick out the best candidate.  You are probably considering those with the most experience.  Or are you?  You want the most experienced person to protect the life of your client; you just don’t want one with real life experience.

So I have to ask you this. When you hire off duty or retired police officers to assist your details do you lump them all into the same group as the police officers that have done stupid things or committed crimes?  Answer truthfully please.  I’m sure you don’t, because you automatically assume that a police officer with a badge is honest. Yet there are police officers that have in fact committed crimes.

When you are considering someone to protect your clients, take an honest look at the resume sitting in front of you.  Are you being honest with yourself?  Does that person have previous corporate or private family experience?  Has that person attended any EP or Security Driver training? Are you passing over a good candidate for your detail based on some bias?  Can you look at yourself in the mirror every day and say, “yes, I hired the best candidate for my client.”

So you are reading this asking yourself why are you telling me all of this? Here is the question I want you to ask me. Would you recommend that I hire someone with overseas experience? Yes and No. Not everyone I worked with overseas is cut out for protective work with corporate or private family clients. Some should not have even been overseas in my opinion; they were not suited for this in any capacity. But there was a small number who would bring an immense amount of experience to your detail. They are extremely loyal, hard working, quite skilled, and yes they would take that bullet for you. Some of us already have.

Stay tuned for Part-2…where I explain how this all equates to corporate protection and how it would benefit your organization.