A bodyguard is a person who professionally protects someone (known as their principal) from personal assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats. Alternative term for bodyguard that is gaining popularity (particularly with the bodyguards themselves) is close-protection officer. Many professional training courses identify themselves close-protection training instead of body guarding training, for example.
In multi-agent units (like those protecting a celebrity or a head of state) one or more bodyguards may specialize in specific tasks, such as:
· communications/communications protection
· operation of physical security measures (regarding premises, transport vehicles and personal armor)
· intelligence, threat/vulnerability/risk assessment and analysis
· explosives and chemical detection
· sniper warfare and special weapons
· crowd screening and control
This job is unlike other security watchman’s jobs. The important person, whose life you are guarding, totally trusts you because the question of his or her life depends entirely on you. Your alertness and integrity and the sense of dedication must be of highest degree. Still, there are more traits of equal importance, this job calls for.
1. high degree of duty consciousness
2. fearlessness and courage to fight back
3. expertise in hand to hand combat technique and firearms usage
4. strong eye for suspicious people and movements
5. unmindful of 9-5 type work hours
Most Bodyguard Training courses are designed to provide you with basic first aid training, self-defense techniques and sometimes weapons training. Although not all Bodyguard jobs require that you carry a weapon, there are some Bodyguard jobs that do. A person with Military training, or Martial arts training, is usually highly regarded in the Bodyguard industry, as their skills are often needed in certain Bodyguard positions. Although you are not likely to ever have to physically grapple with a person, there is the possibility that it can occur, so knowledge of self-defense techniques are important.
There are many situations in everyday society that require a Bodyguard. For example, many film and music stars often hire Bodyguards to protect them from the possibility of kidnapping, or from the possibility of being attacked by a crazy fan. There are also less glamorous Bodyguard positions, such as protecting a bank, shopping mall, or private properties at night. Often these Bodyguard positions require you to be on your own, hence the need for self-defense skills.
What are the necessary requirements to work as a bodyguard?
Be in good Physical Condition; in that persons who are excessively overweight, or who have respiratory or heart problems or who have high blood pressure or other physical problems which would keep them from engaging in strenuous or physically challenging activities are not normally capable of performing the job of an Protection Specialist. Vision should be easily correctable to 20/20. Although age requirements are not specifically set the average is from 21 to 55. More important than the age of the bodyguard is their physical condition, their training and experience.
The psychological makeup of the Protection Specialist is also of prime importance. The candidate must be mature and precise in his ability to quickly and correctly assess a situation and respond in the proper manner as dictated by the situation at hand. He should not be overly aggressive, hostile or moody, nor should he be slow to respond or correctly adapt to quick changes in any given situation or emergency. A high degree of dedication to duty and cause is a must for the successful executive protection specialist. The ability to perform under adverse and dangerous situations is mandatory.
The Protection Specialist must have the training and aptitude in which he can defend himself and his client and have knowledge of disarming and defensive techniques which would enable him to defend himself and his client in both armed and unarmed situations and at the same time be able to maintain control of a perpetrator until the proper authorities are notified and arrive.
As a Protection Specialist you will be required to complete many tasks and have many responsibilities. The following list is a summation of some of the responsibilities you will have in the protection of your client.
1. Stay awake and aware or the changing circumstances and plan ahead so you may avoid problem areas.
2. Pre-plan a course of action as you continually re-assess the situation.
3. The hands of the persons near your client are always the greatest threat and as such you should always watch their hands and plan defensive countermeasures. "If you can't see their hands expect trouble".
4. If a close-in attack occurs then attack the weapon of the perpetrator and in doing so you may defeat the purpose of the attack.
5. Do not look directly at a suspicious person as this may result in the person attacking outside your zone of control and enable the perpetrator to successfully carry out the attack. Use your peripheral vision to keep the suspect in sight and you will not signal your scrutiny to the suspect.
6. When a potentially hazardous situation arises you should immediately escort your client from the scene to a predetermined location of safety and stay in concealment until such danger has passed.
7. Don't engage in any Confrontation. If you do, how can you know what is happening to your client during this time. The Protection Specialist should quickly escort the client from the danger while another confronts the attacker.
8.Be alert for covert diversions which may be a ploy to attack your client. (For instance: a loud commotion nearby.)
9. When people want to see your client, double-check to ensure they are among those who have the right to access of the client.
10. Protection Specialists should develop both a verbal and non-verbal method with which to maintain communications with themselves and their client to relay information on the changing circumstances.
11. A plan of the scenario at hand should include multiple escape routes and options and should be changed as necessary to stop potential perpetrators from seeing a pattern of protection develop and locations that are repeated.
12. Use of alternate routes to enter and leave a location should be random and change frequently. Alternate routes should be known to all members of the Protection Specialist team and should provide for non-emergency situations such as traffic problems as well as emergency situations.
13. The Protection Specialist should train the Client in basic survival techniques in a manner which shows the necessity of such training and actions for the survival of the client.
If you do possess the vital skills and psychological requirements for this dangerous profession, an elite career position may be available to you as a Protection Specialist with all the benefits, glamour and challenges that this unique position entails.
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Freelance writer for over eleven years.
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