If you’re a Navy Seal, SWAT Officer, or Special Forces you still need formal executive protection training to be an Executive Protection Agent. The tactics are very different.
If you are in the position to require a security detail and the presence of executive protection agents, you need to understand the right type of people to hire and what training and instincts to look for. Many high profile individuals such as celebrities and billionaires think that they should rely on the protection provided by ex military security and protection agents who used to be Navy Seals, SWAT Officers, or even in the Special Forces.
Hollywood films have only reinforced the belief that someone trained in the military is the most qualified person for the job and will keep you safe and secure. However, while these individuals are highly trained and very impressive, they may not be the right person for the job. There are a lot of reasons why ex Navy Seals or ex Special Forces will not be a good executive protection agent.
There is no question that someone with a law enforcement or military background could become a very good executive protection agent. However, they still need to be retrained for the job to ensure that the skills they use are relevant and center around keeping the client safe rather than jumping into the action or getting violent.
Keep reading to find out why you need to only hire someone who has been specially trained to be an executive protection agent and why a tough ex military guard will not necessarily keep you the safest.
The Right Training is Essential
It is undeniable that anyone who has been a Navy Seal or in the Special Forces has gone through intense and extensive training. However, this training has come from the military and is very specific. It naturally will affect instincts and reactions in a different way and may create an individual who is more prone to intense, albeit effective, reactions to threats.
While ex military individuals may be able to neutralize threats quickly and effectively, the client may be left unattended to, endangered or even injured in the process. This is not what you want in your executive protection agent. You want someone who will stay always aware of their surroundings and get you as far away from danger as quickly as possible without relying on violence or flashy tactics.
The fact of the matter is that ex Navy Seals and ex military individuals are not under trained, but they are simply not correctly trained to be executive protection agents. They may be able to take down threats and risks, but you need someone who keeps your safety and security as first priority and an executive protection agent who can prevent dangers before they even take place.
Instead, you need to hire your executive security detail from a company who fully understands what the job requires and does not simply rely on other styles of training. Choose an executive protection company that invests in its protection agents and ensures that they have the proper and relevant training that will keep you out of harm’s way no matter the danger.
Rather than looking for bulging muscles or an impressive military track record, seek out an executive protection agent who has racked up 1000s of hours of security and protection training. These protection agents will fully understand that their job is to keep the client safe no matter what and will avoid unnecessary violence or altercations in order to accomplish this.
Most academies are 1000 hours of training. If your protection agent comes from one of these backgrounds, they will have 1000 hours of training in law enforcement or as a Navy Seal. This means that when they are protecting you and if dangers arise, they will fall back on this training instead of executive protection knowledge and training.
At the end of the day, for many who have a background in military or law enforcement their 1000 hours of training does not contain anything on protecting people. Instead, training is often focused on taking down a threat or danger, but this can leave the client vulnerable to injury or harm. You need a protection agent who has 1000 hours of training all about keeping you, the client safe. When danger strikes, they will fall back on this training and knowledge and get you away from danger before taking down the threat.
Ultimately, protection training is very different. You need more than a measly 8 hours of protection training in order to be the best type of executive protection agent. 8 hours simply cannot compete with 1000 hours of military or law enforcement training. So when you become an executive protection agent or when you are hiring one, ensure that the amount of training the agent has matches or exceeds any previous training from the military or law enforcement academy.
Keeping the Client Safe No Matter What
In real executive protection, the ultimate goal is to cover and evacuate the client and get them out of harm’s way as soon as possible. The goal is that you will never have to use your gun or a weapon throughout the entirety of your career because you will be clued in on avoiding dangers and staying away from harm. In fact, martial arts is found to be an excellent ‘weapon’ for executive protection agents because it minimizes risk and is very efficient and effective.
Of course, someone with a military or law enforcement background could be an excellent executive protection agent. However, they need formal training just like anyone else. Training overrides any incorrect instincts or irrelevant training that could put the client in danger. They are simply very different training and methods and comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. This is why these individuals cannot just jump out of the military and into executive protection without any new training.
Look for an executive protection agent who has extensive protection training under their belt rather than relying on the cliche that an ex military guard or agent will keep you safe.
