THIS WEEK home
 

THE NEW BODYGUARDS
 

NARRATION:
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A HOLLYWOOD ACTION FILM. COMPLETE WITH CAR STUNTS AND SQUEALING TIRES. BLAZING GUNS AND SPECIAL AGENTS BREAKING THROUGH ROADBLOCKS. BUT THIS ISN’T MAKE BELIEVE, THIS IS THE EXECUTIVE PROTECTION INSTITUTE NEAR WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA. IT TRAINS AND PROVIDES A NEW KIND OF BODYGUARD, WHAT THE INSTITUTE CALLS A PERSONAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, AND ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE.

NAT SOUND
“Steven Spielberg left the courthouse after telling the judge that he still believes he still remains the target of Jonathan Norman.”

NARRATION:
THE NEED FOR PROTECTION IS FUELED BY DAILY HEADLINES. FROM THE STALKING OF FILM DIRECTOR STEVEN SPIELBERG AND OTHER HOLLYWOOD NOTABLES, TO THE HARMLESS, BUT EMBARRASSING, PIE IN THE FACE FOR MICROSOFT FOUNDER BILL GATES. IN FACT, IT WAS A BODYGUARD WHO SAVED MADONNA FROM A STALKER WHO INTENDED TO SLIT HER THROAT. DAVID MUSSER IS A PERSONAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST AND AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE INSTITUTE.

DAVID MUSSER
“You have some of the most visible people in the world depending on you to keep them safe. They depend on you to keep their families safe and they depend on you to keep their secrets.”

NAT SOUND
“If you find a suspicious device, never remove the device. Always move you and your principal and anyone else away from the device. Don’t touch the device!”

NARRATION:
THE TRAINING PROGRAM AT THE INSTITUTE IS BRIEF BUT INTENSIVE. IT LASTS SEVEN DAYS WITH OVER 100 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION. AND IT IS NOT CHEAP WITH TUITION AT NEARLY $3,000. MANY OF THE STUDENTS ALREADY WORK ON SECURITY DETAILS FOR MAJOR COMPANIES, WHILE OTHERS ARE HOPING FOR A NEW CAREER PATH. OVER THE WEEK, THE STUDENTS ATTEND A WIDE VARIETY OF COURSES. BUT NOT ALL ARE AS EXCITING AS THE DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS.

THERE ARE CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS ON BUSINESS PROTOCOL AND SEMINARS ON VARIOUS LEGAL ISSUES, AND A COURSE ON FIREARMS, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CLOSE RANGE DEFENSIVE FIRE. THE WEEK ENDS WITH A MOCK PROTECTION ASSIGNMENT. HERE THE STUDENTS PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT THEY LEARNED DURING THE WEEK. THEY HAVE WHAT IS CALLED IN THEIR BUSINESS A “PRINCIPAL” TO PROTECT, AND A WIDE VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTS TO DEAL WITH. NONE OF IT WAS TERRIBLY GLAMOROUS OR ACTION PACKED. IN FACT, THE INSTITUTE HOPES TO PUT AN END TO THE OLD IMAGES OF THE BODYGUARD.

WHILE THEY FEEL IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE PREPARED, THEY SEE THE PERSONAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST AS A SERVICE ORIENTED ESCORT THAT IS CONCERNED WITH EVERY ASPECT OF THE CLIENTS’ COMFORT, NOT JUST THEIR SECURITY. RICHARD KOBETZ THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE POINTS OUT.

RICHARD KOBETZ:
“Business is being concerned with details, absolute details. People don’t sweat the small stuff, and it is all small stuff. Well, in the protective business that is what you are paid to do.”

NARRATION:
THE STUDENTS IN OUR MOCK PROTECTION SCENARIO FAILED TO PREVENT AN INTRUDER FROM TOUCHING THEIR PRINCIPAL. THE STUDENTS WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD. FOR MATT KERRAS IT WAS A LESSON LEARNED.

MATT KERRAS:
“It is a very unfortunate situation. What happened, we were walking through a mall, there was a dog on our left side, and she sort of came back and said, 'Woa, there is a dog!' Perhaps she didn’t like dogs… I wanted to go up and block the dog… make sure the dog didn’t get too close. Then all of the sudden from our back right we got hit.”

NARRATION:
AND SO IT GOES, ATTENTION TO ONE DETAIL LEADS TO TROUBLE WITH ANOTHER AND THIS TIME THE TRAINING FAILS. BUT TODAY IT’S JUST PRACTICE. LIKE A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE. IT’S ALL MAKE BELIEVE. PERHAPS NEXT TIME THOUGH, IT WON’T BE.

THIS IS STEVE FRANK, VOA-TV.

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