There is a common misperception that if you're looking for a bodyguard, all you need is a large man who knows how to use his fists and a gun. But while it is true that those skills can come in handy in a scuffle or a gunfight, an executive protection agent who has to use his fists or firearm against a threat has failed. That isn't to say that self-defense techniques or weapons proficiency are bad things; protection agents should certainly be well-trained in armed and unarmed combat. But they are rightly considered tools of last resort that, in theory, should be employed only in worst-case scenarios. They should not become the answer to every problem. When all is said and done, effective executive protection is more about the mental strengths of the agents or teams involved -- their ability to prepare for, plan for and recognize a threat --...
