Security Guard/Bodyguard?

Mr. anderson · Post by **Mr. anderson** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:14 pm

Hey all,

Recently I became quite sick of intellectual work (one may say that I have been at least temporarily, if not permanently been traumatised by school...). So I thought of starting a career as bodyguard or security guard - maybe first join the police (or the likes) to gain experience.
Does anyone here have any experience in that kind of field, or can anyone tell me whether its a good idea to (in their opinion, of course) do so? And can anyone give me some kind of outline what such a career would look like?
I'd love to hear a lot of feedback!

Post by **Calisson** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:25 pm

I'd say Join the Navy!
No kidding, I've been there for 25 years and still enjoying it.
What does everyone here actually do?
Beware it is often as boring as would be security guard! But at least you would change you horizons.

May I suggest you added some clarifications about what is your background?

Post by **Kinslayer** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:35 pm

Aparently if you have had a job in any armed servives, be them police army navy air force fire etc you can easily find security guard work afterwards.

Irtehdar · Post by **Irtehdar** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:35 pm

I dont have much experience in that line of work. Ive worked as bouncer but thats about it.
I have a friend(labeled ''best'') who is a professional soldier and has been thinking seriously about going into police work.
He decided to not go the ''police'' route because he has friends who do not follow the letter of the law and he did not feel comfortable with the fact that he could risk being forced to either do a raid on a good friends home or loose his job.

Anyway I think you would need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is this lifestyle with its ups and downs something your friends and family can live with?
2. How dangerous is that line of work where you live?
3. Could this ruin other aspects of your life?
4. Do you have friends or family who regularly does things outside the confines of the law? (smokes controlled substances, downloads pirate software, etc)

I would say you should consider not only yourself but also your social circle if you wish to pursue such a line of work.
I dont know you well enough(at all) to give you any solid advice on the matter.

Anyway if you choose to go down such a path, in most countries military experience wont actually hold any real value but it looks damn good on a ''police academy application'' and probably would look good on any application in that field of work.

Mr. anderson · Post by **Mr. anderson** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:01 am

Thanks for the replies

May I suggest you added some clarifications about what is your background?

How do you mean? I am still at school and currently trying to work out what I want to do after school (less than half a year until I finish high school), and even though I planned to go to university, lately I felt a kind of... aversion towards that...

Beware it is often as boring as would be security guard! But at least you would change you horizons.

Well, I was not so much looking at becoming a security guard, more bodyguard work, really. Security guard is just something in the same area so I thought there would be some similarities.

I'd say Join the Navy!

I thought of joining the army, but I am not so sure about that... if I will join the army I think I'd rather be looking at becoming a pilot, or at least work in the air force (I don't know whether it'd be in the German or Australian army though).

Is this lifestyle with its ups and downs something your friends and family can live with?

The only family I have is parents, siblings and grandparents, and I am sure they won't mind. I have complete freedom of choice which area I want to work in.

How dangerous is that line of work where you live?

I'm not trying to sound like I want to be an action hero or something, but I don't mind danger at all, really.

Could this ruin other aspects of your life?

Hardly... I haven't established any kind of career yet as I'm still at school

Do you have friends or family who regularly does things outside the confines of the law? (smokes controlled substances, downloads pirate software, etc)

I myself have stayed on the safe side of the law and most of my friends have too, so working for the police should not be a problem at all, especially since I do not intend to work for the police for very long.

HUZZAH!

Amaya · Post by **Amaya** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:39 am

http://www.allcriminaljusticeschools.co ... -guard.php

Post by **Layne** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:34 am

The police, if I'm not mistaken, involves two years of school again, as does the army, and the navy, and if you didn't like having bullies and teachers bend your head at shool, I'd suggest you might not enjoy erm... pretty well any kind of civil service. Now they're not all like that, and not all the time, but they sure can be when they want to.

Generally being in the Australian armed forces is not all that dangerous, probably being a policeman would be more dangerous, but in the armed forces you're likely to see more things you'd rather not see. Our blokes end up in relatively few warlike roles, but rather a lot of 'aftermath' roles. They do see some nasty stuff.

I understand you're some sort of giant, which would appear to be pretty well the only qualification for a security gaurd, but a bodygaurd needs some skills too. Your Taekwondo would help there, but you'd need firearms experience as well.

If you want my advice, I'd say any job would do at all, just try and get yourself some land somewheres and become self sufficient. I would say that, of course, and it's very much more easily said than done, of course, but a quick look at the march of progress would suggest we're all going to need to think along those lines. Says the guy sitting by his laptop, considering the prospect of two minute noodles for dinner.

So that's my two turnips, probably not helpful, but good luck to you. Your case is an example, I think, of the malaise created by our one-size-fits-all education system. Hardly anyone seems to know what they want to do anymore, and few enough of those seem to try it, let alone succeed.

You ask what you should do : I say, think of yourself at seven years old. What did you want to do? For myself, I wanted to be a rocker. I still do, and still could if I would but set my mind on it. I got sidetracked : so many people telling me what I should do, not least among them my own self. No doubt you feel just the same. Cave cliche - (beware of hackneyed phrase) - ask the inner child.

I'll reaffirm my self sufficient suggestion though. You say want to live a long time. I quote the case of Peter Cundall, the Gardening Australia dude. Just now retired at 87, still healthy and happy. A good life and long.

Post by **Calisson** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:39 am

Aussies are desperately looking for submariners.
Of course, it is very specific a life! I can develop if you ask me.

Post by **Layne** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:47 am

Unfortunately Mr A. is bigger than a submarine.

Mr. anderson · Post by **Mr. anderson** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:11 am

The police, if I'm not mistaken, involves two years of school again, as does the army, and the navy, and if you didn't like having bullies and teachers bend your head at shool, I'd suggest you might not enjoy erm... pretty well any kind of civil service. Now they're not all like that, and not all the time, but they sure can be when they want to.

It's not about the teachers being bullies (there are no real bullies at my school... and I do want to see the person who wants to bully me anyway

) The problem I have with school is that half the subjects don't interest me (and I'm at a school where you have to do every subject... all the science stuff as well as art and sport - needless to say that at the moment I enjoy sport the most

) don't get me wrong - I like my brain and at least according to the marks I get at school I know how to use my brain.

I understand you're some sort of giant, which would appear to be pretty well the only qualification for a security gaurd, but a bodygaurd needs some skills too. Your Taekwondo would help there, but you'd need firearms experience as well.

Some sort of giant is good

... yeah... I'm well above 190 cm tall. But my aim is not to be some kind of guy who stands around and looks scary - bodyguard work is what I really want to do (where you do need skill and especially your brain), but I understand that you have to have some kind of education and experience before you start... the best thing would be something like a body guard academy, but I have never heard of such a thing...

You ask what you should do : I say, think of yourself at seven years old. What did you want to do?

I wanted to drive TRUCKS... big TRUCKS... Or fly fast aeroplanes...

I'll reaffirm my self sufficient suggestion though. You say want to live a long time. I quote the case of Peter Cundall, the Gardening Australia dude. Just now retired at 87, still healthy and happy. A good life and long.

Yeah... but gardening happens to be the one thing next to polenta and marzipan which really makes me run !razz! ... I'd rather have a shorter and exciting life but one without polenta, marzipan and gardening

If you want my advice, I'd say any job would do at all, just try and get yourself some land somewheres and become self sufficient.

Before I get into bodyguard or security training, I am planning to do some volunteer work in South Africa for a year or two.

Aussies are desperately looking for submariners.
Of course, it is very specific a life! I can develop if you ask me.

please do

Unfotunately Mr A. is bigger than a submarine

Good point... maybe they'll have one custom-built for me... It's me, after all

HUZZAH!

Post by **Calisson** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:09 pm

Submariners consider themselves, rightfully, to be an elite. Their wifes consider them, rightfully, to be stinking boasting husbands missing home for months while giving no news.
For most military, the work is about training for the next war, training and more training and passing exams about your tasks which is not very funny. But then you get to go at sea, for exercices or on patrol. There is where you catch the spirit of the team. In a submarine, if one goofs, all die. That's so simple. In order to avoid that, all go through the very demanding training, so they are taking no chance that anyone will goof. And as everyone lives in the same stinky can for weeks, they all go together through the same risks, disconfort and exitement, that makes a tremendous team spirit that you cannot imagine. The submariners have sometimes covert missions. They go in places unnoticed, sometimes without even the agreement let apart the awareness of the neighbouring countries, they see in the periscope unweary ships (they say that there are two kind of ships: submarines and targets). After going through that, all submarines from all countries are part of a very strong community, and their eyes brightens whenever they have a chance to talk about their job (part of it is covered by secret). So the life of a submariner is mostly driven by the team spirit and the excessive strong feeling to be part of an elite. It is very well paid, but you don't have port visits as surface warriors do. It's a matter of choice. I have 3 years experience in subs, I like better surface Navy, because of port visits, of sunsets, of coconut trees and dolfins (in a sub, you hear dolfins more than you see them - you hear sperm whales and shrimps - but you son't see them), but I understand people who love that. I met with South Africans, they noticed I had a submariner's pin, and boom, I was suddenly part of their family. Same with Aussies. Overall, the spirit is high, usually armies demand less intellectual work and more physical work than most civilian works, but the real main point is the spirit.

Post by **Rork** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:06 pm

Mr. Anderson wrote:I wanted to drive TRUCKS... big TRUCKS... Or fly fast aeroplanes...

What about cars that go fast?

Before I get into bodyguard or security training, I am planning to do some volunteer work in South Africa for a year or two.

It's probably best to take some time out like that before make any 'big' decisions. You may be sick of education now (and I can appreciate the feeling), after a bit of a break you might feel like you want to continue with it, particularly as learning in a university is very different to a school.

Fair play to you if you go into the navy or similar...and a lot of organisations like that will pay for higher level education too, which would be an added bonus (and allow you to get promoted and such, no doubt).

Mr. anderson · Post by **Mr. anderson** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:21 pm

What about cars that go fast?

When I was seven, cars always seemed a bit puny compared to the BIG trucks I loved so much :lol:

It's probably best to take some time out like that before make any 'big' decisions. You may be sick of education now (and I can appreciate the feeling), after a bit of a break you might feel like you want to continue with it, particularly as learning in a university is very different to a school.

That is a really good point (and exactly the reason why I wanted to take some time off after school), but I have to start thinking about what my life is going to look like and so I am looking at my interests and my dreams and try to put both together into a career (my dream career is to be a skiing instructor in winter and a diving/surfing teacher in summer and teaching Taekwondo, but I think that such a career would soon seem a bit empty to me). Bodyguard work seems so appealing since it combines two things - intelligence and being physically challenging.

Fair play to you if you go into the navy or similar...and a lot of organisations like that will pay for higher level education too, which would be an added bonus (and allow you to get promoted and such, no doubt).

Good call

I might be able to combine a scientific and this type of career... strangely enough, even though I knew that the army would pay for tertiary education, I never considered this possibility... thanks

HUZZAH!

Asikari · Post by **Asikari** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:43 pm

If you want to be a bodyguard, make a list of the things you think are required. Find an agency that hires out bodyguards (there have got to be some somewhere), express your interest and ask them what they look for.

Some things I can think of off the top of my head:

Background: A client needs to know they can trust the person they hire. That might require experience in related areas.

Education: Do you need to know what you can and can't do (physically and through intimidation) to a (potential) aggressor? Sounds like experience in criminal justice.

Ability: Your Tae Kwon Do background should help, but something focusing more on locks and take-downs may be more desirable. Firearms may or may not be required depending on your location.

I suggest contacting an actual bodyguard/agency for advice regarding your direction. A college/university degree is always a plus when going for any job, plus you may have the opportunity to dabble in many of the skills you'll find you need.

Post by **Loki** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:56 pm

I'm not that tall, and I have lots of firearms experience. Perhaps you can carry me on your back and we can be some sort of super human body guard! Though, we'll have to get them to pay us double, of course...

Rork edit: Wow, Anderson isn't even in the business yet and he already has a sidekick

Gnosis · Post by **Gnosis** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:37 pm

Loki17 wrote:Rork edit: Wow, Anderson isn't even in the business yet and he already has a sidekick [/color]

Yeah, I always reckoned Loki17 to be a Gotrek kinda guy.

Post by **Loki** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:52 pm

I assume this is insulting, but I've never read any of those books, so I'll just take it as a compliment. And I'm not THAT short.

Macknight · Post by **Macknight** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:05 pm

i think college is still your best route, cause from what you've posted you're kinda lost on what to do in life, college helps people find what they like most of time and get them into that cranny called a career.

armed forces is for people who like routines imo, if you don't like to be told what to do, then the armed forces are not for you. though it does get you $ for the price of risking your life.

deep down, you really have to figure out what your personality is like, see if you can do that life 24/7 the next 5 yrs etc. armed forces does train you much discipline, in order for you to suffer through what nasty stuff you see/hear/suffer. best of luck!

Gnosis · Post by **Gnosis** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:32 pm

I don't know how it is in Germany or Oz, but in the Belgian army you can for example obtain a civil engineering diploma which correlates with a regular university diploma. And all the while, you're actually getting paid and you are hardening your physique.

I definitely wouldn't give up on the college idea. Lay back for a year, but not too long. You'd be amazed at how fast you lose the routine of acquiring and processing knowledge.

Confused counselor · Post by **Confused counselor** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:01 am

First of all, I second Rorks advice.

However, if you truly are interested in being a body guard, I recommend you go searching for some info on the job. The only things I know of bodyguards is something I saw on a tv-special about 6 years ago or so, but supposedly, it isn't the easiest of jobs. What I remember( sort of):

-In the Netherlands, and I suppose in most of Europe, bodyguards do not actually carry firearms.
- You have to be protective to the point of actually instinctively protecting whoever else with your body from bullets. This, to me at least, is no minor thing. Willingness to actually take a bullet (with protective cloathing?) is part of the job.
- The job bits. For most parts, it is a rather dull job, you just follow some rich guy and the things you have to worry about are being as uninhibiting as possible while still being able to protect your guy. Checking the area for potential dangers that probably aren't there.
- Millionaires have developed dumping there bodyguards into a sport :roll:

. Beware of your guy actually trying to get away from you, as pathetic as that may sound.

Anyhow, that's about what I remember, vaguely, but I'm quite sure you should be able to find out more about this stuff. Find a body guard hiring agency, track down some video material about this stuff, or if that fails, ask the police if they know someone you can contact etc. etc. The wargaming crowd really isn't specialised in bodyguarding.

Rabidnid · Post by **Rabidnid** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:33 am

Mr. Anderson wrote:Hey all,

Recently I became quite sick of intellectual work (one may say that I have been at least temporarily, if not permanently been traumatised by school...). So I thought of starting a career as bodyguard or security guard - maybe first join the police (or the likes) to gain experience.
Does anyone here have any experience in that kind of field, or can anyone tell me whether its a good idea to (in their opinion, of course) do so? And can anyone give me some kind of outline what such a career would look like?
I'd love to hear a lot of feedback!

Education is wasted on the young, don't think about uni before you are 25.

Perks of a security guard job are zero, Its poorly paid, boring, dangerous, requires otherwise worthless qualifications and has a stigma attached to it.

You can be a security guard now, the course is short and the demand high for all the reasons mentioned above, my advise though is don't.

A personal body guarrd position in Australia is pretty hard to get becaause those positions are filled by ex SAS mostly. APS (Australian protective services) does a lot of security style work for the government guarding Airports and Embassys, but you need to have a clean security background, be over 18 and meet a bunch of other criteria.

Darthken · Post by **Darthken** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:45 am

ive been a bouncer/security guard for about 5 years now.

some of the jobs are easy and give you plenty of time to yourself, say being a static guard just watching something, like consruction works buildings

working in pubs and clubs as a bouncer is totally different, you have to be prepared to be kicked,punched, bitten ,spat on, have blood flicked at you, glasses thrown at you, people trying to hit you with a pool cue or bar stools, even had a pocket knife pulled on me once. you'll have to learn to laugh off the verbal abuse, which you nearly always cop when removing someone from the premisis.

As for being a personal body guard id say you definatly need some sort of martial arts or close combat training, probably weapons as well.

and if you get experiance most of the mines around australia now employ security ,at a very decent pay load.

Its a biatch of a job at times and the pay is kinda crap, if your gunna do it try armaguard, most of their work is armed money delivery for banks,(well it is up here anyway)

Mr. anderson · Post by **Mr. anderson** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:33 pm

Sorry all... I kind of forgot about this thread... don't know why though... Thanks for the advice

working in pubs and clubs as a bouncer is totally different, you have to be prepared to be kicked,punched, bitten ,spat on, have blood flicked at you, glasses thrown at you, people trying to hit you with a pool cue or bar stools, even had a pocket knife pulled on me once. you'll have to learn to laugh off the verbal abuse, which you nearly always cop when removing someone from the premisis.

I don't really mind any of them - to an extent I'm used to this kind of stuff already... not to those extremes though.

What's the pay like if you don't mind me asking? EDIT - sorry just read your comment about the pay... ah well... at least you get some money out of it...
Driving armored trucks (TRUCKS!!! ... I love TRUCKS...) around sounds cool... guess its my inner action hero coming out...

Perks of a security guard job are zero, Its poorly paid, boring, dangerous, requires otherwise worthless qualifications and has a stigma attached to it.

Yeah... I always kind of visualised security guards as those people who sit with their legs up in some kind of small office and smoke/eat doughnuts (though that might be due to watching far too many bad action movies...). I definitely don't want to end up putting weight on because of a job for which I had to be fit in the first place :lol:

A personal body guarrd position in Australia is pretty hard to get becaause those positions are filled by ex SAS mostly. APS (Australian protective services) does a lot of security style work for the government guarding Airports and Embassys, but you need to have a clean security background, be over 18 and meet a bunch of other criteria.

Over 18 is fine... I'm fit as well... can you give me a website or some more details on that one?

I'm not that tall, and I have lots of firearms experience. Perhaps you can carry me on your back and we can be some sort of super human body guard! Though, we'll have to get them to pay us double, of course...

I don't know... I think we'd have to get paid at least triple wages because of the entertainment factor... We'd be responsible for so many deaths because people would literally laugh their heads off

Rork edit: Wow, Anderson isn't even in the business yet and he already has a sidekick

Yeh... my sidekick is improving... I nearly hit my instructor in the head the other day... 30 extra push ups and sore arms for the next three days... but that gave me an excuse not to do that pesky history test so I don't complain

HUZZAH!

Asikari · Post by **Asikari** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:00 pm

You have better control than I do. I did hit my instructor on the forehead with a bokken at a workshop a few years ago. Luckily, it wasn't full speed (I don't think he even got a bump) and he just laughed it off to my inexperience.

Gibious · Post by **Gibious** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:30 pm

You dont want to be an outside security guard, the amount of hassle ive given them. Threatening them in a tough gang

Needless to say its what we did for fun down at the building site

Security Guard/Bodyguard?

Security Guard/Bodyguard?

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