TRAINING AT TCA: Bodyguard and Contractor

11/04/2021By Redaktion

Afghanistan Bodyguard Contractor Irak

Working in foreign countries? Many dream of it. And most of the time it's about very civil jobs. But not for all: Security has long been a global market. And in conflicts that have dominated the last decades since 9/11, many employees are contractors. The private sector offers security as a service and gets paid for it. Working as a contractor abroad is desirable for many because good earning opportunities are tempting. The Private Security Contractor is, so to speak, an international security force. The customer base is large: from the UN to NGOs to the American military, from local or foreign companies – such as those in the oil business – the demand for qualified employees is high.

At the TACTICAL COMBAT ACADEMY, there was a special, five-day course for Bodyguards/Contractors. We took a look at it.

Neither Baghdad nor Kabul, but the TCA training ground north of Bratislava: some of the course participants on the last day during the final exercise. The vehicle has been through a lot. The task is clear: to escort the protected person. Attention to the surroundings and knowledge of possible dangers are prerequisites for a good job.

Important people need to attend meetings. They are accompanied by armed professionals who ensure that there are no problems. The image of the "wild Contractor" who is a mercenary is an illusion. Even abroad, there are rules for the security forces, both for carrying weapons and for their use.

CONTACT! CONTACT! CONTACT! - On the way back, the team is attacked, now the exercise is also about the life of the protected person. That's the job they were hired for. That's why they practice, because that would be the highest danger, but one that should never happen.

The five-day course at the TCA in Slovakia is conducted by a professional with a lot of international experience. Pedro Resende guides the students through the classroom and on the shooting range. The Portuguese with a paratrooper background can point to a lot of experience. And so the diverse examples that the students discuss with him are all real mission plans from real missions.

"Those who do their job as bodyguards well invest a lot in the planning and preparation of missions."

Ultimately, this results in the fact that even the TCA students are supposed to learn how to plan simple missions, to know what is essential, what needs to be considered, and what options are available. The Contractor/Bodyguard course is demanding, in conversation with the participants we find that they all actually have to do with the security industry and want to learn and gain new qualifications here at TCA.

Pedro Resende is an experienced teacher who has taught in Latin American countries as well as at the TCA in Slovakia now. The group in Zohor is smaller and works more focused. For people who really want to learn, this is a great opportunity, as Pedro openly shares what he has learned over decades.

The friendly Portuguese has traveled a lot and has a lot to tell. Even on the edges of the course, it's fun to talk to him, and he joyfully shares his experiences as an operational bodyguard and team leader. Here he is in the Anbar Province in Iraq. Key realization: "A person who does a good job as a bodyguard invests a lot in the planning and preparation of missions." The essential thing is always to get through safely. "If you are attacked, you've done something wrong."

For example, in 2010 he worked in Afghanistan. What was the biggest difference for him? "In Iraq, I never had the feeling that I was so unwelcome, like in Afghanistan," was his answer.

And the job is not always done in full gear with a rifle. Here's Pedro in a suit as a bodyguard with a team and celebrities on the go.

You don't learn how to drive at TCA. But everyone can push a car. And since bodyguards and contractors deal a lot with cars, shooting and moving around and out of cars is crucial. Here an old car is pushed onto the range for practical work.

"If you are attacked, you've done something wrong."

This is the intense part of the course that involves working with the weapon, utilizing cover best, splitting and coordinating...

...as well as how to coordinate when multiple vehicles are involved. Practice helps people learn, so the balanced ratio of range to classroom is essential. There's a lot going on at the shooting range: the TCA course includes 900 rounds.

These are also coordinated and carried out under the watchful eye of the head trainer, here firing from behind a barricade. The synchrony of the shooters ensures survival in the field. So it's important to take it seriously from the preparation phase and train, especially with experienced teachers who know what matters and are happy to share that with the students. Five days of contractors are an intense experience from which the participants take a lot home.