EMPOWERING STRONG WOMEN THROUGH TRAINING

By Monica Duperon Rodriguez

Whether you call it Executive Protection, Close Protection, or Bodyguards, the industry is ever-changing no matter what you call it. The most important thing the terms have in common is that continuous learning is essential, or you will quickly become a “has been.” The profession requires many perishable skills that, if left unpracticed or untapped, will fade.

Talented and motivated professionals understand this and continuously train and educate themselves in current methods. They also take note of changing strategies to be most effective in their pursuit for the opportunity that will set them apart from other men, and a small number of women, in the industry.

Working in a profession such as Executive Protection that is typically dominated by male counterparts is an adventure. You must be of a certain mindset to be successful in this career. It is difficult for women from military and law enforcement backgrounds to completely understand, as highlighted by the dynamics and challenges that come to those two maledominated professions. By and large, women in the industry are used to training mostly with men and rarely with other women. To put this in perspective, according to The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum, along with the National Organization of Women Law Enforcement executives, women make up only 13% of total officers in the United States.

From the perspective of a woman who has been in law enforcement and is currently active in the executive protection field, having the opportunity to train with women is in many ways different from what has been the norm for most women in the industry. Most women are unfamiliar with being in a course with other women. On average, a course will have two women participating. I have not been able to find exact numbers or specific data that list how many women are in executive protection.

However, considering other maledominated professions such as the ones mentioned above, women represent 13% of the police force in the United States. For example, the air force had 913 men or 73.5 % in their 2019 graduating class, and 329 women or 26.5% in the same graduating class, which is an increase of 4.6% compared to the previous year. We do know that the number of women in executive protection, or women in protection, is a sparse number and one which we want to increase as there should be opportunities for everyone, specifically for women, due to a high demand in today’s job market.

I recently attended a class for Celebrity Protection at ICON/ ESI located in Grand Junction, Colorado. The number of women participating was encouraging, with three total women in the class. This was a number I am not used to, and I am happy to say there would have been four; however, Monica Couto, a 6-degree martial artist from Portugal, was unable to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

Although I have learned 99% of my skills in law enforcement and executive protection by actual hands-on experience, I attended the course because I had not been through a formal course in many years. I felt it was a great opportunity to remain contemporary in my field and craft, as continuous learning is extremely important, especially in a profession where clients rely on us for their safety and protection. It is very important to remain relevant, boost self-confidence, stay motivated, learn new methods, and it may even help with critical thinking techniques, all of which are of high value.

According to The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum, along with the National Organization of Women Law Enforcement executives, women make up only 13% of total officers in the United States.

The women in the training course were nothing short of amazing as I got to meet with them after class one evening for dinner. I learned much about these women and left the meeting more pumped and inspired than ever before. One woman, Madonna Baker, had a similar path as I did in law enforcement. She is a fellow hostage negotiator and law enforcement professional and is currently starting her own business in private investigations and security located in Georgia. The other woman was not in law enforcement or the military; however, I was honored to have been in her presence.

A few weeks earlier, I purchased a book for my small library packed with industry resources, motivation, and other self-help. The book I was adding to my library was “The Lioness Within,” by Graciela Casillas, a World champion in kickboxing and martial arts. Graciela is described as "…the first female pioneer to be accepted and recognized in a martial arts world dominated by males” by Dan Inosanto, the Founder and Head Instructor of The Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts. Imagine my excitement when I realized Graciela Casillas was also in this class. Another fun fact I learned about Graciela is that she was the first female to graduate from an ESI’s executive protection course in 1980. And, tellingly of the industry at that time, ESI did not have another female graduate from this course for another fifteen years after Graciela.

The pandemic has brought many people to realize that there is more out there, and there is a deepseated need to be fulfilled. There is a renewed need to value family and to appreciate where we are in life.

Madonna Baker

Madonna served in the Navy for eighteen years then as a reservist for an additional six years. She also served as a police officer for eighteen years, where she was an instructor, a hostage negotiator, and a detective in the crimes against children division. She later served as an investigator for the Georgia Board of Education. I asked her why she was taking an executive protection course. Describing herself as a natural protector, she said a protector's mindset was all she's ever known. She is the eldest child and protector of her siblings. She is currently working as an insurance adjuster, which is difficult to feel like she's made a difference or a positive impact as an adjuster. She feels out of place because she is not serving her purpose.

The pandemic has brought many people to realize that there is more out there, and there is a deepseated need to be fulfilled. There is a renewed need to value family and to appreciate where we are in life. Having discovered this, she began to think about ways to fulfil her purpose, especially during the unstable and uncertain pandemic. As a certified pistol instructor through USCCA, she decided to start a woman’s gun club. Called Beauty and the Heat, what started as a small gun club of 4, quickly grew to just under 40 women.

Madonna went into close protection training because she heard great things about the course and wanted to implement new skills into her current business, ML Baker and Associates - a full-service investigations and security company. We discussed the cost of training as some people tend to use cost as a reason they cannot attend formalized programs. Madonna explained she really had nothing to compare it to but was determined to sign up because she says, "It's about that brand, and I know I am worth the investment."

Graciela Casillas

Graciela is a traditional martial arts champion and the first to win two world titles in boxing and kickboxing. Recently the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame [IWBHF.COM] announced their 7th IWBHF Induction Ceremony, which includes Graciela Casillas to be inducted into the hall of fame on August 14, 2021. Graciela retired undefeated and as a pioneer in women's combat sports. After her retirement, she because a teacher of the art and even developed her method of introducing low kicks. Graciela had worked in executive protection. However, shortly after that, she got married and had children. She then focused on family, working in academics at a local college. That aside, Graciela was an instructor in self-defense and protection for many years, focusing on helping women learn to protect themselves. Graciela started her studio, Casillas Martial Arts Academy, which she was forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her mission now is to learn other ways to teach and empower women, which was one of the reasons that led her to attend a training course. Echoing Madonna, she noted that training is an investment in self-development and a necessary priority to excel in this profession.

Like Madonna Baker and Graciela Casillas, I understand that education comes at a cost. It will either cost you time, effort, or money and most often, all of the above. Investing in your brand, skills, and area of focus is paramount to both growth and success. "A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she will become strong."

Monica Duperon Rodriguez Sr. Manager, Global Corporate Security and Risk Management (Executive Protection and Solutions) www.linkedin.com/in/monicaduperon