As security personnel working in a protective operations role, we are tasked to do everything we can to keep our protectees safe.  By far the best method to accomplish this goal is to adopt a predictive, preventative strategy for protecting clients based on the tenets of Detect, Deter, and Defend.  To effectively employ these tenets, we need some very specific soft and hard skills. In the protective operations world, the “soft” skills are sometimes referred to as Protective Intelligence (PI) while in other security disciplines they are referred to as situational and tactical awareness skills.  If we are unable to prevent or avoid an attack, we need to have expertise in specific “hard” skills such as the use of firearms and security driving so that we can survive an ambush.

Anyone can become a victim of an ambush, be it a robbery, carjacking, or straight up assault.  If we work in or travel through hostile environments (war zones, insurgent areas, high crime neighborhoods) we need to utilize some specific skills to prevent or survive an ambush.  In the protective operations world, these are sometimes referred to as Protective Intelligence (PI) skills while in other security disciplines they are known as situational and tactical awareness skills.