{"id":212,"date":"2018-08-06T15:20:38","date_gmt":"2018-08-06T15:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/licensed-life\/?p=212"},"modified":"2025-05-07T08:54:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T08:54:52","slug":"phil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/phil\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil – “I could have ended up in prison or worse”"},"content":{"rendered":"

“I could have ended up in prison or worse” – Phil<\/h2>\n

\u201cI was a bad apple when I was younger, and my mother cottoned on quickly. She always felt I needed discipline. So, after many warnings she eventually caved and sent me packing. Before I knew it, I joined the army at the age of seventeen and remained there for several years.<\/p>\n

Many ex-soldiers struggle to make the transition back to civilian life<\/h2>\n

When people hear my cockney accent they always assume I\u2019m a Londoner. However, I was born in Germany and spent a lot of my childhood years in Gibraltar. After a long stint in the army, I decided to not stray too far from what I knew and opted to work in the security sector. Many ex-soldiers struggle to make the transition back to civilian life, so I wanted to ensure that mine wouldn\u2019t be too difficult.<\/p>\n

I have worked just about every form of security there is: festivals, doors,\u00a0<\/b>close protection<\/a>, looking after celebrities, the red carpet, I\u2019ve done it all.<\/b> Yet what I\u2019ve found is that no matter what industry you happen to be in, one is no more challenging than the other. Wherever you find yourself, the prospect of danger will always be near. Take where I currently work for example, it\u2019s a real haven of activity, and you see people from all walks of life here. The surrounding area of Kings Cross station is a huge blend of restaurants, bars, shops, corporate buildings and many other points of interest. So, you can imagine the high volumes of crowds we receive. There\u2019s a lot to consider when patrolling an environment like this: unattended children, teens bunking of school, the homeless, drunkards on a Friday, Saturday night. On top of that, an area like this is extremely high profile, meaning the possibility of a terrorist threat should never be overlooked.<\/p>\n

This job can often feel demanding and I think were it not for my military background, I\u2019d probably struggle to cope. A large part of this role requires you to stand for prolonged periods watching people, studying them, seizing potential situations before they escalate. Although we\u2019re primed for every scenario, a lot of the time nothing really happens, which, strangely, can often prove just as challenging. The endless hours of standing idle will test your limits.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing my military experience has taught me, it\u2019s that you must leave your emotions at the door.<\/b> Too tired? Cold? Fed up? Achy feet? You\u2019re in the wrong job. I remember from my military days that a big part of our training required us to stand as sentries, monitoring areas and posts. We\u2019d go for hours stationed in every kind of terrain, no matter the weather. When you get tired, the mind will start to play tricks on you. That\u2019s when negative thoughts begin to seep in and you feel like giving up. When that happens, it\u2019s vital that you focus your thoughts on the task at hand and rise above the obstacles. It\u2019s all a state of mind really, and I apply this mentality to my current role working as a security guard.<\/p>\n

Obviously, security work is far more sedate than being on the battlefield, but that\u2019s not to say I haven\u2019t been shot at or stabbed on the street. Things have gotten so bad among the new generation, it\u2019s hard not to feel entirely safe. With gang stabbings and acid attacks grabbing the headlines, I sometimes wonder where we\u2019re all heading. Kids aren\u2019t kids anymore, they\u2019re potential killers carrying knives in their pockets, when they\u2019re not riding bicycles or glued to Instagram. It\u2019s all very scary. I believe there\u2019s never been a more crucial time to be a security guard, because let\u2019s face it, there\u2019s less police on the beat and the streets have become dangerous.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, there are lighter moments. I get to meet wonderful people from all over the world and help answer their many queries. Some individuals are extremely sociable and warm; always keen to strike up good conversation. Then there\u2019s the part of the role which appeals to me most: to feel I\u2019ve made a difference. <\/b>Being a first aider, I\u2019ve helped the elderly, people with dementia and other such conditions. When situations like these arise, the job suddenly becomes more than simply protecting or maintaining safety. It becomes about giving and being selfless.<\/p>\n

Friends of mine often joke and say stuff like: you should be wearing a bulletproof vest doing the job you do! You\u2019ve got a death wish!<\/em><\/p>\n

But then I remember how wild I used to be when I was a youngster. If my mother hadn\u2019t sent me off to the army, how would I have turned out? I could have ended up in prison or worse. Thank God I listened to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kids aren’t kids anymore, they’re potential killers carrying knives in their pockets.<\/p>\n

Interested in becoming a Close Protection Officer. Click below to learn more….<\/b><\/p>\n


\nCLOSE PROTECTION TRAINING
\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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