Very interesting page on Secret Service defensive stances

[Blakenzy]

For protection-staff, it's more so that their hands are protected against being grabbed

To me it looks more like a "pouncing" stance than a defensive stance. Having your hands forward at mid height would seem to allow you to more rapidly grab a weapon being produced in front of you or graple a person that misbehaves. These guys are just itching to jump with both hands forward on any excited or "looney" character.

BTW Pope Benedict is the scariest looking character on the page. Creepy...

 

[AndyC]

That too, but I didn't want to mention that aspect

It's really not any big, super-secret ninja thing - it's just a very practical way of standing for many reasons.

 

[Soybomb]

Not to say that all those "quick into action" ideas aren't sound and good but on the simplest level unbuttoned coats tend to blow open. Some small part of it just might be them not wanting to show the world their gear too

 

[KnightHawk67]

I think it was LawDog that mentioned a Deputy he knows that fiddles with his wedding ring as he is talking to "suspicious types". He said it helped to have his hands already up if things get physical.

Makes sense to me.

 

[Matt Dillon]

Thanks for sharing this - I've learned something!

 

[TallPine]

I guess this answers the question of how to not "look" like a soft target

 

[frankcostanza]

Lots of cool guns. It's sad that that kind of firepower is kept out of the hands of us commoners. I guess a bureauocrat's life is worth more than the lives of us peasants and our families.

 

[ilbob]

I guess a bureauocrat's life is worth more than the lives of us peasants and our families.

Always been that way, and not much will change unless we demand change.

 

[Edmond]

Same stance I was taught but I noticed that some of the agents had their fingers locked. Having our fingers locked was not permitted with us.

 

[LAK]

The hands close together (not with fingers intertwined) about midsection was the field interview position as taught at the SP Academy at Lackland when I was an Air Force law enforcement specialist c.late 70s. It is the optimum hands position for a variety of unarmed responses - come alongs, blocks, blows etc - for the uniformed officer carrying a duty belt weapon. For professionals carrying concealed weapons it is ideal for both unarmed and armed response.

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http://searchronpaul.com
http://ussliberty.org/oldindex.html
http://www.gtr5.com
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[divemedic]

During the last election, I was at a campaign rally and had to leave my weapon in the car, which was parked a mile away. We were bussed in. We went through magnetometers, and the security was pretty tight.

When the VIP's came through the crowd, they were preceded and followed by agents. One agent may have noticed the bulge that my empty holster created in my untucked shirt, or maybe I just looked suspicious, but anyway, one of the preceding agents handed me a balloon that had fallen from the ceiling.

I am not sure if this was meant to mark me for other agents, or if this was a way to get a look at my hands, but I was very impressed at how discreet and professional that move was. Genius. You get to check out a suspicious person, mark him for other agents to watch, and no one notices and this creates no fuss to be noticed by the majority of people watching.

 

[Blue Line]

I can tell you that it wasn't an agent that handed you a ballon.

 

[Macpherson]

So how do agents carry? Crossdraw, shoulder holster, or 4 o clock? Seems like the hands-ready position would work well for crossdraw or a shoulder draw.

 

[JColdIron]

I can tell you that it wasn't an agent that handed you a ballon.

Secret Squirel?

 

[lions]

The thing that struck me was their eyes. Most of them had on their very scary and intense eyes. To me that points to mindset which scares me more than tactics.
Reminds me of that quote, goes something like this:
"An imperfect plan carried out violently and suddenly is better that a perfect plan that is carried out too late."

Not trying to say they don't have a good plan either...

 

[AndyC]

We just call it "Do something"

 

[Old Guy]

Good shoulder holster

There is no reason to worry about your Jacket blowing open with a good shoulder holster, the gun is way around the side of the body, under the arm.

The SS have to do the hands in front thing, they were taught to do that, by Instructors who were taught to do that, the job description "bullet stoppers" that's their job! Like Hillary or not, it's "Yes ma rm, no ma rm" and soldier on.

Actually having your hands the same way all the time is not a good idea, for many reasons. In these dangerous times you might end up taking the Boss to the deck, your vest and body ready to soak up the suicide bombers present! Did you all notice the pin of the day on the agents jacket lapels?

I met one with leather soled shoes. Click and slip specials!

 

[LAK]

Macpherson

So how do agents carry? Crossdraw, shoulder holster, or 4 o clock? Seems like the hands-ready position would work well for crossdraw or a shoulder draw.

Probably depends on the attire and arm(s). Some no doubt carry more than one piece. Some of them carry subguns.

Hands-ready is also for 3, right around to 7 O'clock, since the strong side hand sweeps the jacket or coat clear as the draw is made.

 

[sacp81170a]

The SS have to do the hands in front thing, they were taught to do that, by Instructors who were taught to do that, the job description "bullet stoppers" that's their job! Like Hillary or not, it's "Yes ma rm, no ma rm" and soldier on.

In some of the personal protection training I've attended, we were taught to grab any gun we saw and push the muzzle to the ground. I've heard that SS agents are trained to pull the gun into their own body. Yeah, they're serious.

 

[Texas Tass]

SS stance...

I recently attended a two day tactical pistol class (for ladies only) and this was our 'hands ready' position, kinda preacher-ish. Foot position was about shoulder width apart, knees flexed and weight was more concentrated on the ball of the foot. We then practiced rapid draw and fire from this position. We also drilled on after the shot, acquiring 'second sight' and scanning for additional threats, keeping our eyes trained on the hands of those in the area. Eyes up after checking the hands and scanning the entire area, including behind us.

The class was terrific and I am hoping to join them again for training...when will that Stimulus Check arrive?

Tass

 

[Erik]

"So how do agents carry? Crossdraw, shoulder holster, or 4 o clock? Seems like the hands-ready position would work well for crossdraw or a shoulder draw."

USSS SAs are issued this holster:

http://www.desantisholster.com/01l.html

They carry thier issued Sig 229 pistols it in the usual place and in the usual manner that you would expect them to.