Protecting Tony Perkins
By Jim Wagner
On Thursday, March 16 2017 I was on an Executive Protection team protecting one of the most influential men in American politics - Tony Perkins. The event was called Friends of FRC Annual Banquet, “FRC” an acronym for Family Research Cancel.
Tony Perkins had the ear of Donald Trump before the 2016 Presidential Election, and his advice to the real estate mogul helped win him the election becoming the 45th President of the United States. Tony Perkins is also a good friend of Vice President Mike Pence.
Tony Perkins is the President of the Family Research Council and the host of the daily nationally syndicated radio Washington Watch with Tony Perkins. He frequently appears as a guest on national news programs and talk shows. He is the author of the book No Fear: Real Stories of a Courageous New Generation Standing for Truth.
My “boss” called me up few days before the event and asked me if I’d like to be on the protection detail. I have several friends who run organizations that protect high profile people, and from time to time they call me up to see if I am free to do a gig. If I’m not teaching a seminar somewhere in the world I always take them up on their offers. This particular boss was also my boss who had me protect Mel Gibson back in August.
I had seen Tony Perkins on the news many times, but this was the first time I met him. Not only his he a very nice man, but I can relate to him on different levels. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and I trained the Marines for nine years at Camp Pendleton and other bases, and a former police officer. He oversaw the training of hundreds of international police officers as the general manager for a Washington, D.C. – based firm contracted by the U.S. Department of State to provide the training and services in anti-terrorism.
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I basically had two assignments during the evening. The first was to bodyguard Tony Perkins during a VIP reception, which took place in a private room before the banquet. My second assignment was to be just stage left should an incident occur as Tony Perkins gave his speech to the audience of 400 guests. Although I was working, I thoroughly enjoyed Tony Perkins’ speech, and I learned some new things about my government. After all, Tony Perkins has been in the inner circle for the new administration. He was sitting behind former President Barak Obama during the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
One of the perks of the assignment was that another agent took my place after Tony Perkin’s speech, and I was able to go to the back of the ball room to enjoy a meal cooked up by the Hilton Hotel. It was a fabulous dinner. Of course, I had to wolf it down so I’d be ready for the ending ceremony.
The good thing was that there was no incident at the event. Tony Perkins, and his wife, had made it back to hotel room safe and sound. The mission was a success.
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Another Church Shooting
by Jim Wagner
Three days after I had been a part of a team protecting Tony Perkins I had to shoot a few active shooters who attacked a church. Fortunately, it was only training at a live-fire indoor gun range. I was in charge of training of three different churches’ armed security teams.
For the past few years I have had several churches come to me for training, because of worldwide attacks on Christians, and Sunday, March 19 was another session. I teach ushers, unarmed security agents, and armed security agents, but Sunday evening at the gun range was for the extreme situations that a church team may face.
BE A HARD TARGET
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