007-Style Operational Awareness

Okay, so you wear a finely tailored suit with a handsome Swiss made watch clasped to your wrist. Perhaps you are even fortunate enough to be in the company of a beautiful and exotic woman driving a venomous Aston Martin. You feel that this is what it must be like to live like James Bond, but in reality you have only acquired a glimpse. This is because lifestyle is much more than the physical accoutrements. As defined by Webster's, it is a person's typical approach to living, including moral attitudes, preferred entertainments, fads, fashion, etc. For those that truly seek to acquire the 007 persona, they need what every covert operator the world over must develop into a habit if they are going to survive. By doing so you enhance not only your personal security, but also that of your family. What I am referring to is Operational Awareness.

I've carried a concealed firearm professionally for over ten years. While there have been times when it was the tool I needed most, it would have been useless had I not been tuned into what was occurring around me. In the film Casino Royale, having just arrived at the resort in the Bahamas, 007 stops to tie his shoe, enabling him to casually identify the presence of surveillance cameras. In The World is Not Enough, James Bond graphically provides an example of this when he enters a casino. Casually donning a pair of x-ray glasses he proceeds to scan his new operational environment, making mental note of any and all potential threats (an in his case, potential possibilities).

Now I would wager that most of us do not own a functioning pair of x-ray-specs. But that shouldn't prevent you from scanning for threats anytime you enter a new area. So what to look for? The thugs of the world are generally easy to identify as most seem stuck in the Neanderthal stage of evolution (think Cuban bar scene in Die Another Day). They may be loud, crude and perhaps have a few tattoos visible. What you also need to be alert to are the more concealed dangers. This is performed by scanning of the area, initially focusing on the perimeters of the room. Be watchful for anyone sitting by themselves or perhaps with a few mates, but who are not talking and seem to be watching everyone else. If you are lucky they are government men who aren't there for you. If not, they should be considered predators looking for easy targets. Regardless, you have identified them as potential problems early on and can be on guard.

Once the initial threats are identified, you continue your casual scan for the more hidden dangers. Has anyone become fixated on you or your significant other? Is anyone armed? Given that the bulk of the world's population is right handed, look for suspicious bulges near the waist on the right rear side of the hip, and to a lesser extent, the front waistband and left chest area. Equally important is to not tunnel in on any one threat, but to keep your field of view broad to take in everything possible. Keep in mind that this is an art form that takes practice to perfect. The goal is to perform a quick scan while on the move without letting other predators detect you.

This process continues as you prepare to leave any structure. Any windows near the exit provide an excellent opportunity for a quick check of the immediate area prior to your stepping out. Once outside, you should quickly scan the area for easily identifiable threats. In For Your Eyes Only, James Bond was in Cortina, Italy when he spots two motorcycle bound assassins - one of the most prolific methods used in contract killings and assassinations - targeting Melina Havelock. By being alert to his surroundings 007 was able to quickly act.

As any covert operator knows, when surveiling someone, it is best to start with a location the target frequents. Traditionally the office and/or home. Understanding that regardless if it is a lone criminal in a car waiting for the opportunity to strike, or a seasoned surveillance man acting as the "trigger" for a larger group of agents, they will have to be positioned in a place that allows for the viewing of the exit in order to initiate the surveillance. For this reason, the experienced operator will have previously identified all of the areas that a static surveillance post is most likely to be established. This allows the operator to scan these points quickly and discreetly while going about their daily business. Additionally, the operator would pay more attention to any people or vehicles moving from these points immediately after they depart the area. Spend some time an identify those locations around areas you frequent and practice scanning those areas. Even when you are just stepping out to grab the morning newspaper.

This practice extends to any new location visited, be it arriving at an airport, as in Dr. No, to leaving a place of business. While it is not possible to identify every possible surveillance point at every location visited, the key is to be aware of the potential. To use your understanding of basic surveillance to be on the look out for the trigger. As was 007 when he detected the presence of surveillance being conducted by the Bulgarians in From Russia with Love.

Lastly, prior to traveling to a new area, Bond and any competent operator would familiarize themselves with the city and/or country. This means the layout of the city, areas that are perhaps more dangerous then others. Is the country/city experiencing any issues with gangs, terrorism, high crime, rebels, et cetera. While you may be lacking in contacts and informants in the locations you will be at, in the age of the Internet, this information is readily available. It only requires a little of your time in research (another key component of intelligence ops).

The beauty of all of this is that it is completely free, and is something that you can perform without any of those around you even aware of what you are doing. Spending some time in developing these skills, coupled with a little research and you will find yourself gaining more of an appreciation for the lifestyle of the profession intelligence operator. More importantly you will no longer be one of the masses oblivious to their surroundings, but rather an operator, covertly providing protection for you and your loved ones.