Personal Security Detachment Bag

A Low-Vis Pack for Clandestine Missions

- Joe Dawson

Personal Security Detachment (PSD) work isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. The idea that you’re always wearing a black suit with a curly earpiece hanging out of your ear like the Secret Service in the movies isn’t accurate in most cases. The point is to offer close protection of a client or high-value individual. You don’t want to look like a gang of heavily armed goons surrounding someone very important like the rings of the archery target encircling the bull’s-eye. The more attention you bring to yourself, the riskier you make your unprotected movement in public areas.

During my time doing PSD work overseas, we had to protect quite a few high-value personnel. While armor plates and a pistol aren’t necessarily hard to conceal, a carbine and a chest rig will make you stick out. In those situations where we were trying to be less conspicuous, we’d put an MP5 or similar PDW/SBR (Personal Defense Weapon/Short Barreled Rifle) in a backpack with a Rhodesian or similar LBE (Load Bearing Equipment) kit. This was an option we could deploy quickly if needed, but it let us blend in with any group of tourists simply walking around viewing the sights. These backpacks would be civilian in nature as to not draw attention with excessive MOLLE attachments and camouflage nylon.