• Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscription
  • The Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Circuit Magazine

For Security & Protection Specialists

By now, we have all heard of the concept of “being the gray man”. This concept advocates blending in with your environment, and dressing in a manner that does not attract any undesired attention.

We now see companies capitalizing on this idea, by making different lines of equipment that tout themselves as being “covert” or “discrete.” I am of the belief that if you are wearing clothing that advertises itself as either of these things, it’s anything but.

Avoiding Identification

Truly experienced law enforcement, military and security professionals can spot each other a mile away. Often the giveaways are in the clothing and personal accessories that we choose. Watches, shoes and belts are accessories that are often overlooked by those attempting to be “Gray”. Wearing Soloman’s or Merrel’s, a Suunto/Garmin/Pathfinder watch and an Ares Gear/511, or another tactical belt is not being gray. Each of those accessories, gives up information about you, that you say you are trying to conceal.

“Your Khul pants and button-down outdoor shirts are not making me think you are going on a hike.”

Dressing like a REI catalog model isn’t fooling anyone anymore either. Your Khul pants and button-down outdoor shirts are not making me think you are going on a hike. They are letting me know that you are likely someone in the security/LE/Mil profession and that information in and of itself tells me a lot about you. It tells me that you may be carrying a weapon, or you may be currently on task. It tells me that you may be capable of handling yourself more than the average person. As a bad guy, it tells me that you may be a threat to me and therefore I am paying more attention to you not less, as you perhaps you intended. All of this information is information that a true “Gray Man” would want to conceal.

Shades of Gray?

Does it even matter? For most of us, the idea of being a gray man is largely irrelevant. Unless you are working in a covert profession, where being outed puts you in danger or compromises your objective, there is really no need to be completely “Gray”. Someone seeing you at the airport with your Solomans, Suunto and your Vertx backpack, probably doesn’t put you in any real danger, but it does put you on my radar as a potential asset should things go awry.  If your goal is to conceal your true agenda and your capabilities, then being a true “Gray Man” is really much simpler then we are making it.

Why would I want to be “Gray”? Concealment is more than just concealing a firearm or other weapon. True concealment, is concealing your capabilities, intentions, and objectives, as well as whatever equipment you may be carrying to support those objectives. True concealment minimizes the information I allow everyone else to know about who I am and what I’m really here for. A good example of someone who should strive to remain as gray as possible is a surveillance professional.

The Value of Being the Gray Man

A surveillance professional is someone paid to obtain information about others through hours of observation, both static and mobile. If I set up to observe my target in a 511 tactical tuxedo, I will stand out like a sore thumb, and thus detract from my abilities to provide the services for which I was retained. On the other hand, if I were to dress in slacks, shoes and a button-down shirt (tucked in), I could probably move around most places quite freely, without attracting any undesired attention. It’s important to remember that if you are truly trying to remain “Gray”, it will likely require a departure from your normal style. Dressing for the environment you will be operating in requires effort, and often means dressing in a manner that contradicts your day to day attire.

Practical Application

Going to a business meeting as an EP professional with a client? Dress like the client. Suit, tie, appropriate footwear, belt and watch to match (can be selected for comfort but still non-tactical). Leave the G shock at home and go with something more appropriate for the business setting that doesn’t stand out. Metal or leather bands with analog-style watches are a good start in most cases. Even something as minor as wearing a rubber wedding ring vs a real one can be a tell that I am someone who is there for security purposes.

“If everyone is wearing stylish, modern sunglasses and I am wearing wrap-around Oakley’s, guess who stands out?”

If you’re carrying a bag with support equipment (medical, AED, spare ammunition, batteries etc.), then select a briefcase that doesn’t advertise itself as tactical or covert. Buy a regular leather briefcase and modify the inside to meet your requirements. I have modified more bags than I can count, and none of them look any different from the outside. If everyone at the office carries brown leather messenger style bags, then that’s what I want. If everyone is wearing stylish, modern sunglasses and I am wearing wrap-around Oakley’s, guess who stands out? Anything that makes me stand out from the baseline makes me more likely to be identified as the security guy in the room. If my goal is to blend in, then I need to make a concerted effort to leave all my cop clothing and accessories at home. 

Weapon Concealment

What about all the tactical toys I need to have with me? How will I conceal and carry them without my covert 511 bag and my tactical belt? We all know that if we are carrying a firearm, a belt is the foundation on which your carry system is built. If you are carrying OWB then, in my opinion, you are risking exposure and defeating your “Gray Man” status. True concealment is IWB and my personal preference is AIWB. I generally use holsters that allow me to tuck my shirt in my pants over the holster if need be. This allows me to better conceal my weapon, in an environment where printing, or possible accidental exposure of the weapons, could compromise my mission.

When carrying AIWB, you will find that the need for a super robust, double-scuba webbing-style belt is not necessary. If you still feel the need for a sturdy belt my recommendation would be to stick with leather as it blends in much better than other materials. There are a variety of companies making quality leather gun belts that really do not look any different than a regular dress belt.

Accessories for the Gray Man

Consider making good use of suit jacket pockets for things like a flat folded tourniquet or a pack of Quick Clot Combat Gauze. Flashlights and knives must also be hidden. The pocket clip sticking out is a dead giveaway and should be avoided at all costs. Consider something like the Raven Concealment Systems Pocket Shield for mounting support gear to be carried inside a pants pocket. The Phlster Flex also offers some great options for concealing spare magazines, tourniquets, flashlights and other support gear below your waistline but out of sight.

Take a look at others in the environment you are working in. Dress like everyone else. Pay special attention to details like watches, shoes, belts, sunglasses, and bags. They are often overlooked when trying to stay “Gray”. Always remember that you may still need to get physical, so wearing clothing that has some flex to it, will allow you to remain capable, without dressing like a slob. Wearing clothing that is too loose-fitting makes you look sloppy and unprofessional. Pay attention to hairstyles and facial hair of those around you. If everyone in the office is clean-shaven, then you should be too.

“Wearing clothing that has some flex to it, will allow you to remain capable, without dressing like a slob.”

Being gray is really quite simple. Establish a baseline for the environment you work in, and make sure your clothing, physical appearance, and accessories all fit that baseline. Avoid any products that tout themselves as discrete, covert, low-viz, etc. Dress like everyone else. Pay attention to detail and make sure there is nothing in your appearance or demeanor that could give away information about you that you are trying to conceal. Dressing like a fortune 500 executive and then pulling out an iPhone in a Magpul case is only going to attract undesired attention. The devil is in the details!

 


The Gray Man Concept. Are You Getting it Wrong?
By: Adam Scholl

Adam Scholl is a project manager for LaSorsa and Associates where he is currently serving as the Director of Operations for a large-scale executive protection project. Adam is a former law enforcement officer who served on violent crime task forces with the FBI and US Marshals. As a Sergeant, Adam was his agency’s firearms, defensive tactics, and close-quarters battle instructor. Later working for the U.S. Department of Defense as a Fieldcraft Instructor. Presently, Adam instructs Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu through his own company, Scholl Security Group. For more information please visit www.schollsecuritygroup.com and www.lasorsa.com

 

Tweet
Share
Pin2
Share639
641 Shares

Buy The Latest Issue

Sign Up For News and Updates

We respect your privacy and will not share your information with anyone.
We will only message you when we have something relevant and of value to share with you.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marc Parritt

    February 29, 2020 at 11:17 AM

    Being the the “Grey Man”
    I see from other adds and posts the CPO is expected to do everything from PPO to security driving……..I guess this is down to budget.

    When It comes down to the attire that bodyguards wear in my opinion just create attention dark suits and glasses emphasised by american films tooting automatic weapons .This only creates a major problem to them and the principal however in the UK unlikely

    As a security driver and NOT a PPO I take some of the pressure off the PPO in respect to vehicle security route planning and the obvious road A to B movement leaving the ppo to do his/her bodyguard role with more confidence if being part of a team which in my opinion gives the principal piece of mind

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Latest Issue

Circuit Magazine - Issue 66 - AI Armageddon

Issue 66

Buy Now

Latest Newsletter

Newsletter Sign Up

What you don't know CAN hurt you!

SUBSCRIBE

Latest Industry News

Ugandan Minister Killed by Bodyguard in Apparent Wage Dispute

A Ugandan government minister, Charles Engola, was shot and killed by his bodyguard early Tuesday in an apparent private dispute over wages, according to the army and local media. Engola, a retired army colonel, served as the junior minister in charge of labor in President Yoweri Museveni’s government.

Event

News - Circuit Magazine

Zelenskiy Denies Ukraine’s Involvement in Alleged Kremlin Drone Attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has refuted Russia’s claims that Ukraine was involved in a drone attack on the Kremlin, which was allegedly aimed at killing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine fights and defends its territory, not attacking Putin or Moscow. The Kremlin reported that two drones were used in the attack but were disabled by Russian defenses.

News taken from Issue 65 of the Circuit Magazine

Bodyguard Saves Japanese PM from Pipe Bomb Attack

A bodyguard has been hailed as a hero for his quick-thinking actions during a suspected pipe-bomb attack on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Video footage captured the bodyguard kicking away a metal object as it landed near Kishida
before positioning himself between the Prime Minister and the device, shielding him with a collapsible, handheld ballistics shield.

News from Issue 65 of the Circuit Magazine

AlertEnterprise Reveals First-Ever Guardian AI Chatbot Powered by OpenAI ChatGPT

AlertEnterprise has unveiled its first-ever Guardian AI Chatbot powered by OpenAI ChatGPT. The chatbot will make its global debut at the ASIS Europe and ISC West trade events. Built on OpenAI’s GPT-3 platform, the Guardian AI Chatbot aims to provide security operators with instant access to critical physical access and security insights through quick questions and prompts.

Keeping Your Edge By Elijah Shaw

Keeping Your Edge: Listen in Totality

Someone said this quote to me a long time ago and it really resonated. It was one of those things where the more I thought about what it actually meant, the more insight I gained from just those few short words. The quote itself originated from the American poet, Maya Angeolu. And while it’s very unlikely social media was on her mind, or even a thing, when she drafted it, I think it’s very fitting on how it plays into society today.

Is Your Brain Working Against You? How to Train Your Brain to Handle Challenges & Pressures of Executive Protection Work

Is Your Brain Working Against You?

Our brain is constantly processing information. From making our coffee in the morning to dreaming while we sleep, our neurons are always working to figure out what to do with the information they’re receiving. Every scenario is carefully calculated within our brains which then tells us how to respond to certain stimuli. In the field of Close Protection, it’s crucial that we train our brains to respond to stimuli in a quick and calculated way so that we are able to execute our responsibilities and keep people safe.

Comms Planning - Part I

Does Everyone on Your Team Speak the Same Language?

It’s an anomaly then that so little importance seems to be attached to ‘comms’ both during planning and training. Having a competent ‘signaller’ on the team, who is well-trained and well-versed in multiple forms of communication has to be an advantage, right? Think back to the military example I gave earlier, the signaller clearly forms a vital part in any unit, whether on the frontline or back in the Ops Room. But most security-related courses only pay lip-service to the importance of communications, if it is ever mentioned at all.

Global Risk Updates

Global Situation Report - November 2021

Global Situation Report – November 2021

Each issue our global geopolitical partner, Stratfor, provides an in-depth analysis of global incidents via in-house experts, cutting edge technology and through a comprehensive globally sourced network. Here is your summary from the last 30 days.

Popular Tags

armed attack Bodyguard business Celebrity client clients Close Protection Communication cp Elijah Shaw EP Executive Executive Protection firearm firearms government gun Intelligence Law Enforcement Media Medical military News online Orlando Wilson police Prevention professional protect protection Risk Safety Security SIA Social Media Surveillance Technology terror Terrorism terrorist Threat Training VIP weapon

On The Frontline

Journalists Behaving Irresponsibly

What is it with hurricanes and journalists behaving irresponsibly in such extreme conditions? As a security advisor to media teams, I can hardly believe my eyes. Understandably, a lot of pressure comes from TV bosses, sat in warm, safe studios who want to compete with other network providers by having their employees take needless risks, but it’s time for individuals to take responsibility for their own safety and set an example to younger ‘green’ journalists entering the profession.

Behavioral Analysis

Turning Habitual Habits into a Positive

Being an instructor for Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute has forwarded the opportunity to observe how a large section of professionals interact and function from different niches of the industry. Military, transnational EP teams, US based teams, Federal LEO’s or with civilians this theme shows through. Even in the larger training arena the change can be seen as more of the schools are starting to focus on classes or blocks of instruction such as client management and behavioral analysis. The discussion forms are flooded with conversations relating to how to work in a team dynamic. It doesn’t matter if its a 28 day school or a three day school, they will be touching on and teaching these topics.

Keeping Your Edge: Support Those You Meet Along The Way

Over the decades I have seen many artists, label executives, managers and agents rise from relative obscurity, to monumental heights. For example, it was an amazing thing to have your Protectee ask you to pick up a 9 year old who’d won some local acclaim because of his singing ability, and take him to a meeting, then subsequently watch his meteoritic rise to arguably the top 1% in pop music, past & present.

Follow us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

From The Archives

Making the Transition, Security Operator to Paramedic

We last heard from Jon back in 2013 as he was setting out on his quest to make the career jump from …

Continue Reading about Making the Transition, Security Operator to Paramedic

Training, Why Is It So Important?

Training is a familiar concept and one that should be embraced by all security professionals. …

Continue Reading about Training, Why Is It So Important?

How Much Do Security Companies Make?

A Look into the Money Behind Security Companies. As the owner of a security company I believe, …

Continue Reading about How Much Do Security Companies Make?

Industry News

French medics need bodyguards for 300 metre commute after spike in violent attacks 04 April Paris, …

Continue Reading about Industry News

Promoted Event

International Security Expo

Latest Podcast Episode

Latest Issue

Circuit Magazine - Issue 66 - AI Armageddon

Issue 66

As AI armageddon comes closer, the global challenge is discerning the line between innovation and oversight, particularly concerning decision-making biases and security implications.

Buy Now

Follow us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Subscription
  • The Magazine
  • Podcast
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

© 2023 Circuit Magazine · Rainmaker Platform

This website or its third-party tools use cookies which are necessary to its functioning and required to improve your experience. By clicking the consent button, you agree to allow the site to use, collect and/or store cookies.
I accept