Looking for someone with a ‘particular set of skills?’ Look no further

Lawrence Wilson is a very complex man with a very simple name. He has a background that would boggle the mind of any average Joe who dreams of becoming a spy or mercenary, and spends a lot of his time training people who protect others for a living. He also speaks about things that many people simply don’t want to hear.

To say Wilson is a weapons expert is a severe understatement. He has been associated with the French Foreign Legion, a Rhodesian company similar to Blackwater, the United Nations Police Force and has a master’s degree in nuclear safeguards … and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

To say that Wilson has “seen some things” is one way to put it, but he has now ended up in the small town of Englewood after a Rhode Island fishing trip turned into a conversation about good places to invest and live in Southwest Florida. He has since gone from being head of security for the only United Nations active nuclear research facility in the world to becoming the head of his own nuclear family.

Now Wilson is offering his services and expertise to individuals and, in some cases, organizations (he currently does contract work for sheriff’s offices, police departments, etc.). People who want to learn more about every day weapons usage and carry, self-defense, maintaining awareness and other related topics come to him for advice. Even as the world we live in gets more dangerous, many people still won’t acknowledge that services like the ones that Wilson offers are useful and needed.

“People don’t want to talk about those things; it’s horrifying to most people,” he said. “It’s a sensitive subject. Whether you think it can happen here or not, Boca Grande is not the only place you will travel.  It’s not about if it will happen, it’s when.”

Wilson said that a study of statistics indicate that being exposed to a situation that requires some hard, fast answers to questions is becoming more and more prevalent … no matter who you are or where you live. 

Many people who own guns and carry them regularly still don’t know what situations are optimal for fight, or flight. Even basic protection in a shooter situation – such as where to seek cover and how, in general, to protect yourself – require training prior to get people familiar with checking their surroundings wherever they go, to remain vigilant and how to react appropriately. There are other things you can do, Wilson said, just to keep your property safer and less friendly to intruders.

“You can’t bury your head; it could very well happen,” Wilson said. “What we’re trying to do is not scare people but prepare people instead. Here in Boca Grande even, I’d rather this island be a hard target rather than a soft target. Preparation is so much better than the cure, later. It’s better to be prepared, to learn a skill and not need it, then be in a situation and need the skill and not have it. There’s no need to run around like the sky is falling, but we do live in a very nice area, and no matter what you say, wealth attracts crime. So we have to be prepared – it lowers the risk and increases the change of survivability.”

Wilson is available for speaking engagements (he recently spoke at the Rotary Club in Englewood), as well as for group presentations. His primary jobs right now are for individuals who hire him to provide one-on-one training in all types of situations, and for firearms awareness, and use.

The Boca Beacon is currently looking to put together a presentation for the island regarding these topics, with the first part being a talk by Wilson and the second part a Q and A session. If you have any thoughts on that please email mshortuse@bocabeacon.com. If you are interested in speaking more with Wilson about private training or group presentations, you can reach him at (201) 995-3318, by email at law@americanequalizer.com or on his website, americanequalizer.com.