Director of VIP Security
David Michael Edwards: Military Leader and VIP Security Expert
A decorated Army Ranger of the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Regimental Reconnaissance Company who now directs VIP security for USPA.
Milestones
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Enlistment
U.S. Army
Begins his military career through ROTC at Marion Military Institute; three years in the conventional Army before joining the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Post-9/11
3rd Ranger Battalion
Serves as rifleman, fire team leader and assault squad leader across 18 combat deployments of the Global War on Terror.
Tal Afar
Silver Star and Purple Heart
Wounded in Iraq and decorated with the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars.
Selection
Regimental Reconnaissance Company
Completes the 11-month operator training course and joins JSOC's tier one special missions unit, taking part in the joint CIA and JSOC Omega Program out of Kandahar Airfield.
Advisory
Senior military advisor
Commands a force of 700 fighters in the Horn of Africa before leaving active duty.
After service
Military free fall
Builds a career as a Master Operations Specialist and Military Freefall Instructor, developing the MARSOC Advanced Military Free Fall course and logging more than 5,000 jumps.
2021
Project Exodus Relief
Founds the organization that has evacuated Afghan commandos at risk since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Today
Director of VIP Security, USPA
Oversees close protection details and led USPA's Titanium Service team at Art Basel.
Army service
David 'Mike' Edwards (Michael David Edwards) began his military career through the ROTC program at Marion Military Institute and enlisted in the U.S. Army. His career in uniform spanned 22 years: three years in the conventional Army and 18 years with the 75th Ranger Regiment. After the September 11th attacks, he re-enlisted with the regiment, serving in 3rd Battalion as a rifleman, fire team leader and assault squad leader.
He deployed 18 times in combat during the Global War on Terror. Wounded in Tal Afar, Iraq, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars. He later served as cadre in the Ranger Indoctrination Program, evaluating and training future members of the regiment.
Regimental Reconnaissance Company
Edwards was selected for the Regimental Reconnaissance Company, the tier one special missions unit of the Joint Special Operations Command, after completing an 11-month operator training course. He took part in clandestine missions in coordination with federal agencies, including the joint CIA and JSOC Omega Program operating out of Kandahar Airfield, and served as a senior military advisor commanding a force of 700 fighters in the Horn of Africa.
Training and consulting
After leaving active duty, Edwards specialized in Military Free Fall training and consulting as a Master Operations Specialist and Military Freefall Instructor. He developed the MARSOC Advanced Military Free Fall course, trained SEAL teams in surveillance techniques and accumulated more than 5,000 jumps.
VIP security at USPA
As Director of VIP Security, Edwards oversees close protection personnel and high-profile details for clients including Google and Yves Saint Laurent. He led USPA's Titanium Service team at Art Basel, protecting clients including Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Tom Brady.
Project Exodus Relief
Edwards founded Project Exodus Relief, which has evacuated Afghan commandos at risk since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. His military career is documented in Zeroed Out by Jack Murphy and Sean Naylor, and he has appeared as a guest on The Team House and Combat Story podcasts.
"Our clients expect the best, and we deliver the best by having the most experienced team in the business."
Coverage of David Michael Edwards
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Prepared by Albina Bieci, Staff Writer and Customer Support Team Lead
Questions: albina@uspasecurity.comQuestions about this page, its sources or the record it draws on can be sent to Albina directly. Corrections are checked against the published record before anything on the page is changed.
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