AVOID COMMON PITFALLS IN WPS-III PSS TRAINING: A SECURITY CONTRACTORS PREPARATION GUIDE

HOW TO PASS THE WPS-III PSS TRAINING COURSE (AND AVOID THAT CRAPPY COACH SEAT HOME)

INTRODUCTION: NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR RESUME AT QUALS

If you’re reading this, you’re probably gearing up for one of the toughest pre-deployment courses out there. The WPS-III Personnel Security Specialist (PSS) course doesn’t care about your resume, your last contract, or how “tactical” you think you are. You either pass, or you’re booking a sad flight home in a cramped coach seat, wondering where you f-ked up.

WHAT IS THE WPS-III PSS TRAINING COURSE?

The Worldwide Protective Services III (WPS-III) Personnel Security Specialist (PSS) training course is a demanding pre-deployment program designed for security contractors preparing for high-risk assignments in challenging environments. It’s not just a box to check; it’s a course designed to expose weaknesses and disqualify candidates.

Let me repeat that so it really sinks in and you understand what you’re preparing for and how serious you need to be: this is a course designed to disqualify candidates.

WHY DO SO MANY CANDIDATES FAIL?

Failure rates are high because many candidates arrive overconfident and underprepared, assuming their prior experience alone will suffice.

Spoiler: it won’t.

Guys with impressive resumes fail because they think they are too good to prepare. This course doesn’t care if you are an ex-cop, a former soldier, or have cool photos on facebook with guns. It only cares if you can perform.

HOW TO AVOID FAILING LIKE A LITTLE B

Below are the three main reasons security contractors fail the WPS-III PSS pre-deployment course, along with advice to avoid going back home sad in a crappy coach seat.

THE 3 MAIN REASONS CANDIDATES FAIL WPS-III PSS PRE-DEPLOYMENT

REASON 1: LACK OF PHYSICAL FITNESS
AKA You are Fat and Out of Shape

You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete. “Decent shape” is enough. Think average fitness for an active adult. But if you’re winded walking up stairs, we’ve got a problem.

The WPS-III Physical Readiness Test

You must pass the WPS-III Physical Readiness Test at the 65th percentile. This isn’t an impossible standard. It’s embarrassingly basic if you’ve been maintaining even moderate fitness.

The basics are:

• 1.5-mile run: 11:30 (for men in their 30s)
• Push-ups
• Sit-ups
• Standards vary by age, but nothing extraordinary.

If You Fail the PT Test

This is the one area where I have zero sympathy. You’re signing up for a job that pays six figures to work in places like Iraq and Somalia. If you can’t pass a low-bar fitness test, you shouldn’t be there in the first place.

PHYSICAL FITNESS ADVICE

Read: WPS-III Attachment 15 Physical Readiness Testing Protocols and Standards.

Find: Your age category and required minimums for:

• Push-ups
• Sit-ups
• 1.5-mile run
• WPS III Attachment 15 Physical Readiness Testing Protocols and Standards

If you can’t pass all three back-to-back:

• Go to your local gym.
• Hire a trainer.
• Tell them your fitness goals.
• Stick with the plan, they’ll get you in shape in a couple of months.

REASON 2: INSUFFICIENT OR NON-EXISTENT HANDGUN AND MACHINE GUN SKILLS

AKA You can’t shoot worth a S

THIS IS THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE FAIL!!! 20 YEARS AGO, IT WAS THE MAIN REASON, AND LAST WEEK, IT WAS THE MAIN REASON, SO TAKE THIS ADVICE TO HEART!

THE GLOCK 19

You’ll shoot out to 25 yards:

• Standing
• Kneeling
• Prone
• Weak hand

I’ve seen people fail similar quals because they assumed shooting a pistol was like riding a bike. It’s not.

You might think 25 yards isn’t far, but under the stress of an instructor yelling at you, fatigue, knowing that a 6-figure job-for-life is on the line and you only have one chance to pass, combined with the pressure of 50 guys muttering under their breath and getting frustrated at how long you’re taking, it can feel like a mile.

COMMON GLOCK FAILURE REASONS:

• Never practiced shooting prone/weak-handed
• Poor trigger control
• Stress from having 50 guys watching
• Heat, dehydration, or fatigue
• You literally are not a good shot
• Just plain arrogance (Ding-Ding-Ding, this is probably the main reason)

Hit the range and practice:

• Standing, kneeling, prone, weak-hand at 25 yards
• On Izzy targets
• Hire an instructor. Yes, even if you’re “experienced.”
• Aim for 95% accuracy under ideal conditions. This will help you “barely pass” when you’re hot, tired, and under stress.
• Hire an instructor.
• Hire an instructor.
• Hire an instructor.

THE M249 SAW

You’ll shoot prone, in bursts, at Izzy targets.

Failures here make more sense, especially for those who’ve never fired a belt-fed machine gun.

IF YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT PASSING:

• Learn the manual of arms: loading, unloading, charging, safety, etc.
• Practice malfunction clearing, the old-as-dirt SAWs used for qualls jam often.
• Pro tip: Dig in the bipod legs, and apply pressure to the buttpad to stabilize.
• Learn the basics: manual of arms, clearing malfunctions, and basic machine gun terms.
• Watch YouTube tutorials on M249 operation.

Get hands-on time (a much better idea):

• 1. Machine Guns Vegas rents SAWs with instructor guidance ($95 per 40 rounds). Or search for a range closer to you that rents full-auto SAWs with an instructor. I only picked Vegas because why not have one last hurrah before probably dying from boredom in the Middle East?
• 2. The first time you shoot an M249 shouldn’t be during your qualification, duh.
• 3. So it might be worth a trip. Spend a grand now. Make six figures later.
• 4. Read #2 again.

POOR WEAPONS HANDLING SAFETY

Believe it or not, this is also one of the more common reasons people fail WPS quals. I literally heard this recently straight from the horse’s mouth.

• Trigger discipline
• Not explaining this. You should already know.
• Muzzle discipline
• Same as above.
• Failure to clear/check the weapon properly
• Same as above.
• Unsafe weapon carry or holstering
• Same as above.
• NDs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Yes, this has happened during quals.

REASON 3: UNDERLYING MEDICAL OR HEALTH ISSUES

CANDIDATES FAIL MEDICAL EVALUATIONS FOR TWO REASONS:

1. UNDIAGNOSED HEALTH CONDITIONS

The stress of physical exertion, heat, and dehydration can reveal conditions you didn’t even know you had. Don’t find out the hard way.

2. PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS

Even if your personal doctor cleared you, the pre-deployment medical team might disqualify you for conditions they see as deployment risks.

MY PERSONAL ADVICE TO YOU

Get a full physical before attending the course on your own dime, especially if you’ve been avoiding the doctor for the past decade.

SIMULATE A HIGH-STRESS DAY:

• Wake up at 5 AM.
• No naps.
• At 5 PM, do the full PT test.
• Head to the range for pistol quals.
• See how your body handles the stress.
• Bring a buddy so don’t stroke out alone on your uncle’s farm.

LET’S SUM THINGS UP

Congratulations on landing a WPS contract man, that’s a huge step. Back in my day, you needed four years of sworn law enforcement or active-duty combat arms military just to apply (maybe two, I forget). It didn’t matter if you had five years of contractor experience in Iraq; there were zero exceptions.

I’m glad they’ve loosened those restrictions. They were missing out on some seriously qualified candidates because of arbitrary rules. *See new notes in the comments about this.

FINAL ADVICE:

• Don’t show up out of shape.
• Don’t assume you’re a natural marksman.
• Good luck, and don’t be that guy explaining why you’re flying home in coach.

RESOURCES

• WPS-III Physical Readiness Standards: [Attachment 15 Guidelines]
• Machine Guns Vegas: Rent M249 SAW for hands-on practice
• How to Operate a M249 SAW on YouTube
• YouTube Channels: Search “M249 SAW Operation” for tutorials
• Izzy Targets: Available on Amazon
• Basic Fitness Apps: MyFitnessPal, StrongLifts, or Fitbod for PT prep
• Local Ranges: Use Google to find “M249 SAW shooting range near me”
• AR 190-56 has almost identical pre-deployment standards

Good Luck!