Every Veterans Day, Memphis pauses to honor the men and women who served. This year, I want to talk about what comes after the service. Specifically, I want to talk about the growing number of Tennessee veterans who are building second careers in private security.
The pipeline from military to security work makes obvious sense. Discipline. Weapons proficiency. The ability to stay calm when everything around you goes sideways. These aren’t skills you learn from a textbook. They come from years of training and deployment, and they translate directly into the kind of work that security companies need done.
What doesn’t translate automatically is the license. Tennessee has specific requirements for anyone working as a security guard, and military service alone won’t check all the boxes. The process is manageable, though. I’ve talked to dozens of veterans who’ve gone through it, and most say the licensing steps are straightforward once you know what to expect.
Here’s the full breakdown.
The TDCI Licensing Process
Tennessee’s private security industry falls under the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, known as TDCI. The Private Protective Services division within TDCI handles guard registrations, armed guard permits, and company licenses.
If you want to work as an unarmed security guard in Tennessee, you need to complete a 16-hour training course from a TDCI-approved provider. The course covers legal authority and limitations of security officers, report writing, emergency procedures, first aid basics, and Tennessee-specific regulations. Several training schools in the Memphis area offer these classes on weekends, which works well for veterans who are juggling the transition to civilian employment.
After finishing the 16-hour course, you submit your application to TDCI along with a $50 fee. You’ll also need to pass a background check. Tennessee routes these through IdentoGO, which collects your fingerprints at one of their service centers. Those prints go to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI for a full criminal history review.
The background check is where military service actually helps. A clean service record and an honorable discharge demonstrate exactly the kind of character that TDCI wants to see. It won’t waive any requirements, and it shouldn’t. The training covers Tennessee-specific law that even a 20-year Army veteran wouldn’t know from military service. Knowing federal rules of engagement tells you nothing about what a security guard in Shelby County can and cannot legally do during a trespassing situation.
Still, veterans consistently pass through the process faster than the average applicant. The paperwork is familiar territory. The background check comes back clean. The training material clicks quickly for people who’ve spent years learning procedures and protocols.
Armed Guard Certification
For veterans interested in armed security work, there’s an additional layer.
Tennessee requires armed security guards to complete extra training hours beyond the basic 16-hour unarmed course. This training focuses on firearm safety, legal use of force specific to private security in Tennessee, and weapon retention techniques. You’ll also need to pass a live-fire qualification course at a certified range.
Now here’s where veterans have a real edge. Someone who spent four years qualifying on the M9 or M17 at military ranges isn’t going to struggle with the pistol qualification for an armed guard permit. The fundamentals are identical. Sight alignment, trigger control, breathing, follow-through. Military marksmanship training is more rigorous than anything the civilian qualification requires.
The legal training portion is different, though, and this is where veterans need to pay close attention. Military rules of engagement and the legal authority of a private security guard in Tennessee are two completely separate frameworks. In the military, your authority comes from the Uniform Code of Military Justice and your chain of command. As an armed security guard in Memphis, your authority comes from Tennessee state law and the specific terms of your company’s contract with a client.
The difference is enormous. A security guard cannot detain someone the way a military police officer can. The use-of-force continuum applies differently. Understanding exactly where those lines fall keeps guards out of legal trouble and keeps security companies from losing their licenses.
Veterans who take this training seriously, who don’t assume their military experience covers everything, come out of the process exceptionally well prepared.
Paying for Training
Here’s some good news on the financial side. The GI Bill and various veteran education benefits can cover some of the costs associated with security guard training in Tennessee. The specifics depend on which benefits you’re eligible for and whether your chosen training provider is approved by the VA for benefits reimbursement.
Not every training school in the Memphis area has VA approval, so veterans should ask about this before signing up. The training costs themselves aren’t huge. Most 16-hour unarmed courses run between $150 and $300, and armed training adds another $200 to $400 depending on the provider and whether range fees are included. Compared to a four-year degree, we’re talking about a relatively small investment that can lead to immediate employment.
Some security companies will cover training costs for new hires, especially for veterans. They know the caliber of employee they’re getting, and they’re willing to invest in the licensing process to bring experienced people on board.
Memphis’s Veteran Population
Memphis has a bigger veteran population than most people realize. A significant part of that traces back to Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, about 20 miles north of downtown Memphis. The installation has been a major employer in Shelby County for decades, and many service members who passed through Millington chose to stay in the Memphis area after their service ended.
The result is a deep pool of military-trained professionals who know the city, have established roots here, and are looking for careers that match their skills. Private security is a natural fit.
Beyond Millington, Memphis draws veterans from Army installations across the Southeast. Fort Campbell on the Tennessee-Kentucky border sends a steady stream of separating soldiers into the Nashville and Memphis job markets. Veterans from Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, and other bases throughout the region relocate to Memphis for its lower cost of living and family connections.
The security industry in Memphis has noticed. Several companies actively recruit at veteran job fairs held at the University of Memphis, at VA facilities on Poplar Avenue, and through veteran service organizations across Shelby County.
Why the Veteran Advantage Is Real
Let me get specific about what military veterans bring to security work that civilian candidates often lack.
Situational awareness. After years of operating in environments where missing a detail could get someone killed, veterans develop a level of environmental scanning that becomes automatic. They notice the person acting nervous near the loading dock. They spot the vehicle that’s circled the parking lot three times. They pick up on the subtle shift in a crowd’s energy before things go bad. This isn’t a skill you teach in a 16-hour training course. It takes years to develop, and veterans arrive with it already sharpened.
Stress management. A security guard at a Memphis hospital emergency room on a Saturday night is going to deal with agitated patients, distraught family members, and occasionally violent individuals. For someone who’s never experienced high-stress situations, that environment can be overwhelming. For a veteran who’s operated under fire, it’s Tuesday.
Chain of command discipline. Security work requires following procedures, reporting accurately, and working within a defined authority structure. Veterans don’t need to be taught this. It’s wired into how they operate.
Physical fitness. Most veterans maintain a level of physical conditioning that exceeds what the average security guard brings to the job. In a role that might require standing for eight hours, walking miles of perimeter, or physically responding to an incident, that fitness matters.
Communication skills. Military veterans know how to write clear, concise reports. They know how to communicate on a radio. They know how to give directions under pressure and receive instructions without needing them repeated. These are practical skills that security companies value because they directly affect the quality of service a client receives.
The Career Path Forward
Private security doesn’t have to be a stopping point. For veterans who enter the industry through guard work, there’s a clear progression available.
Start as an unarmed guard. Get your armed certification. Move into supervisory roles. Eventually, some veterans pursue their own security company license through TDCI, which requires a minimum of two years of experience in the security field plus passing a company licensing exam.
The security industry in Tennessee is growing. Memphis alone has seen steady demand increases driven by commercial development, high crime rates that push businesses to supplement police protection, and expanding healthcare campuses that need round-the-clock security staff. Veterans who enter this industry now are getting in during a growth period.
Some veterans use security work as a bridge to law enforcement careers. The experience counts when applying to MPD, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, or smaller municipal departments across the metro area. Others find that private security offers better schedules, competitive pay, and less bureaucratic frustration than public law enforcement.
Either path works. The important thing is getting started, and the licensing process is the first step.
Getting Started This Week
For any veteran reading this on Veterans Day 2021 who’s thinking about making the move into security work, here’s your action list.
Contact TDCI’s Private Protective Services division. Their website has the full application packet and a list of approved training providers in Tennessee. Find a training school near you and ask whether they accept GI Bill or veteran education benefits. Budget about two to three weeks for the full process from enrollment to receiving your registration card, assuming your background check comes back clean.
Talk to security companies in the Memphis area before you finish training. Many will hire you contingent on completing your licensing, and some will sponsor your training costs entirely. Tell them about your military background. It matters to them. They’ve seen the difference that veteran employees make on the ground.
Memphis needs good security professionals. Veterans, by training and by temperament, tend to be exactly that. The licensing process is a small hurdle compared to what you’ve already accomplished. Get it done.
Your next career is waiting.