Major events in history rarely end when the immediate incident is over. Triumphs and tragedies alike often produce far-reaching consequences, triggering developments that can be beneficial, harmful, or simply unforeseen, with effects that extend well beyond the original circumstances.
One such example emerged after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In the years that followed, a series of indirect consequences unfolded far from the United States, eventually drawing international attention to a highly skilled but relatively little-known British military unit.
What did the Special Air Service (SAS) look like in 1963?
Founded in 1941, the Special Air Service (SAS) was an elite British regiment created to carry out irregular operations during the Second World War. Disbanded at the end of the conflict, it was reformed in 1947.
The SAS’s role during the Cold War world wasn’t initially well defined. Its troops were deployed in successful operations across Asia, most notably in Malaysia, where operatives fought a grueling jungle war against Communist rebels, while going on to win over local support in a hearts and minds campaign.
The SAS wasn’t yet well established. It hadn’t earned the high public profile it would gain in the 1980s, and some senior figures in the British Army were dubious about this band of misfits. It boasted unusual operating procedures and troops who judged officers by their actions, rather than their rank and authority.
A small unit that had already been disbanded once, the cost of the SAS meant its future was far from secure.
Shockwaves from Dallas, Texas
On November 22, 1963, shots echoed through a crowd in Dallas, Texas, as John F. Kennedy was mortally wounded while traveling in a presidential motorcade. His assassination quickly became one of the most traumatic and widely remembered events in modern American history, generating shock and grief both within the United States and around the world.
The repercussions extended far beyond America’s borders. The killing of the leader of a major world power prompted governments everywhere to reconsider how effectively their own national leaders were being protected. Presidents, prime ministers, and monarchs alike began reviewing existing security procedures and questioning whether they were sufficient to address emerging threats.
At that time, relatively few nations—including the United States and the Soviet Union—offered structured protective-security training to foreign allies. Many governments aligned with the West relied on personnel trained through American programs, but Kennedy’s assassination led some to question the effectiveness of those approaches. As a result, countries across the globe started looking elsewhere for specialized expertise in executive protection and bodyguard training.
Special Air Service (SAS) begins offering close protection
The Special Air Service established close protection training during the Cold War. Instead of using an established approach, it created one from scratch, drawing on the organization’s experience in irregular warfare. Troops had done this work from the other side, finding ways to attack well-protected targets, and they turned what they’d learned on its head. They wrote out rules and began a process of constant improvement that allowed them to evolve their techniques down the years.
The SAS’s approach to bodyguarding was different from that of the Americans. The US Secret Service valued large numbers of highly visible agents as a deterrent and a barrier around the target. The SAS taught an approach that used smaller groups who were less visibly placed. Its operatives knew from experience that an attacker’s biggest worry wasn’t the guards they could see. Instead, it was the ones they couldn’t.
In the aftermath of JFK’s assassination and an attempted assault on Princess Anne and her husband, Mark Williams, the British Foreign Office and MI6 quickly reached out to friendly world leaders. The United States, which had long overshadowed its trans-Atlantic cousins, had been publicly shown to be vulnerable. The United Kingdom was offering an alternative.
How does intelligence come into play?
Intelligence collection is a core element of close protection operations. Security personnel must build a detailed picture of every location their client is expected to visit, the travel routes connecting those destinations, and any areas where potential threats could arise. During the assignment, they are also required to remain constantly aware of their surroundings, monitoring nearby individuals and reassessing risks as conditions evolve.
The Special Air Service changed the way this part of protective security was carried out by integrating intelligence gathering directly into close protection responsibilities. Instead of relying entirely on reports prepared by others, the operatives assigned to protect a client often conducted much of the advance reconnaissance themselves. This gave them a far more comprehensive understanding of the environment in which they were operating, creating an important advantage when the safety of both the protection team and the client depended on reliable intelligence.
Special Air Service (SAS) and international relations
The early 1960s and ’70s were a period of waning power for Britain. The Cold War had solidified a lesson from World War II: the nation, while influential, was now a second-tier global power, behind the United States and the Soviet Union. Pressure from within and other international leaders was forcing the country to give up its colonies, restoring freedom to nations that had spent decades or even centuries under British rule.
Bodyguard training from the Special Air Service provided an inexpensive yet key tool for maintaining Britain’s influence. It became a favor the Foreign Office could offer leaders across the United Kingdom’s former colonies and throughout politically sensitive regions, such as the Middle East.
The success of the SAS’s operatives ensured a steady stream of business and, with it, diplomatic coups for the Foreign Office. They were tools used to improve relations with Kenya in the aftermath of its bitterly contested independence, and they also allowed the UK to garner influence with the Shah of Iran.
JFK’s assassination secured the Special Air Service’s (SAS) future
In a difficult time, the Special Air Service’s role in bodyguard training gave the military organization a vital and important place in the United Kingdom’s diplomatic toolbox. It ensured favor with politicians at home and abroad, making it much more than simply a team of secretive Commandos.
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That dark day in Dallas had forever shaped the future of the SAS.