Veteran-Owned Security
in South Dakota
Red Obsidian Security is a 100% veteran-owned and operated firm based in Sioux Falls. Founded by a United States Marine Corps veteran (MOS 5954), the company applies the same standards we learned in service — discipline, accountability, attention to detail, and the principle that you finish what you start — to civilian physical security and locksmith work.
Why Veteran-Owned
Is Not a Marketing Line
In a state with no licensing requirement and no mandatory training for security officers, the words "veteran-owned" mean something concrete — a baseline of training, accountability, and discipline that civilian security has no obligation to match.
Trained to a Standard
South Dakota does not require any training to start a security company or work as a security officer. We do — because that is what every Marine Corps Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Coast Guardsman is trained to do.
Accountability Built In
In service, you write the report, you sign the report, and your name is on it. We carry the same principle into every patrol log, every lockout call, and every penetration assessment we deliver.
Discipline as Habit
Showing up on time, dressed correctly, ready to work — these are not aspirations. They are the floor. Below the floor, we let you go and do the work ourselves until we find the next person who clears it.
After-Action Review
Every contract ends with a review of what worked and what did not. We carry the AAR habit into civilian work because it is the only honest way to keep getting better.
Local. Independent. Owner-Operated.
Headquartered at 401 East 8th Street, Sioux Falls. Not a franchise. Not a national brand renting out our city as a market. Every dollar stays in the region.
"We've Got Your 6"
It is not a tagline borrowed from a Veterans Day commercial. It is a phrase every service member knows, with a specific operational meaning, and we put it on the side of every vehicle we deploy because we mean it.
Marine Corps Veteran,
Sioux Falls Owner.
Red Obsidian Security was founded by Eric Duwenhoegger, a United States Marine Corps veteran (MOS 5954, Aviation Operations Specialist). After his service and a tour through corporate physical security — including time as a branch lead for a regional firm — Eric started Red Obsidian to do the work the way he wished it had been done at every prior stop.
That meant building a firm that combined four disciplines under one phone number — physical security, emergency locksmith, physical penetration testing, and emergency action plan work — instead of forcing customers to coordinate four separate vendors for what is genuinely one problem.
It meant accepting credit cards in a regional industry that still demanded checks. It meant building an online estimator that delivered a real itemized quote in five minutes instead of a sales callback in three days. It meant publishing the math behind the pricing instead of hiding it.
And it meant putting "We've Got Your 6" on the side of every vehicle — because every Marine knows what that phrase actually means, and the standard it sets.
South Dakota Has No
Security Training Law.
South Dakota does not currently require licensing or mandatory training to start a security company or work as a security officer. Many regional competitors operate to that floor. We do not.
- Military training as the baseline. Veteran ownership means our standards begin where the state minimum ends.
- Documented procedures. Every patrol, lockout, and assessment follows a written procedure — auditable on request.
- Background-checked staff. Standard practice, not an upcharge.
- Insured and bonded. Full general liability coverage and bonding in place. Certificates available on request.
- Local accountability. The owner answers the phone, walks the property, and signs the report.
Veteran-Owned
Common Questions
Is Red Obsidian Security actually veteran-owned? +
Yes. Red Obsidian Security is 100% owned and operated by Eric Duwenhoegger, a United States Marine Corps veteran (MOS 5954). The ownership is not a passive marketing claim or a minority stake — it is the entire operating company. We are headquartered at 401 East 8th Street, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Are you VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) certified? +
Federal VOSB certification through VetCert is in process. State and chamber-level veteran-owned recognition is in place. If you are a federal contractor or prime requiring formal VOSB documentation for a contract, contact us directly and we will provide current status and supporting paperwork.
What services does Red Obsidian Security offer? +
Four disciplines under one roof: (1) physical security including mobile patrol, stationary guards, and temporary assignments; (2) 24/7 emergency locksmith services for homes, businesses, vehicles, and storage units; (3) physical security penetration testing; and (4) emergency action plan creation, review, and rewrite services.
Why choose a veteran-owned security firm over a regional competitor? +
Three concrete reasons. First, training and discipline standards we apply are higher than the South Dakota legal floor — and South Dakota has no security training law. Second, we operate four service disciplines under one phone number, removing the coordination cost of multiple vendors. Third, we accept credit cards and publish transparent pricing — both of which remain unusual in the regional market.
Are you licensed and insured? +
Yes. Full general liability coverage and bonding are in place, and certificates of insurance are available on request. We file business registration with the State of South Dakota and operate from a fixed business address (401 East 8th Street, Suite 209, Sioux Falls, SD 57103).
Do you serve federal, state, or municipal contracts? +
Yes for state and municipal work. Federal contracts are served through the standard federal acquisition channels with VOSB certification in process. Contact us directly to discuss specific solicitation requirements.
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Ready to Work
With a Veteran-Owned Firm?
Twenty minutes on the phone tells us most of what we need to know. We will scope, quote, and tell you the truth about whether we are the right fit — even when the answer is that we are not.