Australian Annual CQB/CQC Courses 2014

This will be the last annual course to be conducted in Australia for the foreseen future.

From 2015 Australian and New Zealand instructors and exponents will combine for an Australasian course of instruction conducted at Camp Todd with training also being conducted at the Todd Group HQ.

The numbers of New Zealand and Australian Todd Group depots and the numbers of combative proponents training at the depots will provide a great combined countries course of instruction Down under.

Camp Todd being just 15 minutes from the Dunedin airport and with budget flights to New Zealand, makes sense to combine Australian and New Zealand proponents to ensure a major course of instruction is conducted for Down under.

The Todd Group annual prize giving is combined with the annual HQ course and also the instructor’s conference and general meeting making an Australasian course a good option.

This will also enable attendees to live CQB/CQC the military way in camp training intensively day and night.

The 8 man huts at camp Todd are WWII Army huts adding to the combative experience.

Combine this with attendees being able to experience training at the oldest private military combative training facility of its kind and it makes sense for New Zealand and Australian proponents to combine annually.

The 2014 annual course included six phase 3 specialist combative proponents that also stayed on and assisted instructing on the phase 1 and 2 week-long courses of instruction.

The phase 1 and 2 courses of instruction comprised of lesser numbers than previous and as such exponents received considerable individual instruction from the instructing team on course.

The Todd Group standard operating procedures in relation to instruction provision provide for training of minimal exponent numbers.

This is the reality of a military combative system where exponents are very much individuals that must accept the combative challenge in relation to training and testing.

We do not appeal to the masses and the realities of training combined with the high level of skill and intestinal fortitude required for successfully passing the phase 1 test, ensures courses are usually made up of small groups of committed realists.

European military close quarters combat is not suitable for just everyone and as such attracts mainly committed adults.

Test phase combative encounters component.

This is important to ensure standards are maintained and safety is increased to the highest level humanly possible.

If it was easy any paper hound could do it and this would defeat the purpose of providing the best of battle proven training and ensuring the testing phases were realistic and challenging to even the most committed candidates.

The testing regime is strict and to the point neither favouring or prejudicing any candidate.

Under test conditions the candidate is required to conduct themselves with high levels of skills competency and a rugged commitment to objective achievement.

It is a very personal and individual experience where candidates are never encouraged under testing and must call upon their own strengths and skills competency to surpass testing levels requirements.

Impartial and at times unfriendly if candidates do not conduct themselves with confidence and competency or show a lack of required safety practices is the reality.

The Todd Group maintain the use of fitting bastardisation as part of combative realism and to encourage self- improvement.

The reality is military close quarters combat is a rough tough and dirty business where exponents need to be thick skinned and mentally tough.

Inoculation against the effects of real world violence by means of verbal bastardisation and other combative enhancement methods only strengthens the individual combatants resolve and capabilities and aids in remaining focused on their combative skills employments when facing adversity.

The Todd Group training provision practices in relation to ensuring the candidates are best prepared and capable of achieving the objectives and surpassing the required phase testing levels requires hands on in your face blunt and to the point orders and instructions and individuals attitude and tactics and skills adjustments.

There is no room for PC when it comes to such instructing practices and the introduction of lesser training and testing practices would only stand to lessen candidates chances of passing test phases.

This year’s annual Australian course with attendees having so much previous training experience ensured the course training phases maintained a consistent level of advancement in line with individual exponents achieving required competency levels.

The course for phase 3 specialist proponents was conducted outdoors and the phase 1 and 2 courses of instruction included three days in doors training and two days outdoors training with the phase 1 test being conducted outdoors.

Interestingly in 2013 and 2014 both successful phase 1 test candidates were former soldiers.

The Todd Group, formerly the Baldock Institute has taken 87 years to train test and qualify our extensive global instructor list and this has led to setting and maintaining the highest possible combative standards.

The larger the organisation becomes requires stricter attention to detail in relation to overseeing not only the depots and instructors but also the general rank and file.

Times have changed in relation to current generation’s respect of the chain of command and attitudes in relation to accepting orders and instructions.

The Todd Group has maintained a regime of respect in relation to the chain of command and demands responsibility from its proponents.

Fortunately 87 years of experience as a military law enforcement and civilian training providers has ensured our procedures in relation to responsible recruiting and conducting of combative training have been proven to work without compromise.

We are looking forward to the 2015 Australasian course of instruction at our camp and HQ here in New Zealand.

We have received to date considerable support for conducting a combined NZ and Australia course of instruction.

The benefits of conducting such a course out of our own camp and headquarters facility including attendees being able to take in the atmosphere of the old headquarters and check out the history room will make the experience that much more specialist and unique.

They will also be able to train with our HQ exponents and be trained by our HQ instructing team.

The Todd Group continuously analyse courses and course locations maintaining a practical hands-on approach to future proof the conducting of courses.

The 2014 last annual Australian course and end of an era for conducting annual Australian courses of instruction was as with all previous Australian annual courses conducted well and in the spirit of the combative pursuit of excellence.

There will be weekend continuation training courses conducted by Todd Group instructors in Australia to ensure exponents remain current and are best prepared for attending the 2015 Australasian or any other Todd Group exported global courses of instruction.

The planning for a November weekend training in New South Wales is already underway and when confirmed will be posted on the Todd Group website toddgroup.com as well as our combative tourist website. www.eliteactionadventure.com

The next exported course of instruction is the annual South Africa CQC course and the Todd Group hub country annual (CPP) close personal protection course in Thailand.

Courses information joining instructions on course promotional material below.

South Africa CQC

Course informationPosterApply Online.

Thailand CPP

Course informationPosterApply Online.

Article written by Tank Todd

Special Operations CQB Master Chief Instructor. Over 30 years experience. The only instructor qualified descendent of Baldock, Nelson, and Applegate. Former instructors include Harry Baldock (unarmed combat instructor NZ Army WWII), Colonel Rex Applegate OSS WWII and Charles Nelson, US Marine Corps. Tank has passed his Special Forces combative instructor qualification course in Southeast Asia and is certified to instruct the Applegate, Baldock and Nelson systems. His school has been operating for over eighty years and he is currently an Army Special Operations Group CQB Master Chief Instructor. His lineage and qualifications from the evolutionary pioneers are equalled by no other military close combat instructor. His operation includes his New Zealand headquarters, and 30 depots worldwide as well as contracts to train the military elite, security forces, and close protection specialists. Annually he trains thousands of exponents and serious operators that travel down-under to learn from the direct descendant of the experts and pioneers of military close combat. Following in the footsteps of his former seniors, he has developed weapons, and training equipment exclusive to close combat and tactical applications. He has published military manuals and several civilian manuals and produced DVDs on urban self protection, tactical control and restraint, and close combat. He has racked up an impressive 100,000+ hours in close combat.