Over the holiday period I have tried to catch up on the many projects that have been waiting for me to have time to finish. Unfortunately for the projects but fortunately for the ability to be in the company of other military instructors and exponents I have had visitors from all around the world dropping in on the training facilities.
The grape vine in military close combat circles is a wonderful thing and referrals are constant which makes life very interesting and full on. You never stop learning and if you haven’t experienced the wide range of military systems and instructor styles out there you are missing out on valuable knowledge.
I get visits from everyone from historians to veterans and current military chief instructors and their wisdom and knowledge is very informative. I learn things from exponents on military courses that through their service employ a skill I teach them in a slightly different way based on operational experience. That is why close combat skills and principles are very flexible and allow for human error and manipulating to fit the role or operator.
I have met tens of thousands of close combat buffs over more than twenty years of travelling training qualifying and instructing but there is a very big difference between the civilian enthusiasts, the historian of close combat, and the military trained and qualified instructor.
It’s a military practice that is for military roles and employment and without that employment can hardly be considered battle proven. There is also all the military related aspects that simply are not found in civi street that make the military training very different from civilian training.
The chain of command and taking orders and respect of senior ranks is something that is far different in civilian training. The International close combat instructors Association has given many civilians the opportunity over the past decade plus to rub shoulders with highly qualified military master level close combat instructors and special operations veterans.
The Todd Group being the oldest private military close combat training provider in the world has a reputation for providing exponents with training from such military Master level instructors and this year being the 80th anniversary of the facility will be a very special training time and time to meet such experts.
The serious combat exponent will take the effort and expense to venture down under for this memorable and highly beneficial experience. The proceedings will start on March 11th with a specialist close personal protection course offering International skills to operate in close protection in a wide range of environments including in hot spots.
The CPP course will end on March 23rd and the 80th anniversary celebrations will be on the 24th and 25th.
The Annual International Close Combat course that has a long a respected history of excellence in the combative field will be conducted from March 26th until March 31st with all three phases of the Todd Systems being conducted simultaneously in separate training areas at our HQ and camp facilities.
For the many International returning exponents and instructors this is their annual continuation training where they complete a years training in a week and test and advance.
This is also the Todd Groups means of recruiting its depot instructors and ensuring they received the required training. Future instructors to join the Todd Group military instructing team are also ear marked during this annual course so it is the most important recruiting and future proofing time of the year for the Todd Group.
The Todd Group has over one hundred instructors that are constantly being head hunted globally and those slots need to be filled and early identification of likely future instructors in crucial.
The Todd Group not being a franchise but being a controller of the training and management packages and doctrine is an unusual set up but its all about identifying training qualifying and supporting its people and for them to benefit for their efforts solely.
If anyone is looking at a career in self protection, close personal protection or close combat then they should apply right away as every year this the biggest and best of close combat courses is full to capacity and this year being the 80th several hundred exponents and instructors are expected.
Current and former military close combat instructors from the US UK and many other countries will be on course and some will be conducting workshops. Larry Jordan will be a guest instructor and this will be a time not to be missed.
I now have to get onto ensuring the training DVDs that have been on hold are completed in time for the arrival of all the international visitors and the new out door training facility is completed amongst about a hundred other logistical and facility related considerations.
My object is always to ensure everything is ready and available to the visiting exponents and instructors and that they have the best of facilities and training possible.
The annual course reputation has been built on getting it right and this is the 80th anniversary of the facility established by the late Harry Baldock in 1927 will be very special indeed.
This will be the last time for many of our aging members to share in such a celebration and we will honour them in a fitting way. Don’t leave it to long as the course positions are filling quickly and even with the considerable expansion for this major event and the increased instructing staff slots will be fill soon.
The CPP course was full to capacity but with a major contract now on the cards there any be several vacancies and we are compiling a wait list for positions that come available.
In conclusion you can stay at home and read books and think you are an expert but unless you have put your self on the line and take the efforts to follow your conviction and learn from the experts then you will never know what you have missed out on or just how little you actually know.
Hope to see you all down under and on course March 2007.
This is a link to an article on previous courses and course notification links:
- Capital of Close Combat
- 2007 March Course
- Close Personal Protection
Happy New Year.
