Real Life Stories highlights the experiences of operators and civilians who have had to use the skills they've learnt in self defence or combat.
If you have had to defend yourself as a civilian or in the execution of your duties as a service person, then don't hesitate to forward your story. These stories will not include the identities of any of the subjects involved, but will detail the situation and means used to overcome it.
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I was trained in CQC in the military in the UK and then later in NZ by Tank Todd. Tank's methods when employed are truly combat, plain and simple, and don't come anymore effective.
What I want to talk about is the sense of awareness his training provides through teaching you how to see potential threats in time and employ methods to avoid them.
He gives you the knowledge to reduce the risk at every point of the confrontation. I had to once use his method of creating a safe distance between myself and a gang member who was looking for trouble, with anyone around him, in a public place.
I employed the basics I had been taught to keep distance between us and remain a 'grey man' keeping my intentions hidden and using what I had been taught to reduce the threat level and risk level.
It worked a treat and the hunter became the hunted finding himself in an unusual situation where his chosen victim didn't do what was expected. He gobbed off and then decided the unknown was better left alone. All in all a great win for sound and safe tactics to outsmart your attacker.
On my CQB course I was taught how to roll and fall and methods of escape and evasion when under extreme armed threat and heading for cover or concealment. I was involved in a military accident where I found myself thrown from the transport and in immediate line with the overturning vehicle. It was the skills that I had been taught during CQB training that saved my life. I will always consider myself extremely fortunate to have been trained in such excellent skills.
My life could have been considerably different if it was not for my training in close combat. While away on vacation with my buddies a group of thugs decided to beat us up. One of my friend's was knocked unconscious and when I attacked his attacker who was putting the boot in I was set upon by several attackers. I found myself being held in a bear hug from behind with my arms completely secured as well.
In a split second I saw an attacker to my front pull out a knife and thrust it at me. Thank God I had been taught what to do in this situation at CQB training and had the ability to do it. I recalled what to do in a fraction of a second and how to not only reduce the immediate risk but also put my holding attacker directly inline with his fellow thug's knife and that is exactly what I did.
The situation changed when he was wounded by one of his own and gave me time to get my buddy and get away.
