Phase test BHEs.
The Todd Group Annual Australasian Combative Course of instruction and prize giving was conducted at Camp Todd and the Todd Group HQ between March 17 and March 26.
This was the 20th year since we began to accept national and international applicants on an annual course.
Before I get into this post course report, I would like to convey the following based on my observations and the comments of the instructing team and exponents on course.
This course provided the highest level of combative phase competency under phase 1 testing ever seen on a phase 1 test.
The candidates achieved the objectives in the CQC testing component in less than five seconds by majority. This proved they had achieved the required competency and proficiency in skills training and understood and were capable of achieving single figure seconds threat neutralisation under testing conditions. Well done lads you made us very proud of your achievements.
Prior to the course, the dedicated instructors and exponents from Todd Group HQ had put in a lot of work to add some new training features equipment and training areas at Camp Todd that added to the special training experience that the 2016 annual Australasian course was.
Close Range Unarmed Offensive Assault Skills Practice.
The general consensus was that it was better to conduct such a course at the camp and HQ in New Zealand than to conduct one course in Australia and another in New Zealand. Those that could not make it on this year’s annual Australasian course missed out on an excellent CQC experience.
The Australasian annual course being conducted at Camp Todd and Todd Group HQ with all the training resources equipment and facilities in place and the fact that the course is residential and enables all day and evening training provides that extra and more extensive special training experience.
I have never before seen a course conducted in a privately owned custom designed and developed military CQC facility for both civilian and military pers to undertake CQC training at. The instructors and exponents and all the facilitators make this combative experience the best of the best.
Those that are committed military CQC proponents are in agreement that they can only get this training experience on Todd Group residential courses.
Next year will be the 90th anniversary of the Todd Group, formerly the Baldock Institute, and members must confirm their place on course as soon as possible to ensure accommodation at Camp Todd is available.
The phase 3 course of instruction restricted training is not for public release, but I can tell you it went extremely well and covered both the armed and unarmed specialist combative modules training.
The instructing team on this the 2016 annual course were the most dedicated I have seen on any previous annual course and the outcomes achieved by the attending exponents were testament to the instructors high level of instructing expertise and instructing records of service.
Having the Todd Group 2IC Cowboy Mitchell and Master Instructor Howard Bell along with Chris Marsh conducting the specific phases of training meant the course ran to schedule and the exponents on course achieved the required training requirements. Thank you for your loyalty, dedication, commitment and selflessness.
Vietnam veteran and former Elite Forces soldier, Tom Gordon, came in on day one to provide basic instruction in first responder medic tactics and skills in relation to training related and actions on CQC injuries and wounds.
Introduction to CQC Med with Tom Gordon.
This knowledge would be put to the test on the final day of the course during the test phases.
The three nights training at the old Todd Group HQ in Dunedin city allowed for course attendees and HQ members to train together.
Training at Todd Group HQ during the Annual Australasian Course.
This training included a combined phases defensive tactics control and restraint introductory course.
The second phase evening training on course at the old HQ syllabus was to ensure phase 2 exponents learnt to apply individual skills under wide ranging threat situations.
The Brain to Boot military CQC training to drills commands where exponents combine their primary decided threat neutralisation CQC skills with the Brain to Boot military CQC mental toughness tactics and skills to an observer would most likely look like organised chaos with large numbers of CQC exponents covering ground in different directions employing different CQC actions.
Exponents quickly understood the values of this psychological enhancement training in regards to mental toughness and CQC skills objective achievement enhancement.
Brain to Boot individual proponent CQC options executions.
We conducted a night sneaker course through one of the bush areas at camp Todd with a minimal single directional light source.
Exponent’s moved through the darkness neutralising the threats extremely well getting further away from the light source to a point where they were predominantly relying on the night sky and their ability to react to incoming colour and movement.
Sneaker course night CQC training.
John Marrable, a long-term friend, Karate instructor and CQC enthusiast was on course and also taught the lads how to make a monkey’s fist keychain. I can tell you there were some frustrated faces with this knot tying and some less than finished examples but the experience was greatly appreciated and I’m sure that is was will work on this new skill.
Chris “Firepower” Marsh, a long-term, highly proficient firearms specialist and CQB/CQC proponent, gave a brief on the workings of a range of firearms and on safe handling of firearms which was well received and appreciated by the attendees. Chris demonstrated his competency on the final night of the course when he spotted and headshot a deer at the base of the bush line at Camp Todd.
The test phase this year was changed in order of conducted components and designated testing areas at Camp Todd.
Test phase tested components.
The technique to command, as well as the toughener and sickener phases, were conducted on the main training field. The toughener and sickener phase of testing included hooded removed vision primary sense hard cover self-protection along with being mechanically restrained self-protection as well as CQC milling and coming back from the dead under assault.
Hooded additional senses utilisation.
During these phases, mock emergency medical injuries and wounding as a result of CQC actions on encounters were initiated leaving the testing phase 1 candidates to apply the skills as taught by Tom Gordon. Tom was on hand to evaluate and advise where necessary.
Tom has been a nursing tutor since his army days, as well as a long-term accident and emergency staff nurse. Combine this with his regular forces and elite forces background as a medic and you have a highly knowledgeable and skilled specialist and we are most fortunate to have Tom on the team, thanks mate.
First responder CQC exercises.
The military self-defence testing was undertaken between and in front of the World War II eight-man huts where the candidate would have to move down the line of huts dealing with same threat category actions on encounters options achieving threat neutralisation every time.
Final technique to command drills assessments were undertaken before the battle handling exercise component of the test phase.
The candidates were held in isolation and individually called out to pass through the battle handling exercises final test component.
The candidates this year were tested in the new mud run swamp and pond CQC training feature.
They employed unarmed offensive assault threat neutralisation and unarmed counter offensive assault threat neutralisation prior to entering the mud and swamp moving their way through the wetland training area where they had to neutralise unexpected threats some overt but by majority covert dealing with the mud and water which made for some very different skills employments.
They quickly learnt that military CQC and military self-defence requirements under the presented terrain require specific military combative threat neutralisation capabilities under such difficult conditions.
Battle Handling Exercises on the Phase 1 Test.
I was the final watercourse threat enemy per and was extremely pleased with the attitude and capabilities of the six candidates.
I was effectively neutralise on six occasions had my jaw stamped on under the water and now thanks to that have a tooth ready to fall out, but wouldn’t change anything as this was a special experience to be part of. All of us instructors were extremely proud of the candidates and the levels of competency and confidence they achieved over the training course and during the testing phase.
After we all got cleaned up we had the spit roast and annual prize giving.
I have had the pleasure of working with the most dedicated selfless and loyal proponents getting the camp ready for this year’s annual Australasian course and instructing or participating on course. Just like in testing there is nowhere to hide and every proficiency fault error and inadequacy is blatantly obvious and apparent so was it with the selfless dedication and commitment of those that assisted with the facilitation and instructing of course.
This was a great course second to none in phase 1 competency and proficiency in CQC objective achievement. Being the 20th anniversary of the accepting of non-HQ member applications made it even that much more special.
Military CQB/CQC being living packages change in relation to threats and the only way to be current and be most proficient and prepared is to participate on such courses of instruction.
Anyone considering upcoming courses especially the Todd Group hub country of Thailand May course of instruction are encouraged and most welcome to course confirm/apply now.
This will be another excellent opportunity to undergo such training on another combined civilian and military pers course of instruction that is residential and includes amphib CQC training. More information at bottom.
There are so many positives from this the annual Australasian course of instruction that it would take many pages to detail them.
The candidates on the test phase included serving military Pers, two brothers with martial arts backgrounds a karate black belt and a university student and they all worked well together to increase their proficiency leading to a 100% pass rate on the phase 1 test of.
One thing that many attendees on course learned is that CQC proponents and instructors include those as young as 17 and those in their 50s and 60s and that it is a practice for realists that are mentally committed to self-improvement and self-protection and you do not have to be a high level physically athletic individual to achieve but you do need to be a practical realist prepared to use dirty and deadly methods of threat neutralization.
I would like to thank Gus, a dedicated phase 3 proponent and our course chef, for his tireless work and fine meals.
In conclusion I would like to take this opportunity to invite non-members applications and current Todd group member’s course confirmations for upcoming courses as per the Todd Group website toddgroup.com
No time for procrastination if you want to get CQC competent and confident you need to get on a course and find out for yourself the benefits of what this unique and special combative experience is for yourself.
The next residential combined military and civilian CQC course is the Thailand CQC course May 21-26 2016. Course joining instructions and on-line application facility.
Chonburi, Thailand – May 21st – May 26th – Todd Group CQC Course Thailand. Course information. Poster. Apply Online.
Pictures below from previous Thailand courses.
As a result of this article coming out after the course cut-off date we can extend the course applications and confirmations until April 8th. Please apply course confirm on-line.
Source: CQC Times
