Aaron and Tank on the recent CPO course maritime exercise
The Todd Group is a unique organisation with its long history in the provision of military close quarters combat and military self-defence training.
Being established in 1927 by the late SMG Harry Baldock the Baldock institute, now the Todd Group, has only had two Master-Chief instructors in Harry Baldock our founder and Geoff “Tank” Todd; the current Todd Group HQ Master Chief Instructor.
The organisation senior members must be loyal, responsible, of integrity and committed and dedicated to our trade-craft.
There are members that are top proponents and instructors and operators and there are those that are simply interested in enhancing their self-protection capabilities.
We have mandatory training hours required to volunteer for testing and stringent rigorous testing phases.
The training provision model is all about setting and maintaining the highest possible standards required to be the best of the best in our specialist trade-craft.
To do so we must be involved in all aspects of our specialist trade-craft and not just part time training provision.
We are the caretakers of the doctrine, the developers of the training and management packages, writers of the training manuals and the designers of trade-craft training weapons and equipment.
The most respected proponents are those that have proven their combative capabilities at the highest levels.
One such loyal member of over 25 years is Aaron Dale a very physically fit and strong man that is known for his uncompromising mentality and loyalty within the Todd Group.
Aaron has moved up through the ranks since joining in 1995 and has been part of wide ranging training including the first open application close personal protection course conducted by the Todd Group in 1997.
Aaron receiving his CPP course certificate from Larry Jordan
He is a man whos actions speak volumes and his mere presence and performance has inspired as well as put the fear of hell up many exponents and candidates.
There are some members that are not just simply armed with knowledge and that have proven themselves under testing but have faced formidable foes in actions on stopping them in their tracks and these are the truly proven exponents and proponents.
From the rest come the best is very true in hands on actions on and the proponents that have walked the walk are those that can be trusted and relied on.
Aaron featured in our 80th anniversary production demonstrating his formidable strength and on his phase 1 basic testing in 1996 on the first national and international general public application major course and test phase he proved to be the most formidable candidate.
The late Dave “Bunny” Stevens from Australia was a solid tough candidate that after that test phase he told me he had never faced such a formidable ‘combative specimen’ as he put it as Aaron Dale.
Arny and Bunny going at it on their CQC Phase 1 Basic test 1996
Bunny although breaking his ankle while pitted against Aaron on that testing phase never gave up as he said if you dropped your guard against Aaron or Arny as Bunny called him it could be the end for you.
There were some tough fighters on that course and testing phase that got a definite reality check facing Aaron.
I identified Aaron as a most formidable exponent from the outset and he has never stopped his pursuit of striving to maintain the peak physical condition he has always been known for.
The strength of the Todd Group is our respected members that are never afraid to stand up and be counted and have the backs of their fellow fraction of one percenters.
Aaron when working as a bouncer made his mark as a man not to be messed with and one that was never afraid to face anyone that was out looking for trouble.
Aaron thrives on challenges and in his days as an exponent moving up through the ranks was always a most willing and able exponent up for any physical combative challenges.
We have an old saying that is very true in if you want a job done get a busy lad or lass onto it not a lazy type and with Aaron no matter how busy he may be he has always been there when needed.
He is a big hugely strong man that can move fast and is well remembered by his senior training mates for running around the side and end wall of our training hall mat room some 1-2 metres off of the ground.
Aaron bench pressing for the 80th anniversary video
On the recent CPP course maritime exercise Aaron turned up for the lunch some years after completing his CPO course.
The depth of knowledge and capability of our CQC school is measured by the hands and boots on actions of our willing prepared and capable respected top line proponents of which Aaron Dale is one such respected member.
Aaron and the other lifers take much pride in the Group and being a member of it.
They don’t appreciate anyone that would bring it into disrepute or those that are fake believers making out they are tough types when those that know them know they are everything but what they make themselves out to be.
Aaron will get back into active training at HQ in the new year and we are all looking forward to his return.
We now have a small dedicated group of F.U.G.s- Female Unarmed Combat Guns that have proven themselves on courses including specialist courses and under testing.
All our serious members want to be the best they can be and want to be trained by the best in the most current and proven skills.
They respect the privilege of holding rank with the oldest European military elite CQC training provider organisation.
They are proud of our unequalled and unique qualification lineage directly derived from WW11 and next generation military Master-Chief Instructors.
We get the most satisfaction from the success and achievement of our exponents and proponents.
Our depth of knowledge and capability through our leading proponents accepting of challenges and surpassing required standards over more than 90 years has enabled our high level status.
