CQC Skills to Command Phase 1 Group
Skills Drilling
The 2019 annual Auckland European mil CQC and mil self- defence course was a full muster of keening committed practical realists.
The course positions were all filled for the phase 1 basic course of instruction weeks before while I was overseas on an instructing circuit.
Phase 1 basic and phase 2 advanced courses of instruction were conducted simultaneously in separate areas of the Ludus Magnus training facility.
This annual course is the only chance for Aucklander’s to attend a week-long intensive course of European military self- defence and European military close quarters combat.
Course joining is strict and to the point with any accepted applicants not completing the course joining requirements being declined for any future depot training or Todd Group courses attendance.
Training in the most current Todd systems military CQC and military self-defence is a privilege and not a given right and all exponents are expected to conduct themselves in a fitting manner.
In recent years more applicants are declined for not meeting the high standard course joining requirements than in decades gone by.
Exponents are expected to be quietly committed responsible and reliable at all times.
The Todd Group’s longest history as a private specialist European mil CQC/MSD training provider of our mil armed and unarmed combat attracts a lot of people that have done their research and know exactly what type of training they are looking for.
Many are there by referral from former friends or family members that served in the Armed Forces.
Ludus Magnus is a top facility and a fitting place to conduct an urban course of instruction.
The days went so fast with the two groups constantly training and striving for skills competency and exponent self-improvement.
As the skills competency improved the speed and intensity of skills executions was increased.
The course included morning lectures on military combative mental toughness and the medical aspects of mil CQC.
There were video presentations to allow candidates familiarisation with phase test requirements by watching previous phase tests. They worked steadily in preparation for the day seven testing and we have found that candidates watching previous phase tests as part of the testing preparation process provides advantages and reality checks.
Day five and six included close quarters, expedient entry commitment training where exponents were introduced and inoculated against the effects of hard contact.
Such heavy body contact must be undertaken without protective suits or the like as it must prepare them for the realities of testing and enhance risk reduction capabilities.
Truing up the hard cover guard in preparation for toughener and sickener training
From toughener and sickener training to unarmed offensive assault and counteroffensive assault training as well as mil CQC drills to command and self- defence modules practice and revision, the days were cram packed with increased intensity training and skills critiquing.
Phase 1 Crowd combat training
The Todd Group phase 1 basic testing is most important to identify those that can overcome the effects of testing and achieve the objectives above the required level and those that can’t.
Sometimes is just a matter of the candidate not being ready for testing and other times it can be the psychological stresses of proving oneself under duress where there is no place to hide and every error and weakness is identified by the training team instructors controlling the testing.
Todd Group phase 1 testing must be hard heavy and hostile to prove the individual candidate can overcome such effects and conduct themselves with confident controlled aggression achieving all objectives at they required above an enabling level.
While many people may be able to handle training regimes, where there is not high sudden aggressive shock actions , candidates on Todd Group testing phases must be able to prove they have the capabilities to effectively neutralise formidable foes if they ever have to as part of their service or in civilian self- defence actions on situations.
All the training in the world is worth nothing if the combatant has not been inoculated under sudden aggressive actions on and has proven their mental toughness and that they are armed with the best and most current and proven threat neutralisation tactics and skills.
Just undertaking training does not provide proof of intestinal fortitude inner resolve practical smarts and the capability to overcome the effects of violence and achieve threat neutralisation.
The Todd Group has a very special and unique testing phase regime and anyone that volunteers for it shows courage and willingness to prove themselves.
There is no accurate means of knowing who will pass and fail testing phases as some exponents train extremely well, but do not test well and others are not so good under training, but are very capable under testing.
There were 12 phase 1 basic candidates that volunteered for testing and six that passed.
They all found the psychological effects of testing demanding and the environment very different to just training.
The phase 2 course of instruction was made up of a group of exponent’s that worked diligently away at mil unarmed combat and mil self- defence advanced training skills all week. There were combined phase 1 and phase 2 training components where the phase 2 mil and civi exponents led by example and provided valuable assistant instructor assistance to the candidates preparing for phase 1 testing.
During the course I had to advise the course that my dear friend Bluey Curran had passed away.
Bluey Curran RIP
Bluey was the last living World War II Commando unarmed combat instructor down under.
He was 92 years of age and attended the 90th anniversary of the Todd Group in 2017 as the guest of honour and as such many Todd Group members were most fortunate to meet him.
Bluey loved military unarmed combat and kept involved with it right throughout his life.
He was a respected member of the military close combat instructors Association.
He will be dearly missed by all military unarmed combat instructors that had the pleasure of working with him.
I will leave tomorrow for Blue’s funeral in Sydney meeting up with Maj John Whipp retired a close friend and former instructor qualified by Bluey in the Australian Army that went on to be a commander of military unarmed combat.
Johnny and I will pay our final respects to our dear friend Ken “Bluey” Curran a true military unarmed combat lifer.
I have received inquiries for next year’s annual Auckland course already and we will be increasing depot training provision in Auckland in the near future.
The key to combative success is firm fair recruiting, the most current and primary mil CQC skills provision and hard heavy and hostile testing to ensure only those that deserve promotion achieve it.
There must not be gender or weight categories as you should always consider your foes bigger stronger physically fitter highly skilled and committed to causing you grievously bodily harm with no respect for the laws of the land.
The Todd Group courses not only arm the exponents with CQC primary trade-craft skills but also are self-revealing as to the individuals entry capability status.
There should never be settling for less than the best when it comes to mil CQC or civi self-protection if you want to be best prepared to neutralise formidable foes.
The competency and capability increases on week long Todd Group intensive courses are considerable.
