This article is based on and applies to European military CQC and European military self–defence.

The Todd systems of European military close quarter’s combat and European military self- defence are military tradecraft practices that are roles specific.

Sgt Major Harry Baldock

The Todd group is the oldest private training provider of European military unarmed combat and European military self- defence dating back to our founder and first chief instructor the late Harry

Baldock. Since 1927 the Todd group have had only two chief instructors both military Master- Chief instructors in military unarmed combat and military self- defence.

Harry Baldock established military unarmed combat and military self- defence training in 1927 and was a WW11 Army unarmed combat chief instructor.

Geoff ‘Tank” Todd is a current military CQC and military self- defence Master -Chief instructor trained by Harry Baldock from 1973 until 1986 when he took over the Baldock Institute.

With the changing of the guard the Baldock Institute become the Todd group.

The Baldock Institute specialised in wrestling Jiu Jitsu physical culture as well as military unarmed combat, police defensive tactics training and self- defence.

Military Qualified instructors prerequisite background training and qualification requirements.

Questionnaire: Military Close Combat

1. Where did you complete your basic military close combat course?
2. When did you complete your basic military close combat course?
3. Who was the chief instructor of the course?
4. Where did you complete your advanced military close combat course?
5. When did you complete your advanced military close combat course?
6. Who was the chief instructor?
7. When did you undertake your military close combat instructor training qualification course?
8. Where did you undertake your military close combat instructor training qualification course?
9. Who was the chief instructor signing off your qualification?
10. What is your current military close combat Rank and/or status?
11. When did you achieve your current status?
12. Who signed off your current qualification and status?
13. What military close combat courses have you instructed on, name the service, unit, courses, conducted and the dates?
14. State the individual modules of close combat that you are qualified and confident to instruct.

The above as application questions required to be answered by military combative qualified instructors applying for military close combat instructor association membership.

Most applicants can not complete the application process simply because they are not military qualified unarmed combat and military qualified self- defence instructors.

Tank the Todd group chief instructor is the only instructor qualify descendant collectively of the late Sgt Major Harry Baldock, the late Platoon Sgt Charles Nelson and the late Col Rex Applegate.

Col Rex Applegate and Tank Todd 1980’s

Col Rex Applegate OSS WWII 

Platoon Sergeant Charles Nelson USMC WWII

Throughout the 80s and 90s he travelled extensively training testing qualifying including at the School of Self Defense New York.

Tank is a civilian that volunteered and passed his Special Forces combative instructor qualification course and has also achieved Special Forces combative Master Instructor qualification.

He not only trained and qualified from some of the leading evolutionary pioneers but was also trained by the some of the next generation of military chief instructors.

He has been a military Elite Forces CQB/CQC Master -Chief instructor for over 20 years and has racked up over 100,000 hours in military CQC and military self- defence training instructing and advising over more than 35 years.

Following in the footsteps of his evolutionary Pioneer former instructors, he has committed to all aspects of the military unarmed combat and military self-defence trade.

He not only is a caretaker and manager of the doctrine and training and management packages but also designs and develops training equipment and combative weaponry.

He was the inventor of the TSB45 tactical safety baton 45° south, double hand grip expandable rotational baton and the Todd military knives including the black role, grey role, green role and the two handed dispatchet manufactured by Samuel Staniforth knives in Sheffield.

Tank with some of his inventions for CQC

With over 100,000 hours in the trade over more than 35 years and lineage of no other living instructor Tank and the Todd group have achieved by hands on commitment a very special and unique status. This has been his life long career.

Reading this article will identify military CQC and military self-defence differences from the rest.

Military CQC and military self-defence is a specific trade based on battle proven tactics and skills including the military science of CQC.

It is not an exact science in skills or tactics but it is a gross motor skill science and comprises of military science subjects such as psychological enhancement and conditioning for battle and the medical aspects of close quarters combat and close quarters battle.

Military self -defence dirty and deadly

Military self- defence and military CQC have strict training and testing requirements to achieve promotion rank and advancement.

Courses are generally intensive 1 to 3 week duration courses of instruction day and night with ongoing continuation exponent and instructor requirements to remain current.

European military combative packages are living packages and are regularly evaluated to ensure they provide the capabilities to stay ahead of enemy threats including armed threats.

By majority foundation principles and practices are unaffected by change over time because of their primary status.

Some skills over time in relation to roles, and requirements as well as enemy threat considerations need to be changed developed made dormant or obsolete.

The importance of post- employment reports to identify outcomes information is paramount to ensure tactics and skills are the most current and best of battle proven.

Military CQC is very different to combat sports or fighting arts simply because it’s primary practices objectives are terminal kill or die life-and-death battlefield operational employments.

The skills must be as guaranteed as humanly possible and this eliminates by majority the use of sporting or traditional arts practices simply because they do not provide the best chance of victory over defeat and fit with battle dress boots body armour and required operational tactics including covert actions requirements.

Primarily military close combat and military self- defence promotes the use of armed options or at least the dirtiest of dirty tricks brigade practices.

The most committed fighter can be destroyed mentally and physically by means of armed option vital organs penetration. Tactical dirty and deadly employments of unarmed skills that prey on the most delicate and sensitive of life-support bodily vitals and human senses by means of ravaging such targets to the point of psychologically and physically destroying ones foe are the modus operandi of kill or die military armed and unarmed combat and military life or death self -defence.

Military CQC demonstrations

Obviously through controlled aggression confidence and competency, the skilled combatant can employ combat and counter engagement methods commensurate with the threat and inside the rules of engagement or laws of self- defence if required but often with increased risk.

You will be best at what are your primary practices that you drill in high repetition and under sudden aggressive shock action battle handling exercises. If your tactics and skills are the best of military self defence and military unarmed combat you are provided with your best combative chance against a formidable foe committed to causing you grievous bodily harm.

The importance of having a complete system from basic through advanced to specialist that has complete commonality and cohesion in skills employment is the difference between winning and losing life-and-death against a formidable enemy threat.

From basic course fundamental such as stance and guard through to hard cover guarding combative pivoting and sliding foot work to provide primary capabilities on difficult terrain, the stances guards and foot work have complete commonality with advanced unarmed combat as well as specialist phase armed combat.

The basic unarmed combat skills being developed for the neutralising of formidable enemy threats must ensure that the skills provide over kill capabilities including complete contingency options capabilities requirements enabling all situational threat neutralisation.

Unlike most martial arts and combat sports military self defence and military close quarters combat is not gender or weight division specific.

The skills of threat neutralisation are based on military sciences and the individual combatant’s psychological capabilities to perform the required actions and counter actions to threat neutralise by means of the most simple, safe and effective battle proven skills capabilities.

You will not find in European military CQC increased risk practices such as throwing techniques where you turn your back on your enemy and expose the most vulnerable nape of your neck or dangerous blocking techniques against edge weapons that expose your vulnerable arteries tendons muscles and tissue to hardened razor sharp daggers.

You will not find any sweeping tripping or reaping techniques simply because stamping techniques are far more effective destructive and guaranteed.

There are no kicks with the boot above the knee joint and anything that is not permitted within the rules of no holds barred mixed martial arts is often a primary practice in military CQC.

The most effective battle proven skills are just one part of the package.

More importantly the methods of being trained tested and proven for exponent’s as well as skills critiquing by highly qualified military combative instructors is the difference between individuals that are best prepared and those that may not be.

Exponent’s primary skills are self-selected in relation to their psychological makeup and physical capabilities under advisement from their qualified military CQC instructor.

This is important as not all skills fit with all individuals’ mental and physical make up and requirements.

Learning skills by name and employment requirements including required options involved with compromised and uncompromised skills employments enhances the combatant’s mental toughness and practical confidence.

Partaking in combative drills to command increases the exponents skills proficiency at a basic training level.

Battle handling exercises increase the exponent’s assessment and decision-making capabilities under factor of confusion in sudden aggressive shock actions on threat situations.

Most importantly having a single system that has complete commonality from unarmed combat through armed combat in basic advanced and specialist levels, roles and requirements ensures the capability of maintaining momentum and cohesive threat neutralisation.

Combining boxing punches with traditional martial arts hi kicks and grappling throws with martial arts based self -defence skills seldom ensures across all required roles and skill sets cohesive skills employments backed up by full contingency options.

Risk reduction through skills being employed and proven in battle ensures that practices that increase the risk of injury and as such remove a combatant from action including tying up medics are not part of primary CQC trade practices.

Exponents being trained in the importance of fast mapping assessment in relation to combative decision-making under threat ensures mental toughness and psychological capabilities are maintained.

While there are many fighting arts practices that apply to everyone from the young to the elderly, military CQC and military self-defence is for adults only. CQC attracts by majority services personnel past and present and committed realist civilians.

Military CQC boots and battle dress body armour and webbing are important considerations and generally provide advantages in close quarters encounters threat neutralisation.

For civilian self- defence by means of military combative tactics and skills decided options, foot wear and clothing considerations and most importantly mental toughness risk can be reduced to the lowest level humanly possible and the chances of threat neutralisation increased by considerable.

Most realists want to be trained by a qualified military combative instructor with a major military instructing record of service.

The Todd group as a global leading provider of European military armed and unarmed combat training take charge and control of all recruiting to ensure applicants meet the required responsible citizen’s course joining conditions.

The best recruiting is by word-of-mouth and referral with most CQC proponents not interested in mass marketed martial arts based self -defence open to all comers but seek instruction from those that are military qualified CQC instructors.

The serious combatant does their research and ensures the training providers are highly trained and qualified military instructors of military armed and unarmed combat and military self-defence.

They understand the importance of training coming from the source authority.

Small group training is the preferred means of delivery and small numbers of highly trained individuals that have tested and proven themselves are superior to masses of individuals that are not highly committed.

The Todd group ethos is to set and maintain the highest of military combative standards. We have an 88 year history of excellence of training provision to wide ranging military law enforcement security and close protection services and organisations.

Trained tested and qualified military combative instructors have records of training qualification and instructing service and if they are working in the civilian sector this should be made available for inspection on request.

The military having very specific methods of recording qualification and instructing service is the best means of ensuring instructors are qualified in military unarmed combat and military self defence over civilian fighting arts and self defence.

Qualified Master Instructors have high level expertise in everything CQC trade craft relevant including developing doctrine and conducting (TOETs) Combative tests of elementary training.

Arming committed realist with methods of mental toughness enhancement and military combative battle proven skills provide the best and safest means of threat neutralisation is the duty and responsibility of the highly trained and qualified military combative Master- Instructor.

Military primary practices in military self defence and military unarmed combat must require minimum physical output and maximum threat neutralisation capabilities.

They must be able to be used to achieve the objective when fatigued injured wounded or taken prisoner.

This is a tradecraft measuring stick in relation to skills considerations in objective achievement.

Ask yourself if your over the shoulder throw, hi kicking, boxing punches grappling skills would work against an enemy armed with a small dagger wearing combat boots, body armour and with a demeanour that is committed to causing your demise.

Does your self -defence training, install confidence in your capabilities to deal with formidable stand up or grappler attackers disarm weapons deal with crowd fighting neutralise canine threats and so on.

You need to remember that true military CQC maintains a reasonably low profile and is not sensational or high profile.

Military qualified instructors have a code of conduct and practice.

The reality of training partners that offer little or no realistic resistance or aggression in training is so far removed from the realities of real life actions on encounters where the aggressor knows no rules and will do anything and everything to cause you serious harm.

They will not employ anything but maximum force levels against you and if you have practiced in an environment with unrealistic training practices you have never tested your capabilities to deal with real life actions on aggressive violence.

Military self- defence and military CQC is not suitable for those that are not mentally tough and physically willing.

There are specialist short courses based on the military self- defence and military combative packages that are specific to age gender and self- protection requirements such as the D-WAR declare war against sexual violence anti-encounter rape package and specific skills programs for anti-and counter bullying and stranger danger.

These are specific skill set short course packages that provide capabilities specific to the civilian threat category and the capabilities of the user by age gender and physical capabilities as well as in relation to the laws of self- defence.

Military CQC and military self- defence packages require individuals to be committed realists prepared to endure adversity under assault if required and employee the best of battle proven gross motor skills to neutralise serious threats against them.

Not everyone is capable or can be ruthlessly aggressive in a controlled and deliberate manner.

To do so requires psychological enhancement and conditioning combined with the knowledge that your skills are the best and safest means of threat neutralisation.

There are so many instructors and exponents out there that lay claim to their teachings being military combative and military self -defence methods when they have never actually been on a military exponent let alone instructor qualification course. They have not passed military combative exponent and instructor qualification courses and have not logged up intensive instructing hours on military courses of instruction.

The highly trained and qualified military combative instructor achieves competency by being prepared to apply front up and undertake all the training and testing requirements achieving respect from their instructors as such.

Instructors become known for their professional instructor competency from logging up considerable hours delivering military courses of self- defence and close quarters combat.

There is no credibility by association or easy entry or advancement as rank must be earned and respect is achieved through hands-on professional competency and tradecraft confidence.

There is no unarmed means of threat neutralisation in any style or system that is guaranteed, however the best of battle proven tactics principles and skills as used in battlefield warfare and special usage roles skills employments provides the best combative chance of victory, nothing more nothing less.

If as a civilian you want to lay claim to being trained in military combative and military self- defence methods then this begins with seeking first generation training under the control of a seasoned and qualified military instructor of unarmed combat and military self- defence.

When it comes to yours and your loved ones safety, everyone needs to get real and be realistic with themselves ensuring that their skills are the best and safest means of protecting themselves by neutralising formidable threats.

If it was easy and did not require proving oneself on gruelling self-revealing testing phases everyone could be doing it but this is not the case and achievement requires commitment practical smarts and realistic practices.

Basic level phase 1 testing

There is nothing sporting traditional or fancy about it when it comes to the best of battle proven military unarmed combat and military self- defence.

Adopting skills that fit with your demeanour and physical capabilities and making them your own are fundamental military combative trade craft practices.

Increasing your confidence and competency reducing your threat assessment decision-making and skills employment timeframes to the minimum duration is essential.

Having complete contingency options that enable you to maintain confidence and momentum or regain lost momentum without losing mental conviction must be prepared for in practical training environments and under such self-revealing means as under battle handling exercises.

Having knowledge in the capabilities of your combative actions and counter engagement actions in relation to the medical aspects and capabilities to threat neutralise is important in building and maintaining mental toughness under adversity.

Being fully proficient in military combative and military self- defence safety tradecraft practices to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level humanly possible ensures maintained and continued capabilities in dire situations.

Having primary secondary alternate and emergency capabilities necessary to deal with specific threats, threat situations and environments as well as real time changes in threats ensures maintained psychological confidence and combative skills competency.

To be able to be comment with achieved knowledge on things military combative requires the individual to have trained and qualified on military combative exponent and instructor courses of instruction.

If they have not achieved rank and status then they are commenting on the uncertain and unknown which can hardly be considered based on fact through experience and expertise.

While there are many with civilian fighting arts experience there are far less with high level expertise in European military CQC and military self- defence that have achieved Master instructors status.

The Todd group have the longest history as private training providers in military CQC to the military and civilian sectors, have been advisors and consultants in combative and defensive tactics training provision for 88 years and have expertise in combat sports and fighting arts as well as being publishers of martial arts magazines and combat sports promoters.

This provides them with an extensive knowledge of not only their field of expertise in military CQC and military self-defence but also in fighting arts and combat sports.

It is important that you train in practices that meet your health interest or self-protection needs and requirements and if you require the best of battle proven self-defence and unarmed combat then military CQC instructed by a highly qualified military CQC instructor should be your priority.

Logistics and cost should not see you settle for lesser means when it comes to safety and effectiveness.

It’s all too late to find out that your civilian self-defence style does not work under assault.

The Todd group attracts military, police, security, close protection and wide ranging civilian’s from wide ranging walks of life and professions all seeking military current proven CQC training.

We have seen so many individuals come on intensive courses that have long term training in civilian self- defence styles including being instructors that simply can’t handle real military CQC training or test phases.

More fail than pass where as many practical types like farmers hunters ex-military and trades persons with little or no prior unarmed combat of self-defence training excel and pass their test phases.

Testing is the closest proof outside of real life actions on experience of CQC confidence and competency that proves inner resolve and combative capability.

To be challenging and beneficial in achieving practical proficiency requires rugged realistic testing regimes.

The serious candidate with the combative smarts and intestinal fortitude would not want it any other way as they want to be the best combatant they can be.

The Todd group offer exported courses to our global hub country of Thailand that are joint military and civilian CQC courses of instruction.

This is as close as it gets for civilians to living military CQC on a weeklong intensive course of instruction in camp.

Upcoming courses

• Stockport, England – May 2nd – May 7th – United Kingdom CQC Course. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Leipzig, Germany – May 10th – May 16th – 3rd Elite Combative Challenge Germany. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Chonburi, Thailand – May 24th – May 29th – Thailand CQC basic advanced and specialist intensive courses. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Auckland, New Zealand – June 7th – June 13th – Auckland Annual CQB/CQC Course. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Zambia, Africa – June 29th – July 5th – Zambia CQC course. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Dunedin, New Zealand – August – Todd Group HQ Final CQC intake. Course information. Apply Online
• Centurion, South Africa – September 7th – September 13th – Todd Group South Africa Exported CQB/CQC course. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Pattaya, Thailand – September 20th – September 30th – CPP (Close Personal Protection) exported course Thailand. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Manila, Philippines – November (TBC) – Exported CQC course. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Cebu, Philippines – November (TBC) – Exported CQC course. Course information. Poster. Apply Online
• Chonburi, Thailand – November 30th – December 5th – Thailand CQC basic advanced and specialist intensive courses. Course information. Poster. Apply Online

More information including scheduled intensive course of instruction www.toddgroup.com www.eliteactionadventure.com