CQB/CQC Master Instructor Kowley “Cowboy” Mitchell , centre, after presentation of his Master Instructor certification and International Close Combat Instructors Association membership certificate. To his left, fellow Todd Group CQB/CQC Master Instructor Howard Bell, and to his right Todd Group Master-Chief Instructor Tank Todd.
Kowley, or Cowboy as he is known in military CQB/CQC, on Tuesday June 21st was presented with his International Close Combat Instructors Association membership certification and also his CQB/CQC Master Instructor certification.
Cowboy started training in military self-defence in 1991 and military CQC on March 10, 1992. He has spent the last 25 years as a dedicated military self- defence and military CQB/CQC proponent, instructor and loyal Todd Group member.
The Todd Group now has me, Tank Todd, as the Group Master-Chief instructor and two Master Instructors in Howard Bell and Kowley “Cowboy” Mitchell. The group has only ever had two Master-Chief instructors, the first being the late Harry Baldock who began training in military self-defence and military unarmed combat in 1919 and instructing it in 1927.
The second is myself, Geoff “Tank” Todd, who took over from Harry in 1986 after starting training under Harry as a school boy in 1973 and working with him from 1983 in preparation to take over the facility. With the changing of the guard the name was changed from the Baldock Institute to the Todd Group.
Harry believed in hard and proper training and no easy soft options or political advancement. He set the highest standards in everything he done from wrestling to physical culture weightlifting, Jiu-Jitsu, military self-defence and military unarmed combat.
The Todd Group specialise in training military CQB/CQC and law enforcement defensive tactics as well as close protection. We are specialist training providers of European military armed and unarmed combat, European military self- defence, police defensive tactics and close personal protection. Our ethos is to set and maintain the highest military combative standards.
The Todd Group requires mandatory training hours before volunteering for testing and passing realistic demanding testing phases. There is no other way to advance and move up through the ranks other than to prove oneself surpassing test requirements in CQC competency, commitment, inner resolve and intestinal fortitude and possess the required character attributes.
Our people want to train in the best, most proven and current of Todd Systems CQB/CQC as they know anything less is not best arming them with combative capabilities. In 90 years, we have had just two Master-Chief instructors and now two Master instructors. This is testament to the considerable commitment, dedication highest level skills competency mental toughness and required personal attributes to achieve this rank and status.
Master Instructors’ attitudes demeanour and character must fit with the high integrity requirements to achieve Master Instructor status and the position and duty requirements. Selflessness loyalty, dedication and commitment to the group as well as being an individual of high integrity prepared to commit to not only instructing and training provision, but also every aspect of the operation of the Todd Group, these are the required character and leadership attributes of a CQC Master Instructor. Cowboy respects the chain of command, is quietly confident and not afraid to front up when required. He leads by example and his actions speak volumes. He is prepared to make or support the hard decision making for the betterment of the Group.
Howard Bell has always said something that is very true in that if you want to get a job done, ask a busy person not a lazy bugger. There is no place of high rank in the Todd Group for selfish lazy individuals.
Howard contacted me to let me know he was away down at his farm feeding out on Tuesday June 21 and would not be able to make it to training. I told it was Cowboy’s presentation of his Master Instructors and Association certificates. Before the presentation, Howard turned up at the old HQ to be there and share in this special presentation. He then stayed on and trained for the next two hours, even though he hadn’t eaten since lunchtime and had worked hard all day and then on the farm in the evening.
This type of loyalty and dedication is what serious proponents and leading instructors are made of and epitomise but one of the reasons why Howard and Cowboy are the Todd Group’s two Master instructors.
Cowboy possesses all of the required qualities and more and self-selected for promotion. He has worked day and night with me on research development and construction of weapons and equipment projects.
He once competed in combat sports up in the heaviest weight division when one of our superheavyweight competitors failed to turn up at a tournament and he even defeated much heavier experienced combat sports competitors at their own sport.
Some of Cowboys achievements include the following. Passed his phase 1 basic test March 30, 1996. Completed his Specialist Close Personal Protection course September 27, 1997. Passed his phase 2 advanced test March 28, 1998. Certified Todd Group Senior CQB instructor March 25, 2000. He has instructed military CQC courses for Regular and later Elite Forces over the last two decades. He is the Todd Group 2IC. Instructing service includes Todd Group HQ annual courses of instruction and exported courses of instruction. Cowboy’s awards and commendations include service to the Todd Group, best controlled aggression recipient, number-one exponent in group recipient, most skilful exponent award.
He has assisted with every course conducted by the Todd Group HQ for more than 20 years and has been relentless in not only supporting and assisting with the conducting and instructing of courses, but also with the inventing, design, development and manufacture of training equipment.
Cowboy is a practical smart thinker an excellent engineer that can turn his hand to many trade skills. He is a selfless volunteer when it comes to manufacturing equipment undertaking repairs, maintenance and the development of the training facilities at the Todd Group HQ and Camp Todd. From being the practical advisor and hands on engineer with the development of weapons to developing training equipment, it has been Cowboy that has had the expertise and got the job done.
In military CQC training and testing individual exponent’s strengths and weaknesses are blatantly apparent including personal traits. There are very few that I have had the pleasure of training and working with that are selfless of the highest integrity are committed to being the best they can be and doing the best they can do and that volunteer without having to be asked regardless of the difficulty of the task or duty and the level of required personal sacrifice and commitment.
The late Grahame Reid, a gentlemen of the highest integrity, who was a lifelong proponent of military self-defence and military unarmed combat, considered Cowboy to be the best of the best and when I consulted him in regards to Cowboy’s promotion to Master Instructor rank he replied there is no other member of the same calibre that freely gives so much and fully endorsed his promotion.
The late Bill Hall, my father figure, who was a member of the NZ Army Independent Company and who served in Bomber Command in WWII, had the utmost respect for Cowboy and considered him, along with Howard Bell and the late Grahame Reid, to be the three very best lads in the group, not only for their close combat capabilities but also for their fine characters and personal attributes that made them stand out amongst the rank and file.
Cowboy and Howard Bell are two individuals that possess the required qualities and have achieved their rank and status with hands on willing commitment and are respected for it.
Larry Jordan confirmed Cowboy’s International Close Combat Instructor Association membership on April 7, 2016. To be a member of the International Close Combat Instructors Association, the general requirement is you must be an instructor of military close combat with an extensive involvement, including instructing service in military CQB/CQC to the military.
Cowboy is very much a grey man who works quietly and confidently away with an uncompromising commitment to self-improvement and the assisting of others. He always strives for personal combative excellence as a proponent and instructor.
I was extremely proud, along with Howard Bell, to present Cowboy with his International Close Combat Instructors Association membership certification and his promotion to CQB/CQC Master Instructor certification on Tuesday, June 21.Exponents wanting to achieve at the highest levels in CQC could not choose a better role model than Kowley “Cowboy” Mitchell. He has the respect of his civilian and military peers and his superiors. I am extremely fortunate to have Cowboy as a genuine loyal friend fellow CQB/CQC Master Instructor and dedicated proponent of European military armed and unarmed combat and military self- defence. Cowboy is extremely security conscious and mindful of individuals and organisations privacy and confidentiality which is so important with the restricted work we do. He has my complete trust and full respect earned the only way by selfless dedication loyalty and commitment.
I know with Cowboy, as 2IC the Group, is in good hands in my absence and for the future.
