Phase 1 Basic CQC drill skills to command

The Todd Group HQ exported short course hosted by the Paraparaumu depot was conducted at South Raumati May 28 and 29.

The course was a full muster of current training exponents and new exponents.

With the borders reopening the second half of 2022 will see the recommencement of exported courses to our international hub country of Thailand.

This combined with NZ HQ training, exported courses, private training provision and contract training provision will see us back at our usual capacity schedule of service provision.

This weekend’s short intensive course of instruction was made up of three separate training groups overseen by three phase 3 proponent instructors.

Intensive short courses over a weekend as well as week-long intensive course of instruction and multiple week courses in specialist fields training are the best way to train and prove exponent’s levels of competency and confidence.

Such courses demand commitment to combative self-improvement in the pursuit of high standard skills capabilities and mental toughness levels for all exponents, and even more so for volunteer phase testing candidates. The testing phases are strict and to the point and neither favour nor disadvantage any candidate.

To the Master-Instructor overseeing testing phases, we look upon candidates simply as two boots. two hands. one head and a body and ratings are determined by combative smarts, objective achievement and mental toughness.

The recent course included a Phase 1 Basic test where all candidates failed to achieve the required testing levels and as such were removed from the testing phase.

Testing requires control of emotions and management of the stress factors that relate to testing.

The candidates can defeat themselves over being defeated by fellow candidates by letting the occasion effect their decision making and skills employments.

The Phase test being over early provided several more hours of training time for attendees which was utilised fully.

The Todd Group member Phase 1 Exponents, Phase 2 Advanced Exponents and Phase 3 Proponents combined to undertake an urban environment BHE (battle handling exercise) that provided the need for constant fast mapping, assessment, decision making, situational and spatial awareness and employment of effective threat neutralisation.

The unknown factors and sudden aggressive shock actions on factors of BHE’s provide realism and a training environment that best prepares individuals with the required capabilities to assess, decide and execute real life threat relevant combat and counter action threat neutralisation.

The Phase 1 Basic new entry exponents continued with their training in the Phase 1 Basic mil self-defence and CQC packages for civilian exponents while the BHE’s were being conducted.

The importance of being competent and proficient at mil CQC drills/skills to command was identified on the testing phase and will be something that repeat candidates will need to hone.

Skills to command proves if exponents/candidates know their skills by title and execution and this is important for not only testing but also for future advancement and achievement of rank.

Attending week long intensive courses of instruction is the best means of being ready for testing and depots combined training is another primary means of cross fertilisation of skills and providing those wanting to test with practice with other exponents. This is a good means of measuring of individual exponents level of skill capabilities and identifies if they are in fact ready to test or not.

I personally enjoy visiting our national and international training depots and conducting courses of instruction and testing phases.

It was good to see instructors from neighbouring depots in attendance assisting with the conducting of this weekend short course.

Well done to all attendees and it was most pleasing to instruct and oversee training of a full muster of exponents that trained diligently with their learning new skills and honing existing skills.

I look forward to conducting exported courses to other national locations over the remainder of 2022.

The next NZ general public application courses are the July Christchurch weekend course and August Auckland week-long course and testing phase as well as a Kapiti course.

We have an international course in late November/early December in Thailand with applications open to all ranks including new entry exponents that want to experience living mil CQC on course overseas.

We are the holders of the doctrine and training packages and are developers of the tactics, skills and producers of the training manuals and training resources so our rank and file have access to all that is required to be the best combatants they can possibly be.

It is up to them to commit to training and take advantage of all the available resources to maintain their individual personal highest levels of capabilities.

There were some exponents on the weekend course that understood the importance of mental toughness enhancement and the Brain to Boot mil self-defence and CQC training package. They were very interested in this most important upskilling requirement of threat neutralisation and for overcoming the rigors and effects of testing. It is the most important requirement of defeating formidable foes. Taking advantage of all available training and training resources with a commitment to being ones very best requires sacrifice, dedication and commitment as there is no easy way.

Attending courses and getting up training hours especially training with as many different fellow training exponents as possible is the best way to achieve CQC goals.

Exponents don’t have to be high level athletes as CQC/MSD is about foul dirty tricks brigade means and methods of threat neutralisation.

They just have to be willing to put in the required hours at their own levels of physicality and increase their personal levels by participation and training exposure with HQ or other depots training exponents.

From the rest come the CQC best and on most courses likeminded individuals are identified and join the Group as training members/country members and attend courses, get their hours up, test and are promoted.

Course online application facility and joining information instructions www.toddgroup.com