Todd group exported courses are not only to provide responsible citizens of other countries with the opportunity to train in European military close quarters combat and European military self-defence from the oldest private specialist training provider of our European military CQC/MSD tradecraft, the Todd Group formerly the Baldock Institute under the instruction of our current military elite CQC/MSD Master – Chief instructor assisted by Todd Group training team instructors but also to provide Todd Group exponents and instructors with international military CQC training instructing experience.
On selected exported courses including some Thailand courses the opportunity for Todd Group training team military instructors to increase their military CQC logged instructing and assistant instructing hours is possible.
Just two days after the completion of the annual Australasian course at camp Todd and Todd Group HQ we were Thailand bound for private training provision followed our annual standalone Phase 1 Basic exponent’s course in Thailand. Additionally, we had to conduct advance work for upcoming contract courses as well as our annual phase 2 advanced course and phase 3 specialist course.
There are barely enough weeks in the year to accommodate the demand for all our contract work and intensive serious enthusiasts one and two week courses of instruction.
We pride ourselves on conducting small specialist intensive training courses for responsible committed civilians wanting to be trained by military qualified combative instructors in the most current and proven of Todd systems European military armed and unarmed combat and military self- defence.
Todd Group in country staff had taken care of all the advance arrangements for arriving instructors and exponents and as such, everything ran like clockwork.
The course was conducted at both Navy and Army facilities providing fitting environments for military CQC training.
Living in barracks training all day and evenings required a group as well as individual attitude and mentality.
This course being a land and sea training course provided not only the entire land warfare CQC/MSD phase 1 unarmed offensive assault and counteroffensive assault packages along with the military self-defence package but also introductory training in the specialist Todd Group amphibious CQC/MSD primary practices.
Three of the four volunteer candidates had previously experienced phase 1 testing and the fourth was a Thai national new to any type of combative or fight training.
Having a Todd Group translator on every Thai course as well as the instructor being able to give basic commands in the Thai language assists non-English-speaking exponents especially with drills to command training.
Much of the training skills can be initially learnt by mimicking instructor demonstration however it is the critiquing and providing individuals with specific required skills enhancement that is aided by considerable by having our own indigenous asset staff in country.
The military provided very high standard Thai meals three times a day and attending exponents commented how they were getting restaurant quality meals three times a day.
The first five days of the course, although long and hard passed very quickly and with the four volunteer candidates committed to self-improvement and being as ready and prepared as possible for testing. They utilised all available time with positive training in phase test preparation.
Day six and testing come around very quickly and we transferred from Naval territory to an Army facility where the phase 1 testing would take place.
This is one of the hottest months of April we have ever spent in Thailand with temperatures in the high 30s through to the 40s.
The Todd Group has many variations of the phase 1 test to fit with the facilities terrain and the services and roles of candidates to be tested.
This particular test phase included urban operations MSD combined with green role jungle unarmed combat training as well as some POW MSD.
The toughener and sickener phase was demanding mentally and physically as well as environmentally especially with the extreme heat and humidity.
The training location and training environment was unfamiliar and included military training hazards that required extra vigilance and spatial awareness at all times.
The phase 1 test modus operandi is, hard heavy and hostile, fellow candidates or anyone else’s encouragement is not permitted as candidates must draw from within the required skills capabilities, intestinal fortitude inner resolve and mental toughness to achieve the objectives.
The phase test chief instructor will use hard verbiage profanities and exploit candidates weaknesses to encourage them to do what must be done to prove themselves and surpass the required testing standards.
There are no allowances or tolerances for weakness or excuses and failing a single module will result in being removed from the test phase and as such a failed outcome.
The four candidates all very different by nature and make up all got on with the orders and instructions in a quiet committed manner and when there was any variance in the tolerated attitude or actions they got a right hostile bollocking.
This is what true military close quarter combat training and testing is about there is nothing PC about CQC testing and if candidates are not prepared and accepting of positive profanities and all important bastardisation, they will be found out and binned.
Anything less will not best prepare them to deal with the realities of extreme violence defeating formidable aggressors while maintaining controlled ruthless aggression in the achievement of threat neutralisation.
This is not about competitor fighting skills or traditional martial arts pad work or bag work, sparring or fight choreography, it’s about the employment of European military armed and unarmed combat skills to incapacitate or eliminate a formidable foe and achieve phase testing objectives.
The means and methods of military European CQC/MSD testing are very tradecraft role and task specific and have been developed to provide the greatest realism especially in the achievement of objectives outcomes without the loss of life or limb.
They incorporate all primary practices including CQC Brain to Boot mental toughness tactics and skills, reducing one’s target mass, hard-cover guarding, maximising stability and expedient action along with skills that are drawn from our European military trade-craft skills packages for neutralising formidable enemies.
Candidates must accept the challenges of testing with every attention to detail and with an uncompromising commitment to achieving the objectives in the required trade craft manner.
The necessity for all candidates to fast map assess and decision make at real time under adversity with no pre-determined knowledge of the exact threat category or specific threat provides factor of confusion and unpredictable threat realities.
Live blade disarming and environmental risks add to the realistic challenges of proving oneself under testing.
If it was easy predictable and safe with copious unrealistic bodily protection and was not challenging the masses would be stepping up but it’s not and that is just the way it must be.
Candidates on the most recent Thailand phase 1 course and test phase will have memories of the special and unique experience of not only testing but also testing the military way at a military training facility fitting environment.
Having all four pass the phase test is an unusual outcome and the four candidates can be very pleased with themselves.
They have earned the right by being promoted to phase 2 advanced CQC/MSD training.
Phase 2 and 3 advanced and specialist training respectively are restricted training phases that only those that have passed the required testing phases and been approved for advancement are permitted to be privy to.
This is the true military combative training way in regards to restricted training content and as it should be and is expected by serious military and civilian exponents and instructors.
Those that have passed phase tests join a fraternity at the Todd Group and will have special memories of their testing phase forever.
Back home to depots and HQ training and back into research development and CQC training equipment and weapons design and manufacture along with undertaking continuous advance work on upcoming courses.
We have overseas Private client courses set down for May followed by phase 1 and 2 course of instruction in Auckland New Zealand and in Leipzig, Germany also in June.
In regards to recruiting training testing and proving and approving CQC candidates the old military adage from the rest come the best is very true.
Upcoming courses information.
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