The Todd Group have continued to expand our global footprint, training facilities and services over the past 93 years as private specialist CQC/MSD trade-craft leaders.
During the lockdown I sent daily updates out to all Todd group members covering a wide range of content.
Much of the subject matter content was in answer to questions received and topic suggestions regarding our training operation and how it was established, structured and our future proofing plans.
The questions have also come in from non-members and have been wide and diverse.
With the border closures we have been able to provide more courses for the upcoming months in New Zealand and this has led to considerable interest in training and public speaking requests and even more questions. The upcoming courses have high level muster numbers with applications and confirmations coming in daily.
The interest in how we do things our way, the mil CQC way, has led to the decision to put some structure into a series of articles on CQC outlining my time as the chief instructor of the Todd Group and how I have taken care of not only the training but also the planning and development that has increased the footprint of the Todd Group nationally and internationally.
When I entered the Baldock Institute over 45 years ago my objective was simple, to learn military unarmed combat and military self-defence for taking care of myself.
The reality was this was not going to be easy or immediate.
Harry, like many World War II chief instructors of military unarmed combat and military self- defence, lived by an unwritten rule of not instructing such dirty and deadly practices as they were deemed overkill for civilian self- defence.
There was also a perception that there would never be another world war and such skills would not be necessary.
Harry agreed I could learn wrestling, boxing, civilian self- defence, jiu-jitsu and physical culture.
I focused on all the training he offered with an uncompromising commitment.
When the time was right, I would bring up the subject of the military armed and unarmed combat and military self- defence, that he was chief instructor of to the Army during World War II.
I would turn up for training from time to time showing the marks of fighting bullies in the street and later as a bouncer on the doors.
This may have been the reason why Harry agreed to instruct me in his full military close combat and military self-defence packages.
Later when Harry was getting ready to retire and it was decided that I would take over the Baldock Institute, I had to learn all aspects of the operation of the facility, including physical culture, massage therapy and a lot of other required skill sets.
Then I had to purchase the business and chattels which included the IP and after taking over Harry stayed on for several years, coming in to train like clockwork and was always available to assist me.
It was Harry that first advised me of my best career path to qualifying as a military CQC/MSD instructor and making a career of it.
He told me how there was no cell for military unarmed combat/military self- defence and that I should focus on travelling, training, volunteering for testing and achieving as higher qualifications as I could under allied military Master-Instructors of close combat and military self-defence.
He explained why European military CQC/MSD was the best option for me or anyone wanting to learn the simplest most proven effective means of defeating formidable foes.
I trained at the Baldock institute from the early 70s and continued to train there as well as setting up a standalone satellite facility in 1976 before taking over the Baldock institute in 1983.
From the mid 80’s until the late 90’s I spent a considerable amount of time every year overseas training and qualifying.
I had to fund all this myself, which meant working long hours as well as operating my training facility and setting up a range of businesses.
While the masses were interested in combat sports, fighting arts and martial arts, it was military armed and unarmed combat and military self-defence that was my passion.
As Harry informed me all the training in the world is worth little if the individual does not have the intestinal fortitude and mental toughness required.
My upbringing and ongoing working as a bouncer and street fights provided the most important proving ground for urban self-defence training and I have kept the bareknuckle dirty boxing and kill wrestling components in the advanced and specialist training packages to provide some toughener training.
I was fortunate to be trained and instructor qualified by several of the leading instructors of World War II including Sergeant Major Harry Baldock, US Marine Corps Platoon Sgt Charles Nelson and OSS leading instructor Col Rex Applegate.
You make your own success and through my commitment and considerable personal and financial sacrifices I was invited to undertake training and testing including a military elite instructor qualification close combat course of instruction.
I was trained and instructor qualified including Master-Instructor qualified by some of the next generation of military elite Master-Chief Instructors. These instructors included South African Commando unarmed combat chief instructor Capt Ben Mangles and U.S. Army Special Forces hand to hand combat Chief instructor SGM Larry Jordan retired.
Through my international training and instructing duties I met many committed military close combat proponents and instructors like Mike Brandt that had been trained and instructor qualified by renowned instructors like Pat O’Neill at Fort Bragg.
This provided me with training from an instructor qualified decedent of another leading mil close combat Master Chief instructor in Pat O’Neill.
Trade shows work was another means of expanding my network of military instructor allies.
My plan was simple: volunteer for everything I could and do my very best with every opportunity offered and never turn down a chance to prove myself.
Harry’s advice proved correct and with a mentor like Col Rex Applegate my progression took its own path.
With endorsements, recommendations, referrals and introductions as well as requests for training, I have spent my entire working life as an exponent, proponent, instructor and Master-Instructor in European military armed and unarmed combat and military self-defence.
I have a lineage and qualifications of no other military or civilian close combat instructor, achieved from some of the pioneer leading military close combat experts and next generation of master-Instructors.
The Todd group is now the oldest private specialist training provider organisation of our European military armed and unarmed combat and military self-defence training.
I knew from the start you get back what you put in and you need to be selfless, dedicated, determined and fully committed.
While I could never have imagined achieving what I have I was always doing my very best to be the very best instructor I could be.
If you are not officially qualified and involved in all aspects of the tradecraft and are not prepared for the expenditure requirements of establishing and facilitating national and international training, you will not be able to make it as a trade-craft leader of military armed and unarmed combat.
You have to be involved in all aspects of the tradecraft and have to have many strings to your bow to be a leader in such a specialised field and be able to do it full time.
Leaders must have fully kitted HQ and satellite facilities to be able to conduct specialist training nationally and internationally.
Trade craft specialists have the advantages of fellow allied mil leading instructors in their network to assist them with facilitation of exported courses.
It was not easy. You have to learn by your mistakes and make hard decisions when necessary.
As Col Applegate told me real leaders make the hard decisions even when they are not popular as they are the best decisions for the integrity of the Group.
My former instructors have advised me that as a civilian being permitted to undertake military close combat training, testing and promotion to Master-Instructor is unlikely to ever be repeated again.
I have been instructed in doctrine and program development, writing training and management packages and design and development of trade craft specific weapons and equipment.
I consider learning threat and situational problem solving to be a very important skill set that I use regularly with my consultancy and skills development duties.
Right from the outset I was made very aware that rank and success cannot be achieved unless you are full-time fully committed over decades.
There are no soft easy options, political passes, back door entry and all military qualified instructors will have completed and passed exponent and instructor courses and be able to provide proof of it.
The recruiting, vetting and administration duties are considerable and in the early days with multiple high numbers intake inductions the need was identified for systems and process improvements that have been undertaken which make applications strict and to the point, black and white with no grey areas. Applicants are made well aware that such mil CQC/MSD training as civilians is a privilege not a given right. The advance planning of courses for me personally is up to 5 years in advance.
My consultancy and public speaking has taken me all over the world and is growing.
Several leading military Master-Instructors in my early days told me that when your highly qualified renowned and respected for your training provision, doors will continue to open and offers will continue to be received by referral.
This has been and continues to be the reality here at Todd Group HQ and as leaders in our trade-craft we receive inquiries about other instructor and systems as well as our services provision.
While there are many civilian styles available out there my clients are looking for instruction from a military trained tested and qualified Master-Instructor with a leading lineage and a long and distinguished instructing record of service to the military.
They also want to know you have used your skills in high risk encounters and have neutralised threats as this is the measuring stick of skills and proponents/instructors capabilities.
I feel privileged and so fortunate to be the last living instructor qualified descendant of Harry Baldock and Col Applegate and to be a qualified instructor under the late Capt Ben Mangles and SGM retired Larry Jordan.
Having a lineage of no other qualified instructor is not something that was planned on however it is a result of total commitment and dedication to my military close combat tradecraft.
Harry believed in being an expert in every aspect of your tradecraft and so did Col Applegate.
To lead in your tradecraft you need to have established training facilities that provide the scope to conduct all of the specialist skill sets training requirements, HQ bricks and mortar trade-craft fully resourced facilities are not only important for training provision but also show dedication, commitment and setting of professional standards in facilitation.
This means a huge financial investment and continuous resourcing.
Every invention and the extensive and expensive processes to determine if the piece of equipment or training weapon will meet training requirements is costly to say the least.
Then there are the considerable production costs with design concepts such as tooling for injection moulding and the like.
It takes years of research development and testing before prototypes go to production.
Being well-established and respected in your tradecraft attracts serious contacts including offers of training contracts and investors wanting to be involved in your projects.
There is no less than the fully committed and fully resourced way when it comes to leading the way in your field. In the next of the series on setting CQC standards, I will cover more of the day-to-day realities of the Todd Group operation.
View our upcoming courses www.toddgroup.com
