Another annual HQ conducted course at Camp Todd done and dusted and we are pleased to report some very high standards achieved and excellent outcomes. It was 27 years ago that we conducted the first national and international open application course.
Societal changes over the last two decades have seen the type of applicant and the need for stringent course joining requirements to evolve to ensure exponents are of integrity and are responsible. They need to be quietly confident, thick skinned and hard-nosed on intensive close combat courses of instruction where woke ways are not tolerated and the regime is at times hard heavy and hostile as it needs to be.
Many applicants do not meet our courses/training joining requirements and such their applications are declined, others are found out through not toeing the line or being able to accept orders or instructions. All members must conduct themselves with integrity, responsibility and respect the chain of command and respect all exponents, proponents and instructors. Training in our mil elite trade-craft training is a privilege and not a given right. The calibre of attendees on this close combat course was extremely high making it the top course it was.
The mandatory instructor to exponents/proponents small group ratio is low to ensure courses are geared completely at best training outcome opportunities.
The 2023 course consisted of Phase 1 Basic, Phase 2 Advanced and Phase 3 Specialist small group courses of instruction. The Phase 3 Specialist course was the first course to commence training a day before the Phase 2 Advanced course and two days before the Phase 1 Basic course.
When all phases were in attendance the three groups were training in different areas at Camp Todd at the same time.
There were designated instructors for each phase of training and also assistant instructors where and when required for specific training modules.
Training was conducted in both the Camp Todd training hall and outdoors training areas.
Phase 1 Basic CQC lanes training to kick the training day off
Outdoors skills drilling
The phase 1 training group was transported into the old Todd Group HQ facility to join in with HQ training exponents and on another evening the phase 2 and phase 3 course attendees from New Zealand and Australia were transported to HQ to train with HQ Phase 2 and 3 members.
Phase 3 specialist proponents underwent armed and unarmed close combat training while the Phase 2 exponents diligently worked their way through the phase 2 advanced package with Phase 1 exponents preparing for phase 1 testing on Saturday, March 25. Unfortunately three of the four Phase 1 Basic candidates through injury or not being ready for testing were withdrawn leaving a single candidate to undergo day six testing.
The single candidate faced formidable enemy party made up of all but one Phase 2 advanced and Phase 3 specialists.
This demanded high level competency and dogged mental toughness to surpass testing ratings facing such highly skilled enemy party.
Not often do we get a 100% pass rate but with only one candidate volunteering and being accepted for testing and passing testing we did on this occasion. It comes back to proving one candidate at a time regardless of how many volunteer for testing as it is a very individual undertaking.
Phase 1 Basic testing enemy party encircling the candidate for self-defence actions on testing
Phase 1 Testing toughener and sickener training
MSD testing
CQC actions on testing
BHEs testing
The course concluded with the annual prize giving and spit roast putting an end to an excellent annual course.
We are now preparing for the April self-minder short course followed by the May 29 to June 3 Thailand Phase 1 Basic and Phase 2 Advanced week-long intensive course of instruction that also includes Phase 1 Assistant Instructor and Instructor under assessment courses along with Phase 2 Advanced Assistant Instructor and Instructor under assessment training.
This course will be conducted at our new Chonburi Todd Group designated CQC training area and will be a top training experience for our NZ and global members as well as new entry accepted Phase 1 Basic exponents.
I would like to thank all the members that assisted with the camp Todd upgrades and all the attending exponents, proponents and instructors that made this course a solid training experience.
Upcoming courses links below.
22 Apr to 23 Apr 2023 Dunedin, New Zealand Self-Minder Short Course
29 May to 3 Jun 2023 Thailand Thailand CQC and MSD Course
We invite serious committed mil CQC/MSD to apply via the above links.
Todd Group current members course confirm via this facility. Todd Group members, click here to course confirm.
