On course dark night BHEs
This was the 30th anniversary of the Todd Group HQ conducted annual course known as the annual Australasian course open to all accepted applicants from throughout New Zealand and international attendees.
Master Instructor Cowboy Mitchell was one of the exponents on that first international open application course in 1996 and he also constructed custom CQC kit for that course.
The 2026 course was conducted over eight days and included Phase 1 Basic, Phase 2 Advanced and Phase 3 Specialist courses of instruction conducted in separate training areas at Camp Todd simultaneously.
It was a full muster course with New Zealand, Australian and United Kingdom citizens in attendance.
As with previous courses attendees were accommodated in our military huts and rooms at Camp Todd.
The all-important skills to command drills
The camp kitchen, training hall and diverse training areas provide a very different environment and experience than our non-residential HQ courses for many new entry exponents.
Instruction was provided by two mil close combat/mil self-defence Master-instructors and a Senior instructor.
Applications and enquiry numbers have continued to increase post Covid and in current difficult economic times and even under the strict vetting regime full musters are being achieved.
Interviewing attendees on recent courses, the common reason for course joining is being trained by military Master instructors and specifically in our European military armed and unarmed combat and military self-defence with comments including it is very important to them getting full strategies and contingencies for skills executions and supported by our Brain to Boot mil CQC/MSD mental toughness enhancement practices.
Other post course attendees comments included even though they have trained in other styles and systems they have not attended courses that provided same or similar training as that they received on their Todd Group course of instruction and they have not trained at close combat specific training facilities that are custom fully equipped specifically for close combat and military self-defence training.
The Phase 3 specialist course kicked off on day one with the Phase 2 Advanced course starting on day two and the Phase 1 Basic course starting on day three.
TSB45 baton training Phase 3 proponents
The course concluded on day eight with the course completion certificates being presented and the Todd Group annual awards presentation.
There was no Phase 1 Basic testing conducted this year as no one was of the required testing level.
Our European military close combat and military self-defence testing regime is a very important and a special part of confirming individual’s confidence, competency and capabilities and candidates expect it to be grueling and challenging.
The fact of the matter is unless it is hard, heavy and hostile it does not best prepare exponents for the realities of combating violence.
The night of day four of the course included a very different form of MSD and MCQC training in dark night BHE’s (battle handling exercises) under the trees canopy in an area at camp Todd used for testing phases and CQC battle Lanes training.
Preparation for combat and counter engagement actions on put downs
Dark night BHE’s
With minimal artificial light and the unknown factors of just where enemy party were located and what the threat would be, exponents had to make real time under actions on threat assessments and decisions to prove they could combat or counter the faced enemy party threat.
While at the time exponents found themselves under the effects of hard heavy and hostile duress including having to control all the stress factors of the unknown and the actions on provided by experience enemy party, post completing the BHE’s exponents were appreciative of the experience.
After a full day of training on day five at Camp Todd, the course was transported into Todd Group HQ where they had the opportunity to look around the history room, first floor close combat training hall and top floor combat sports school.
They also put in an evening’s training with HQ members that included not only Phase 1 Basic CQC but also an introduction to pugil poles skills training as well as toughenor CQC training and detainee handling tactical control and restraint.
Detainee handling tactical control and restraint
Day six training was a full day back at Camp Todd followed by the opportunity to attend an evening workshop on how to make a kydex knife sheath conducted by Master-Instructor Kowley “Cowboy” Mitchell.
Providing such additional axillary training on courses gives attendees an insight into the diversity and scope of tradecraft skill sets we provide.
Heavy impact target lanes
Attendees appreciate being able to stay in camp as residential training exponents, proponents and instructors and not have two travel to and from training on such intensive courses of instruction.
There were briefs and lessons on the brain to boot military CQC mental toughness enhancement package as well as the medical applications of mil CQC and MSD skills employments.
Attendees as with most courses are interested in our unique lineage and longest European military armed and unarmed combat and military self-defence private specialist training provision history.
There were a good number of questions about our allied elite and regular force former military Master and Master Chief instructors, especially from the great wars.
It is important that the facilities provided for our residential courses at Camp Todd ensure the attendees have everything they need to be able to commit to and strive for achieving increased capabilities under training and of course with some good old home comforts for their down time.
Having many HQ training team members on course including advanced and specialist exponents and proponents respectively under all ranks combined training was very beneficial to Basic Phase 1 exponents.
CQC contingency lane
Heavy impact 4 pers targets stand
The CQC contingency lanes not only require fast mapping assessment and decision making when a skill does not provide threat neutralisation and contingency options skills are required but also the slippery surface requires constant ground affinity awareness that demands controlled aggression to achieve high level momentum output.
Even though many may be civilians it is military close combat and military self-defence that they have signed up to be instructed in and that means undergoing such training the military way and they must respect rank and accept instructions and take orders doing their upmost to achieve objectives.
If they don’t understand their place on the food chain they will soon find out when it is brought to their attention in no uncertain terms.
There is no place for boot lickers, crotch puppies, know it all’s or anyone with ego or attitude issues.
They must know their place and must conduct themselves within the CQC code of conduct and under the course joining conditions and regulations.
The experience, environment and facilities are all about best preparing them to combat or counter violent actions on and this requires mental toughness, self-respect, self-discipline, selflessness and being able to perform duties as an individual as well as being part of a small group of same rank and status equals.
There is nothing PC about our MCQC training and nor should there be.
If anyone cannot handle coarse language and harsh actions they should not apply as a sanitised regime will not best prepare them for the realities of extreme violence and criminal assaulter’s words and actions.
Between now and early 2027 we not only have a full calendar of training and courses to conduct but also have to complete all advance work for the March 2027 Centenary celebrations that includes an all ranks Phase 1 Basic course at camp Todd.
Most if not all of the attendees have already signed up for the 2027 Centenary official celebrations at Larnach Castle and week-long course at camp Todd.
As with previous annual Australasian courses there were new entry Phase 1 Basic male and female exponents from different backgrounds and of different career paths with different levels of commitment and mental toughness as well as wide ranging physical attributes and physicality capabilities, they all learnt plenty about themselves and primary best proven practices of violent threats neutralisation.
Well done to them all for accepting the unique challenge and being part of their week-long intensive course of instruction in our military Phase 1 Basic CQC/MSD
Recruiting for upcoming course toddgroup.com
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