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Take them out; not take them on
You might think that you need to have a high degree of
athleticism to defend yourself against an attacker, you don’t. Also, when
you need to defend yourself, remember your objective is to “take them out;”
not “take them on.” These were part of the messages imparted by Geoff “Tank”
Todd when he spoke to the Pattaya City Expats Club on September 25. His
topic was “Self Defence Tactics and Strategies for Men and Women.”
 Geoff
“Tank” Todd spoke to the Pattaya City Expats Club on August 25. His topic
was “Self Defence Tactics and Strategies for Men and Women.”
Tank has been involved in teaching military close
quarters combat and self defence for over 20 years and is the owner and
Director of Training of the Todd Group; based in New Zealand, the oldest
private contract training provider of European military armed and unarmed
combat globally. He does contract training for military police and the close
protection industry. His work has taken him all over the world.
Tank explained that he came from a working class background. He said that
his father left the family when he was quite young, so he had to learn on
his own to defend himself. He initially undertook training from Harry
Baldock, the New Zealand Army’s primary unarmed combat instructor in WWII;
eventually taking over the Baldock institute in 1986 on Harry’s retirement
when it became the Todd Group.
He said much of his training was from Charles Nelson between 1985 and 1998
in New York City at Nelson’s School of Self Defense. Tank noted that Nelson
served with the USMC in WWII where he was a senior hand to hand combat
instructor. Tank said that on his first visit to the school, he learned more
in 20 minutes watching classes than he had learned in the previous 20 years
in New Zealand. Over the years, Tank has trained under or worked with some
of the biggest names in unarmed combat, including Colonel Rex Applegate
(formerly with the OSS, forerunner of the CIA) and Eric Sykes (involved in
the development of military close combat during the Second World War). His
experience with Thailand came in 1991 when he came here to give a course and
decided to build up a Thai clientele.
When you need to defend
yourself, remember your objective is to “take them out;” not “take them on”,
Tank said.
Tank explained that in self defence, the trick is to find
simple but effective ways to defend yourself. Gross motor skills - the kind
everyone develops in early childhood - are all that you need. In fact, he
briefly showed why jujitsu or karate type moves are really not that useful
for self defence. Perfecting only a few skills are sufficient. Tank
recommends that people use their legs first because they provide you with
your farthest reach, and that you go for the lower leg of your attacker.
Another good tactic, he said, is to step away from the threat. For example,
if you are directly facing your attacker, turn sideways so as to present as
small a target as possible and that prevents the attacker from hugging your
body. Also, he advised that you use simple techniques; don’t try to mimic
the movements of your attacker.
He also mentioned that after turning your body away from the attacker, you
should place your hand on the back of your neck; using the hand that lets
your elbow point toward the threat. This provides protection to the base of
your neck from either blows or falling down thus avoiding serious injury to
the beginning of the spinal cord; which causes more serious problems then
blows to or hitting your head.
Tank said that you do not need to be an athlete to adequately defend
yourself. He has trained disabled persons, including blind people, and that
he has developed a self-defence course for women. The course for women in
addition to defensive moves includes assessing their risks and learning how
to plug any gaps in their personal security. Tank said that he teaches women
how to do what is necessary to get away from an attacker, including striking
a male’s most vulnerable areas. He mentioned that after developing these
courses, he found some of the moves to be beneficial to add to his military
close combat courses.
Tank advises: “After turning
your body away from the attacker, you should place your hand on the back of
your neck; using the hand that lets your elbow point toward the threat. This
provides protection to the base of your neck from either blows or falling
down thus avoiding serious injury to the beginning of the spinal cord; which
causes more serious problems then blows to or hitting your head.”
Another thing he said is that when dealing with a
high-risk situation, practice breath control. It is a very important factor
in your ability to ward off an attack. Breath control helps you control your
adrenaline rush and heart rate. It involves breathing in through nose and
out through the mouth - that way warm air enters the lungs, which helps
control adrenaline and heart rate better. To learn more about Tank and the
training his group provides, visit his website at: www. toddgroup.com.
According to the website, Tank is running a specialist course in Thailand
from 22 September to 2 October 2013 on close personal protection.
After Tank’s presentation Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg brought
everyone up to date on upcoming events, then called on Roy Albiston to
conduct the interesting and informative open forum where questions are asked
and answered about Expat living in Thailand.
To learn more about the Pattaya City Expats Club and all their activities,
visit: www.pattayacityexpatsclub .com.
Photos by Urasin “Wat” Khantaraphan.
Member Jim Jones presents Tank
with a Certificate of Appreciation, as thanks for his very useful
presentation.
Chair Pat Koester talks about an
upcoming day trip to Bangkok for PCEC members and friends.
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Robert Lohrmann appointed
General Manager of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya
Robert John Lohrmann.
Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara
Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Robert John Lohrmann to the
position of general manager of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya with
immediate effect.
Lohrmann is an American national and holds a bachelors degree in psychology from
William Paterson State University in New Jersey, USA. He has over 35 years of
experience in hotel management and has worked many years internationally for
Marriott Hotels. He has been general manager in notable properties such as JW
Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Beijing, Ritz Carlton Hotel Beijing,
and the Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa Hainan, China.
Earlier in his career, Lohrmann also worked with Hilton Hotels in Australia,
Disneyland Paris in France and in several hotels in the USA. Prior to joining
Centara Hotels & Resorts, he was general manager at the Renaissance Zhongshan
Park in Shanghai, China.
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Congresswoman Duckworth’s Town Hall at
JUSMAGTHAI Attended with Young Marines Pattaya
 Rad Mays, Unit Commander, Young Marines Pattaya
U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth held a Town Hall meeting at the Joint
United States Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) located in Bangkok on the
evening of 29 August 2013. She is an Iraq War Veteran and former Assistant
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Lance Corporal Bret Mays represented the Young Marines of
Pattaya at the occasion. At which, Congresswoman Duckworth was introduced by
Colonel Desmond Walton, the Commanding Officer of JUSMAGTHAI. Congresswoman
Tammy Duckworth attended college at the University of Hawaii and then went on to
the George Washington University, where she earned a Master of Arts in
International Affairs. Following graduation, she, who is fluent in Thai and
Indonesian, moved to Illinois, where she began pursuing a Ph.D. in Political
Science at Northern Illinois University.
 In 2004, Congresswoman Duckworth was deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter
pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard. She was one of the first Army women
to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On November 12, 2004 her
helicopter was hit by an RPG. She lost her legs and partial use of her right arm
in the explosion and was awarded a Purple Heart for her combat injuries.
Congresswoman Duckworth spent the next year recovering at
Walter Reed Army Medical Center. As one of the highest-ranking patients, she
quickly became an advocate for her fellow soldiers and testified before Congress
about caring for our Veterans and wounded warriors.
Following her recovery, Duckworth ran for Congress in 2006. After a narrow loss,
she became director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. In Illinois,
she worked to create a tax credit for employers who hired Veterans, established
a first-in-the-nation 24/7 crisis hotline for Veterans, and developed innovative
programs to improve Veterans’ access to housing and health care. Fulfilling a
promise that the Purple Heart recipient made at Walter Reed, she has taken up
scuba diving, surfing, skydiving and flies as a civilian pilot. She has also
completed several marathons.
In 2009, President Obama appointed the Congresswoman to be Assistant Secretary
of Veterans Affairs (VA). While at the VA, she led an initiative to end
homelessness among Veterans and created the Office of Online Communications to
improve the VA’s accessibility, especially among young Veterans, and also worked
to address the unique challenges that Native American and female Veterans face.
Lieutenant Colonel Duckworth declined a military medical retirement and
continues to drill in the Illinois Army National Guard.
Young Marines L/Cpl Bret Mays
watches as Col Desmon Walton introduces Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth at
JUSMAGTHAI.
The Congresswoman primarily spoke on information that would
concern veterans seeking assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs. She also spoke about emotional and physical needs of veterans returning
from combat. The Congresswoman pointed out that some needs may not even show up
for many years after leaving combat. The Congresswoman gave examples of veterans
from the Vietnam War after almost 50 years just now coming down with illnesses
from Agent Orange. And naturally there was some pilot talk about Blackhawk
helicopters.
Other local organizations were represented by Al Serrato, Commander of District
5 of Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Service Officer of VFW Post #9876. Also
in attendance was Reed Johnson, CEO of the 46th Special Forces Company
(Airborne). It was a very informative meeting and an enjoyable evening.
For information concerning the Young Marines of Pattaya, please contact Rad Mays
at 083 115 8694 or email to [email protected]
Young Marines Pattaya Thailand is an affiliate of Young Marines Washington DC,
USA.
U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth
and Young Marines L/Cpl Bret Mays.
U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth
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Navy savings co-op distributes 552,500 baht in scholarships
Vice Adm. Chainarong Charoenrak hands out one of the
220 scholarships to a deserving student.
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip Naval Base’s Savings and Credit Cooperative donated more than a
half-million baht in scholarships to members’ children.
Base commander Vice Adm. Chainarong Charoenrak presided over the Aug. 29 event
with representatives from Union Life Insurance and Krungthai Bank presenting the
scholarships.
Capt. Surasak Prathanwornpunya, secretary for the Savings and Credit
Cooperative, said profits of the cooperative have been allocated as educational
scholarships for 220 members’ children.
In all, 552,500 baht was handed out, with 50,000 baht coming from a donation by
Union Life, 10,000 baht from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural
Cooperatives, 6,000 baht from Krungthai Bank, and 3,000 baht donated by the
Government Savings Bank.
Twelve 5,000-baht “Outstanding Student” scholarships for 12 higher-education
students were awarded. Three scholarships worth 3,000 baht were given to
vocational-school students, while 16 Mattayom students received 3,000 baht each.
“Educational Promotion” scholarships were handed out to 16 higher-education
students, who each received 3,000 baht. Ten vocational-school students received
2,500 baht each while 67 Mattayom pupils were given 2,500 baht. At the Prathom
level, 66 kids got 2,000 baht each while 27 kindergartener also received 2,000
baht.
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Naval academy
organizes blood drive
Military personnel and their
families donate blood in honor of HM the Queen’s 81st birthday.
Patcharapol Panrak
More than 300 military personnel and their family members donated blood as the
Naval Recruit Training Center organized a drive in honor of HM the Queen’s 81st
birthday.
Aide-de-Camp Capt. Ekachai Sukhwannano presided over the Aug. 28 event at the
Sunyabat Club at the Sattahip academy.
Ekachai said the blood drive was dedicated to HM Queen Sirikit for her hard work
on behalf of Thailand’s people. The blood will be used to aid soldiers stationed
in the country’s restive southern provinces.
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