Captive audience on course

Officer Cadet Victoria Sinclair practices a controlling technique on Wing Commander Robert Lewis as part of the Military Self Defence course held at ADFA. Photo by LACW Simone Liebelt

By LACW Simone Liebelt

AIR Force members honed their defensive skills in a new tri-service Military Self Defence (MSD) course at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) from September 29 to October 3.

Sponsored by the Special Forces Training Centre (SFTC), MSD is a subset of the Close Quarter Fighting skills that allow ADF members to deal with personal contact in a range of operational scenarios.

More than 50 ADF members, including 20 Air Force, participated in the intensive one-week course, which was introduced following two successful pilot courses last year.

MSD is physically and mentally challenging and teaches simple capture and control techniques using the law of armed conflict, the rules of engagement and civilian and UN laws relating to self defence.

“We take a person that doesn’t know any form of self-defence and train them, so at the end of the course, they can defend themselves while either armed or unarmed,” MSD Supervisor Major Travis Faure said.

“Using basic motor skill techniques, including striking, throwing, and locking, they can block the line of attack to overcome an opponent without harming them.”

The competency-based course is flexible in delivery and can tailor-meet unit commander’s objectives from a range of non-lethal subjects. It is suitable for employment by all members of the ADF.

Volunteer instructors from all three services helped SFTC develop the course, which uses a range of operational scenarios to test student’s skills in a controlled attack environment.

“We may devise a scenario situation using the back of an aircraft, where an intruder becomes violent after trying to gain access.

“The students would then have to respond by using their voice and hand techniques to gain compliance and take control of the situation.” MAJ Faure said.

On successful completion of the course, members who demonstrate certain attributes may be invited to attend a future MSD instructor’s course.

A new website is currently under construction, which will contain details on all future MSD courses and training for instructors, students and commanders, and can be found at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/sites/cqf_msd (available from the Defence intranet).

For further information on MSD, contact Captain Gary Bergman from SFTC on (02) 6570 3211.

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