UPDATE 48 NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE MARCH 07 THREE SERVICES AS ONE FORCE

Transcription

1 NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE UPDATE 48 MARCH 07 Creating stability in Timor Leste Erebus medal awarded Manahi commemoration Territorial Forces on operation New Defence building opened Afghan mission extended THREE SERVICES AS ONE FORCE

2 Creating stability in a fragile nation The presence of New Zealand and Australian troops in Timor Leste appears to be a deterrent to much of the troublemaking in the area, says New Zealand senior national officer Lieutenant Colonel Kent Collard. But the country is fragile, and help from the international community is vital for Timor Leste to get back on its feet, he says. Most Timor Leste locals appear to appreciate the safe and secure environment New Zealand and Australian military personnel are trying to create. The New Zealand Defence Force is extending its contribution to the force with the deployment in late April of two helicopters with 32 crew and support staff. The infantry company works in the eastern side of Dili, and bases itself in areas where there has been trouble in the past. We go and live in the community. If there has been a fight between two New Zealand Defence Update provides information about defence policy and people, and the activities of our forces throughout the world, to a wide audience in New Zealand and overseas. Its main stories are available on We welcome your feedback. Editor: Judith Martin, Defence Public Relations Unit, tel , Judith.martin@nzdf.mil.nz Editorial Policy: The opinions expressed in Defence Update are not necessarily those of the New Zealand Defence Force or the Ministry of Defence. villages or between gangs we will go and put a platoon of soldiers there to keep an eye on things and allow people to get on with their lives. Most of the patrols are on foot, and approachability is a key element, says LTCOL Collard. Pushing our people right down into platoon groups into the community appears to be working well, as locals feel secure about approaching soldiers and tell them about violence, or potential violence and trouble. It s good to have personal contact with the locals you don t really start influencing people until you get out of your vehicle and start walking among them. We patrol for about four hours at a time during days, and eight at night. The violence that erupts, often with no warning, appears to be sparked by a variety of reasons, he says. It can range from young men with nothing to do, and looking for excitement, to trouble that is politically motivated. There s a very hard core of professional gang members who have a lot of associates who can be called up to do specific tasks. If there is trouble brewing or their political masters want them to get out and do something, they appear to be able Lieutenant Colonel Kent Collard to call up all their other people to cause trouble. Many of the gangs are aligned to a village, so if a village is under attack they can be called up. The New Zealanders have an excellent relationship with their Australian counterparts, says LTCOL Collard. We work together as part of what we call an Anzac battle group which is made up of New Zealanders and Australians. We exchange soldiers every now and then, and we have tasks where we have our detachments go and work specifically with an Australian group. But while we are part of the Australian-led task force we retain a unique New Zealand identity. The WN The Defence Public Relations Unit also produces individual publications for New Zealand s Navy, Army and Air Force. These are available on request. VISIT OUR WEBSITES: COVER: A Territorial Force soldier on exercise, Waiouru. (See In Reserve- New Zealand s Territorial Forces) Photo: AC Craig Olsen (OH ) Inset: Newly graduated Navy pilot Sub-Lieutenant Alex Trotter, RNZN. Photo: LAC Brad Hanson (OH ) New Zealand and Australian soldiers on patrol

3 Three Services, One Force detachment is commanded by the New Zealand senior national officer in Timor Leste, and is assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force for tasking. This is LTCOL Collard s fourth deployment to Timor Leste he first arrived in what was then East Timor in 1999 when the city of Dili was burning, the bodies of militia victims were lying in the streets, and thousands of refugees were fleeing their country. He then served on two further deployments there. There are still burnt out buildings and burnt out houses, they re just different ones to those I was used to. In saying that though there is a lot of commercial activity going on. WN Shops are open, there are marketplaces up and running, and there is an economy that is slowly coming along. There are ships in port, they re on-loading and offloading goods, and the kids are going to school which is very important for the future of this place, as most of the population is young. The scale of the problems facing Timor Leste appears huge at times, he says, but that isn t a deterrent to the troops. At soldier level I encourage them to focus on people they re trying to help right now. If they can get some kids to be able to go to school in safety, or people to be able to do their daily tasks without harassment, then that s a positive step. Erebus medal presented Former members of the Army s Corps of Transport were among those who received the New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus) at a ceremony at Parliament on 22 March. The medals were presented by Police Minister Annette King in recognition of special service performed by people involved with Operation Overdue, the police operation launched after an Air New Zealand flight crashed into Mt Erebus in the Antarctic in Ray Symons was a 30-year-old Army sergeant and already stationed at McMurdo Base when the Erebus disaster happened. He was part of the Army Corps of Transport s 18-man team based on the ice to load and unload aircraft as part of Operation Deep Freeze, the annual commitment the NZDF makes to the Antarctic programme. We were working on the runway and were expecting to see the aircraft fly over. Aircraft were always a welcome sight, especially if they were from New Zealand. It didn t appear, and after a while people started to become concerned. We knew it was in the area but heard nothing, absolutely nothing. Eventually we heard it had crashed, Retired Warrant Officers Ray Symons and Dennis Nathan on the steps of Parliament after receiving the medal. and the emergency services sprung into action. We were hanging around hoping there d be survivors and we could help in the rescue effort, but it was not to be. Mr Symons says helicopters went to the crash site, and brought the bodies (in body bags) back to the base in several under slung loads. We loaded the bags into pallets, and then into the aircraft to be taken back to New Zealand. It was stressful for the young guys, but I was incredibly proud of how hard they worked and how respectful they were. They all got stuck in and just did what had to be done. Loading the deceased into the pallets wasn t really hard physical work, but it was hard mentally. There were so many body bags. We had to take the utmost care, and we did. OH

4 Soldier s bravery recognised AK Lance Sergeant Haani Manahi s actions on the battlefield of Takrouna more than 60 years ago personified the ethos and values the New Zealand Defence Force still hold dear today, says Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae. The heroism of Lance Sergeant Manahi was recognised in a ceremony on the shores of Lake Rotorua on March 17. The Duke of York, representing the Queen, presented an award to representatives of the Manahi family and Sgt Manahi s Te Arawa tribe at Te Papiouru Marae, Ohinemutu. Lieutenant General Mateparae spoke at the ceremony, and told those gathered he felt humbled when he read about Lance Sergeant Manahi s actions. On behalf of the Queen the Duke presented an altar cloth to be placed in St Faith s Church which adjoins the Muruika cemetery near the marae where Haani Manahi is buried, a letter from the Queen acknowledging his bravery, and a sword from the Royal collection, along with a patu in memory of LSGT Manahi. Te Arawa then presented the sword to LTGEN Mateparae, along with the patu. The sword will be displayed in the office of CDF, and the patu will be worn on ceremonial occasions. I feel privileged to be part of a ceremony that celebrates his life and his people. Recognising Haani in this way is a tribute to Te Arawa and the men of 28 Battalion. The presentation of a sword to Te Arawa in particular signifies the esteem in which he was held, and the mana of Haani Manahi, and it is a great honour for the Defence Force to accept the sword from Te Arawa. It will remind us often of his gallantry, the contribution of the 28 Battalion, and be a tangible link with Maoridom, Te Arawa, and the attributes that were so conspicuously demonstrated by Haani Manahi. A very important aspect of the recognition of the gallantry of Haani Manahi is that the ethos and values he demonstrated some 64 years ago remain consistent with those of our military organisation. Our raison d etre is to fight our country s wars, and to guard the Pacific. We hold service to the Crown, honour, sacrifice, tradition, discipline, and the values of integrity, courage, comradeship and commitment as dear today as they were in 1943 when Haani Manahi demonstrated these attributes. The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, and Defence Minister Phil Goff attended the ceremony, as did members of the (28) Maori Battalion, and representatives of LSGT Manahi s Te Arawa tribe The Duke of York (second right) with senior military personnel, Members of Parliament and local dignitaries at the award ceremony in Rotorua. Top right: Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae accepts the challenge on Te Papiouru Marae, Ohinemutu The background The platoon of LSGT Haani Manahi,a member of B Company of the 28th (Maori) Battalion, had been given the task in April 1943 of capturing a pinnacle in Takrouna, a village in North Africa s Tunisia. Although the 5th Brigade s night attack on the feature failed to achieve its objectives because of artillery and mortar fire, and landmines, two sections, one of which was commanded by Manahi, managed to clamber up its western precipice and seize the pinnacle at first light. Under heavy shellfire they clung to the position. When part of it was lost due to a counter attack, the enemy was driven out after vicious hand-to-hand fighting. The next morning the Italians retook the pinnacle, but once again Manahi led a counter attack. He and two men took several machine gun and mortar posts, after which the encircled defenders surrendered. Four generals recommended Haani Manahi for a Victoria Cross for his actions, but the recommendation was later altered, for unknown reasons, to a Distinguished Conduct Medal, the next award down. The Manahi VC Committee, Te Arawa and members of the 28 (Maori) Battalion have campaigned since 2000 for him to get the recognition he deserved. The request for a VC was turned down by the Queen, who followed her father King George s 1949 decision that no further awards from World War II be made. The palace agreed, however, to compensate LSGT Manahi, and after consulting with the Manahi VC Committee and Te Arawa, decided on the award. AK

5 Three Services, One Force WN Afghan mission extended New Zealand s contribution to reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan will be expanded and extended until September The government s announcement has been welcomed by the New Zealand Defence Force s Commander of Joint Forces New Zealand, Rear Admiral Jack Steer. The New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZ PRT) has been in Afghanistan for over three years. Based in the Bamyan province, the NZPRT has developed an excellent rapport with the locals and made a significant contribution to Corporal Kelly Clapham gets to know local Afghan children. reconstruction efforts in the region. The announcement of a further deployment of a frigate to support Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) in the Arabian Gulf further highlights the ability of the NZDF to make a meaningful contribution in a number of contingencies. At the request of the Canadian government, the NZDF will also supply two medical specialists to a Multinational Medical Unit at Khandahar Airfield in Southern Afghanistan. The NZDF currently has 105 personnel serving with the NZ PRT in Bamyan. NZ hosts international security meeting New Zealand hosted officials from 20 countries at a meeting of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) in Auckland in late March. The PSI aims to foster cooperation among participating states to counter the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), in line with relevant domestic and international law. The PSI is designed to be a clear deterrent to WMD movements, and a means of preventing or stopping those movements if deterrence alone is not enough. Defence Minister Phil Goff, who spoke at the opening of the meeting, said under the auspices of the PSI a cooperative network of countries has been established to prevent terrorists and rogue states getting hold of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. The PSI is an important addition to the global network of arrangements designed to combat the spread of WMD. New Zealand supports the initiative and urges other countries, particularly those in our region, to become actively involved. For many years New Zealand has taken a strong international stand on disarmament, and on the need to limit the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. We have consistently spoken out internationally against the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are to join the NZ PRT in Afghanistan. The SAF will undertake two humanitarian reconstruction projects, establishing a dental clinic at the provincial hospital, and working on the construction and repair of bridges in the province. A five-person SAF dental team will bring in specialist equipment and establish the dental clinic. The Singaporean team will operate the clinic and provide training for local Afghans to eventually take over and run the clinic. Five SAF engineers will work alongside NZDF engineers and local contractors on the ongoing construction and maintenance of bridges in the province. The possibility of Singapore contributing to the work of the PRT was discussed earlier this year when Singapore s Second Minister of Defence, Dr Eng, visited New Zealand Defence Minister Phil Goff. Mr Goff said New Zealand had worked well with the SAF when it joined New Zealand troops in East Timor in The two countries had also developed a close relationship under the Five Power Defence Arrangements. We belong to the key nonproliferation treaties, including the Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions, the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and the four non-proliferation export control regimes. The PSI was formed in 2003 in Krakow, Poland and New Zealand endorsed its principles in Eighty countries now participate in the PSI. The officials from the participating nations reviewed recent developments, discussed future exercises and provided strategic direction for the coming six months.

6 New Zealand's Territorial Forces make their mark By Judith Martin After 16 hours at sea in thunder, rain and wind, and a few more spent unloading stores in an unrelenting swell, firm land is about all the group of New Zealand soldiers can think about. Travel in Solomon Islands is, they now realise, seldom easy. There are no wharves to dock against at their destination, the tiny Honing skills A Territorial Force exercise earlier this year saw nearly 400 soldiers and officers converge on Waiouru to hone their military skills. A similar number of Regular Force personnel joined them for the exercise, as well as 120 Australian soldiers. Helicopters from the Air Force s No. 3 Squadron provided battlefield support. The exercise, named Northern Kiwi, was based on a scenario, and the training involved, among other things, planning and execution of a variety or orders, small group tactics, and exposure to some combined arms skills. At the same time individual units engineers, logisticians, signallers, medics and gunners exercised their own specific skills. Northern Kiwi provided training for the Territorial Force soldiers, and also for the Regular Force personnel, many of whom were required to provide real-time support for the combat elements. Commander 2 Land Force Group, Colonel Lofty Hayward said the exercise went well. It allowed us to focus on individual soldier skills within a collective training environment. We have introduced a more focussed and structured training programme over recent years, and we saw the benefit of that. Almost 100 territorial personnel have been on operational NZDF deployments over the past year, serving in the former Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Timor Leste, Afghanistan, the Sinai, Sudan, and Solomon Islands. OH island San Cristobal, and the stores, rations, water and equipment must be unloaded by hand onto inflatable boats and taken into the beach from anchorage. The conditions haven t dulled the platoon s enthusiasm for the tasks at hand; on the island the soldiers will patrol through villages by foot and vehicle, sometimes arriving by boat. It s everyday work for the soldiers: they will chat to the locals, solve problems where they can, and play their part in providing stability and security in this once troubled nation. The only point of difference is these soldiers are Territorial Force, New Zealand reservists who have been chosen to be the NZDF military commitment to the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands(RAMSI). The reservist component of the 44- strong group come from civilian careers ranging from builders, drivers and laboratory technicians, to lawyers, public servants, and electricians. An RNZAF Iroquois provides battlefield support. Australian-led RAMSI is made up of police officers from throughout the Pacific, a combined task force of military personnel, a logistics element, and a coordination office. Its mission is to provide security, and maintain law and order, following unrest in the region. OH WN New Zealand s reservist forces are now an important strategic resource of personnel and skills for the New Zealand Defence Force, says Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae. They are also, he says, a vital means by which the New Zealand Defence Force interfaces with the New Zealand community. We need part-timers or reserves as well as fulltime personnel to create a modern, balanced Defence Force that contains the skills and specialisations we need to carry out our tasks and missions. With an operational tempo that is seeing New Zealand troops deployed to 19 countries throughout the world, and in increasingly larger numbers throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia, the Territorial Force is an important component of the Territorial Force soldiers train in Waiouru.

7 WN WN Major Nigel Gattsche with pikininis on the island of Malaita. NZDF that is more than proving its worth in Solomon Islands, says Land Component Commander Brigadier Phil Gibbons. He is responsible for the training and preparation of NZ Army Land Forces to deploy and conduct effective operations. The Solomons deployment has provided new opportunities for our Territorial Force, which by all accounts is proving very successful there. Not only do they have the military skills for that particular mission, but they bring to the operation a whole lot of skills they use in civilian life the way they interact with people, and their ability to relate to anyone, anywhere, any time. That skill has proven vital. Another advantage is the majority of territorials are a little older, a little more worldly, and have more life experience. Those strengths are Brigadier Phil Gibbons also standing them in good stead. Major Nigel Gattsche, the commanding officer of the New Zealand contingent in Solomon Islands says his soldiers were originally tasked with the external security of Rove Prison in Honiara, and with patrolling towns and villages in Guadalcanal. As the mission progressed the patrols moved to different areas every 18 days, including to the islands of Malaita and San Cristobal. They have been providing security for the police, and completing small construction tasks. He reiterates Brigadier Gibbons sentiments about the value of life skills in what is often a hearts and minds situation. They have military skills, but they also have maturity and a can do attitude. The patrols have established a very good rapport with the locals, and that is very valuable. As this issue goes to print, a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules and an infantry section working in Solomon islands are helping with aid and damage assessment efforts in some of the areas worst hit by the earthquake and following tsunami that struck on April 2. The RNZAF Hercules flew from Honiara to Munda to deliver NZAID supplies including tarpaulins, water bottles and field cooking units to assistance teams working in the Munda and Gizo areas. Council support for employers Allowing reservists time off work to complete their military training or to deploy has always been the stumbling block for the Territorial Force. Now, however, the newly established Territorial Forces Employer Support Council is making progress in promoting the Territorial Force to employers, and advising what can be done to make the reservist system more employer-friendly. The council s membership includes representatives from some of the country s largest employers, including NZ Post and the New Zealand Police. The council is talking to reservists and their employers to identify the key issues affecting them, and helping find solutions. It is also working at raising the profile of the Territorial Forces to employers and the wider community. Council chairman John Allen, CEO of NZ Post, says employers are being told of the benefits of having part-time military personnel on their staff. These employees are being trained in management skills and leadership (in the military). They are fit and well-disciplined, with a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility. These are very valuable skills to have in any employee, and the Army and Navy are effectively providing training in these areas, benefiting both employers and employees. A combined section, including seven New Zealand Defence Force soldiers has also been tasked by RAMSI to provide security to a 40- strong Damage Assessment Team traveling to Gizo Island. The NZDF section is providing security to ensure the Damage Assessment Team can ascertain how much damage has occurred and what steps can be taken to help those in need.

8 UP FRONT Flying high As a student pilot with the Air Force, Pilot Officer Lachie Johnston is literally on top of the world. But it hasn t been an easy ride for the 19 year old from South Brighton, who has just completed a demanding solo flying exercise at Motueka Air Field. For two weeks the former Christchurch Boys High School student left behind the comforts of home to live in a tented camp with eight other Air Force pilots for Exercise Wise Owl. Pilot Officer Johnston says the highlight of the bi-annual exercise, which gives pilots the chance to fly RNZAF Airtrainers in unfamiliar skies, was flying solo in formation for the first time. "Flying solo in formation only metres from another air craft is challenging but really rewarding. The social side OH o Flying solo: Pilot Officer Lachie Johnston of the exercise and living outside of Ohakea with the other pilot officers was good as well." For all of the students the exercise was their first opportunity to fly the distinctive yellow and black CT-4 Airtrainers outside of Ohakea Air Force Base while at the same time living together in a self-sufficient camp. Exercise Wiseowl is held annually and is part of the initial 34-week Wings course at the Pilot Training Squadron. During the course Pilot Officer Johnston and his fellow students learned basic flying techniques, aerobatics, instrument and night flying and navigation. Well qualified Antoinette Mitai is the Navy s first fully qualified female electrical engineer. "When I joined the Navy seven years ago I wasn t really sure of the exact trade I wanted to join. I had never been in a workshop before but I tried Taught from scratch: LMT Antoinette Mitai marine engineering and discovered I really liked it." Born in Fiji, Leading Marine Technician Mitai has lived in New Zealand for 13 years. She joined the Navy straight from school. "The good thing about the Navy is you are taught things from scratch. MC You need basic maths and physics for this job, but the Navy teaches you everything else while you work." LMT Mitai maintains and repairs anything on a ship that is powered by electricity. It s a male-dominated trade, but gender doesn t seem to matter much, she says, "if you work hard and prove yourself". "I ve got good mates in this branch we just get on with the job." While she is now a qualified electrician, she plans to keep studying, and aims to have a degree in electrical engineering in the not too distant future. "I enjoy what I do and the more qualifications you can get the better." She has deployed to the Middle East on the frigate HMNZS Te Mana, and has also visited Southeast Asia with the Navy. "It s a good lifestyle where else do you get to travel the world, play sport, learn a trade and get paid for it?"

9 Three Services, One Force UP FRONT A passion for electronics As a college student Private Craig Terry was always taking things apart and putting them back together again, "just to see how they worked". Now, he gets to indulge his passions for electronics daily - he s an electronics technician in the New Zealand Army. Private Terry, 23 and in the Army for four years, says when he was at school he considered either joining the Army, or studying electronics at university as a civilian. He chose to join the Army and study electronics. "I decided I could join the Army, receive my training here, and then I would be equipped with a civilian qualification I could use later in my life should I choose to leave (the Army). And I don t have to take out a student loan!" He is studying for a National Diploma in Engineering which also includes some telecommunication papers. He is completing most of his block course training at Wellington Institute of Technology (WELTEC), but also learns on the job where he is based at 3 Workshop Company in Burnham Camp. Private Terry admits there is a lot of study and hard work involved in the course he has chosen. "I get homework pretty much every night, but that s all right. It would Training: Private Craig Terry probably be much the same at university. I ll be coming out of it with a qualification. As you progress through the study it all starts to fall into place, and everything meshes together. The classes at WELTEC are small about 10 students to one teacher - so help is always available. Hard at work: a light armoured vehicle during a training exercise in Waiouru. WN OH We can also ask other people in the Army who have done the course if we need a hand with something." He has just completed the first of two courses which will enable him to work on the Army s new light armoured vehicles. When he is at Burnham Camp much of his time is spent maintaining or repairing electronic equipment from the Army s various units. While he is training to work on a variety of equipment, he most enjoys working on optics. He hasn t deployed overseas yet, but expects to when he is qualified to Band Five towards the end of this year. "I m looking forward to that. The Army is kind of like being at school in that you always have all your mates around, but you re working and training at the same time."

10 IN BRIEF Defence House officially opened The new energy efficient Defence House in Aitken Street was officially opened on 28 March by the Prime Minister Helen Clark. The building, which has been designed to reduce energy consumption, houses around 900 personnel. It features an open-plan layout with an energy efficient air conditioning system and windows designed to maximize natural lighting. The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Defence Phil Goff, Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, senior New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel and invited guests. A Barrack Guard made up of eight Navy, Army and Air Force personnel received the Prime Minister on her arrival at Defence House. "The official opening of this new Defence House is another milestone in the ongoing strategy to build a modern, professional Defence Force," said Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae. "The new Defence House has been designed to encourage communication and productivity. It provides a pleasant working environment, about which I have already received much positive feedback," he said. Defence sports awards The NZDF Individual Sportsperson of the Year was awarded recently to Flight Lieutenant Craig Searle who has been involved in touch rugby, softball, basketball, volleyball and soccer at the RNZAF and NZDF levels. Sergeant Terry Miritana was awarded for his overall outstanding contribution to NZDF sport. Sgt Miritana has been extensively involved with Army and NZDF Touch for the past four years. A notable achievement was his coaching of the NZDF over 30s team which claimed the silver medal at the New Zealand Nationals in The NZDF Sports Team of the Year, awarded to the NZDF team that made the most outstanding contribution to NZDF sport, was won by the NZDF Mixed Open Touch Team. They recently came third at the New Zealand National Masters in Auckland. Outstanding Sportsperson of the Year was won by Petty Officer Emma Cairns who had a very successful year in both Touch and Rugby League. PO Cairns played for the Northcote Tigers Rugby League side, and was named for the Auckland Rugby League squad and for the squad to play against Australia. The awards were presented by the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae. A Boeing 757 Air Force Boeing 757 heads for upgrade The first of two Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Boeing 757 aircraft has left New Zealand for an eight month modification programme at Mobile Aerospace Engineering in Mobile, Alabama, and Boeing Integrated Defence Systems in Wichita, Kansas. The programme includes full airframe and avionics modifications to both RNZAF B757s, including the installation of a new forward cargo door and rear air stairs. The modified 757 will provide the RNZAF with the ability to rapidly change the role of the aircraft to any given task, converting from a standard passenger configuration to a combination freight/passenger, full freight, Aero Medical Evacuation (AME) and VIP set up. The modified 757 will provide a significant capability increase for the RNZAF, said Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Peter Stockwell. "Yes, there will be a period where both 757s will be out of the country undergoing the modification upgrade. We have known about this for sometime, and contingency planning has occurred. We have cooperative airlift agreements with other air forces and potential charter and lease options available should an unplanned contingency or emergency arise. The benefits of the upgrade far outweigh the disruption caused by having the aircraft out of service for a period," he said. The $221 million dollar acquisition and modification project commenced in May 2003 when the RNZAF replaced its aging Boeing 727 aircraft. The first aircraft is expected to return in December 2007 with both modified 757 aircraft expected to be fully operational and available from early AK

11 IN BRIEF Ships sail The Navy tanker, HMNZS Endeavour left New Zealand for a four and a half month deployment on 22 March. The tanker will meet up with the frigate, HMNZS Te Mana, which is completing a "work-up" period off Australia, before beginning a range of exercises and diplomatic activities around Southeast Asia, Australia and the Andaman Islands before returning home in July. The ships will be working with the navies of Australia, Malaysia and Singapore. AK Graduate pilot Flying Officer Bronson Netzler Pilots graduate Six newly qualified Royal New Zealand Navy and Air Force pilots have been presented with their Wings at a graduation parade attended by the Governor General Anand Satyanand. The parade was held on 22 March at RNZAF Base Ohakea. The presentation of the Pilot s brevet signifies the successful completion of over a year of flight training. The students, from Northland, Auckland, Southland and the Hawkes Bay will go on to fly either Iroquois helicopters, C-130 Hercules, P-3K Orions, or Seasprite helicopters. AK HMNZS Endeavour New sailors Sixty Naval ratings graduated from eleven weeks of intensive naval training on 30 March. Over the last eleven weeks they have received training in general service knowledge, kit maintenance and presentation, naval ceremonial and parade training, physical education and recreational training. They have also trained in weaponry, basic seamanship, situational self-leadership, sea survival, damage control and fire fighting, first aid, shipboard terminology and routines, naval excellence and team building - all designed to provide a solid foundation of skills and knowledge for their naval careers. Army helps with eco facility An outdoor education facility for schools in the Marlborough area has received a boost, courtesy of soldiers from the 2nd Engineer Regiment and the School of Military Engineering. New Zealand Army assistance was sought by the Mistletoe Bay Trust, a non-profit organisation, which planned to upgrade an existing camping facility on Department of Conservation land. Local businesses donated money, equipment and building materials. The project involved the construction of four accommodation huts, a communal kitchen, and an ablution block. The emphasis for construction was on environmental sustainability, with the huts designed for energy efficiency, and incorporating a plumbing system that enables waste water to be treated on site.

12 C O A B C D E F G H *Personnel deployed. Lance Corporal Joe Rosser conducts excavation drills in Lebanon where a 10- strong NZDF team is clearing cluster bombs and unexploded ordnance. United Nations Mission in Sudan (3)* Multinational Force and Observers Sinai (26) European Force, Bosnia (11) Operation Antarctica, Scott Base, Antarctica ( 26) Afghanistan: United Nations Assistance Mission (Kabul) (1) International Security Assistance Force (Kabul) (8) New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team, (Bamyan) (107) United Nations Assistance Mission, Iraq (1) United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, Korea (4) United Nations Mission Kosovo (1) For more information on NZDF deployments see O N M L K J United Nations Truce Supervisory Organisation, Middle East (8) Operation Enduring Freedom, United States (3) Regional Assistance Mission, Solomon Islands (43) Combined Joint Task Force, Timor Leste (148) RNZAF Pacific patrols/missions Royal New Zealand Navy frigates HMNZS Te Mana Eastern Australia (179) United Nations Mine Action Coordinating Centre, Lebanon (10) WN I D Antarctica M Pacific and Antarctic Oceans N Eastern Australia K Solomon Islands A Sudan L Timor Leste I Middle East Lebanon J United States B Sinai F Iraq Afghanistan Korea E G Bosnia H Kosovo THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE: MAJOR OPERATIONAL MISSIONS & ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD