NZDF Archives - CONTACT magazine

HMNZS Hawea approaches a fishing vessel while on fisheries and customs patrols off Fiji. NZDF photo.

NZ Navy’s Fijian maritime patrols end

03/11/201703/11/2017 Brian Hartigan 1143 Views 0 Comments Fiji, HMNZS Hawea, maritime patrols, NZDF

Combined maritime patrols between New Zealand and Fiji involving HMNZS Hawea have ended on a high note, with about 550

There was no snow, no elves or Santa. However, an empty hall across from Trentham Military Camp may as well have been Santa’s workshop as about 40 volunteers, including schoolchildren, packed hundreds of Christmas treats this morning for New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) members serving overseas. The Christmas packages included Kiwi treats such as Marmite, liquorice, Anzac biscuits and ingredients for onion dip, which NZDF personnel stationed overseas cannot buy easily. Each parcel also includes Christmas cards written by students from Mount Cook School in Wellington and Collingwood Area School in Nelson. “There were about 100 kids from our school who made those Christmas cards,” 11-year-old Eddie Nimh, a Year 7 student from Mount Cook School, said. “We wrote Christmas jokes in those cards to give them (Kiwi military personnel) a bit of a laugh. It’s important that we thank them for serving our country.” The yearly initiative, organised by the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association (RNZRSA), involved schoolchildren, veterans, staff from Foodstuffs and Z Energy, and NZDF personnel pitching in to pack the Christmas treats. With just 88 sleeps until Christmas, the NZDF will have these packages sent to its 13 missions overseas, starting next week to ensure they get there on time. RNZRSA national president BJ Clark said his organisation was pleased to continue the long-running tradition. “We hope this brings them comfort, since they’re away from their loved ones over Christmas. The least we can do is send a bit of New Zealand to our men and women serving overseas – something to remind them of great Kiwi times with family and friends. “The RNZRSA is thankful two New Zealand-owned, family-oriented companies – Foodstuffs and Z Energy – have come on board to support this.” Major General Tim Gall, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, said the Christmas packages were a tribute to the NZDF’s servicemen and women stationed overseas. “We have personnel in six of the seven continents and their contribution makes our country proud both at home and abroad,” Major General Gall said. “They are making a personal sacrifice by serving overseas over the festive period. It is our way of saying, ‘You are in our thoughts this Christmas and we value the work that you do on behalf of New Zealand’.” About 300 Defence Force personnel are serving overseas. About 230, or 76 per cent, are based in the Middle East and 28 are conducting fisheries patrols in the South Pacific. Five are working for the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission Secretariat in South Korea, including two who serve as monitors along the Demilitarised Zone with North Korea. Four are supporting the UN mission in war-torn South Sudan, while seven are working as UN observers in Israel and Lebanon. The RSA has sent Christmas care packages to deployed military personnel for more than 76 years. Foodstuffs and Z Energy provided more than $10,000 worth of goods for this year’s Christmas packages.

Australian New Zealand News Overseas

CHRISTMAS IS ALREADY COMING…

28/09/201728/09/2017 Brian Hartigan 1019 Views 0 Comments NZDF

…for Kiwis serving overseas There was no snow, no elves nor Santa – but an empty hall across from Trentham Military

A Zodiac from HMNZS Otago, with fisheries officers from New Zealand and Vanuatu, approaches a fishing vessel in the south-west Pacific during Operation Island Chief. NZDF photo.

New Zealand News Pacific

NZDF boarded 26 vessels during Pacific fisheries patrols

10/08/2017 Brian Hartigan 1220 Views 0 Comments Forum Fisheries Agency, HMNZS Otago, New Zealand Defence Force, NZDF, P-3K2 Orion, RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force

New Zealand Defence Force personnel located 60 vessels of interest and boarded 26 others in multilateral fisheries patrols conducted recently

About 350 Afghan officer cadets graduated on 20 July after completing an intensive 11-month training course supported by New Zealand Defence, Australian, Danish and British mentors. Photographer unknown.

ADF Australian New Zealand News Operations Overseas Videos

New Army officers graduate in Afghanistan – 2 headed for Duntroon

21/07/201728/07/2017 Brian Hartigan 1758 Views 0 Comments ADF, Afghan officer cadets, New Zealand Defence Force, NZDF

About 350 Afghan officer cadets graduated yesterday, 20 July 2017, after completing an intensive 11-month training course supported by Australian

New Zealand Defence Force Hercules contingent in the Middle East. ADF photo.

Middle East New Zealand News Operations

Kiwi Herc serving well in Middle East

22/06/2017 Brian Hartigan 1289 Views 0 Comments C-130 Hercules, New Zealand Defence Force, NZDF, RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) transported 120 tonnes of supplies and about 500 military personnel supporting coalition operations in

Australian and New Zealand Army trainers from Task Group Taji 4 conduct marksmanship training with an Iraqi Army training audience at Al Taqqadum, Iraq. ADF photo.

Middle East New Zealand News Overseas

Fifth rotation of Kiwis for Iraq leave home

23/05/2017 Brian Hartigan 1571 Views 0 Comments NZDF, Task Group Taji 5

The fifth rotation of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) troops left today for a six-month mission training Iraqi soldiers. CAPTION: Australian

NZ Army engineers dismantle a building in Antarctica. NZDF photo.

New Zealand News Overseas

NZDF engineers put skills on ice

20/03/201720/03/2017 Brian Hartigan 1618 Views 0 Comments New Zealand Defence Force, NZDF

The 17 engineers sent by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to Antarctica in February recently completed six weeks of construction,

Tropic Twilight 2016 - Left to Right: Flying Officer Chloe Lowndes RAAF, SPC Hustin TRUSSO, USA Guam Army, SPR Jared HUMPHRIES, NZ Army and Cadet LUI Jian Bang, China. are part of combined New Zealand, US, Chinese and Australian military personnel are heading to Tonga for Exercise Tropic Twilight to help build much needed infrastructure on outlying Islands.

Australian New Zealand News Overseas

Kiwis lead multinational mission in Tonga

06/07/2016 Brian Hartigan 2493 Views 0 Comments 2nd Engineer Regiment, His Majesty’s Armed Forces Tonga, NZDF, People’s Liberation Army, Tonga, United States Army

A multinational task group led by New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel will be undertaking community projects to improve water

New Zealand News Operations Overseas

12 per cent of NZDF regular forces deployed overseas

26/06/201630/06/2016 Brian Hartigan 1633 Views 0 Comments 12 per cent, NZDF

About 1100 New Zealand Defence Force personnel, or 12 per cent of the country’s regular military force, are deployed either on

Task Group handover parade. Photo by Captain Bradley Richardson

Australian News Operations

Task Group Taji Rotation 2 takes point

05/12/2015 Brian Hartigan 1699 Views 0 Comments ADF, Daesh, NZDF, Taji

Task Group Taji Rotation 2 formally took point on responsibility for training Iraqi security forces when Australian and New Zealand personnel

News Overseas Technology

New Zealand buys new pistol and new rifle

25/11/201516/01/2016 Brian Hartigan 4769 Views 6 Comments Glock, Glock 17, NZDF, P226, Sig Sauer, Sig Sauer P226

New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) military personnel are to be issued with new generation Glock 17 pistols to replace the

News Operations Overseas

New Zealand’s first Taji rotation home

16/11/2015 Brian Hartigan 1719 Views 0 Comments NZDF, Taji

The first rotation of 105 New Zealand soldiers to Iraq returned home today from their Op Taji deployment helping train

News Overseas

Kiwis fly to West Africa on Peace mission

28/10/2015 Brian Hartigan 1635 Views 0 Comments KAIPTC, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, NZDF, West Africa

The New Zealand Defence Force is sending two female instructors to West Africa to teach at a world-class peacekeeping training

News Operations

Second New Zealand Iraq rotation leave home

17/10/2015 Brian Hartigan 1991 Views 0 Comments Iraq, NZDF, Taji

New Zealand’s second rotation of Defence personnel bound for Iraq left home today to participate in a Mission Readiness Exercise in Australia.

New Zealand's new Chief of Army Peter Kelly and Chief of Navy John Martin.

New Zealand News Overseas

New Zealand names new Chiefs of Army and Navy

01/09/201516/02/2017 Brian Hartigan 2991 Views 0 Comments New Zealand Army, NZDF, Royal New Zealand Navy

New Zealand’s Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Tim Keating has welcomed the appointments of the new Chief of Army

New Zealand News Overseas Veterans

New Zealand Defence Force will remember chaplains

26/08/201516/02/2017 Brian Hartigan 1465 Views 0 Comments Chaplains, New Zealand Defence Force, NZDF

The New Zealand Defence Force will remember all Defence Force chaplains on Friday – 100 years after the first NZ Defence

The ANZAC contingent prepare to march at the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Photo by Corporal Matthew Bickerton

News Overseas Veterans

Māori version of the Ode of Remembrance changed

30/07/201521/04/2016 Brian Hartigan 2102 Views 0 Comments NZDF, Ode, Ode of Remembrance, Remembrance

The service and sacrifice of New Zealand’s male and female military personnel is now being acknowledged at commemorative events after

News Overseas

New Zealand Chief of Army to lead UNTSO

22/07/201512/10/2015 Brian Hartigan 1841 Views 2 Comments Major General Dave Gawn, New Zealand Army, NZDF

New Zealand Chief of Army Major General Dave Gawn has been appointed to lead the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation

Australian Army trainer observes an Iraqi soldier dismount from their “Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)” vehicle during a training exercise at the Taji Military Complex northwest of Baghdad: http://images.defence.gov.au/20150616adf8487947_032.jpg

Operations

100 Years In The Desert – Anzacs, ISIS and the Middle East

06/07/201512/10/2015 Editorial 1743 Views 0 Comments Australia, Australian Army, Iraq, New Zealand, NZDF

For a century the armies of Australia and New Zealand have fought to maintain order in the Middle East. The

News Overseas

New Zealand’s new truck fleet now fully delivered

25/06/201512/10/2015 Brian Hartigan 2476 Views 0 Comments New Zealand, NZDF

New Zealand’s new truck fleet now fully delivered with the last of 194 new medium heavy operational vehicles (MHOV) handed