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HMNZS OTAGO’S PACIFIC PATROLS COMMISSIONING OF HMNZS AOTEAROA LOCKDOWN RECRUITS GRADUATE
Contents 04 HMNZS OTAGO’s Pacific patrols
20 BCT and JOCT graduation
06 Earthquake exercise for the hydrographers
26 Keeping in touch
08 Commissioning of HMNZS AOTEAROA
28 Physical Training ambassador
14 Navy dental hygienist
32 Critical Safety with Babcock
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Navy Roadshow
“ I’m 45 years old. Where does it say in the rulebook I have to sit back and watch TV? Life is too short for that.”
~ Sub Lieutenant Raewyn Tailby, graduation of JOCT 20/01.
22 Navy Today is the official magazine of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Established to inform, inspire and entertain serving and former members of the RNZN, their families, friends and the wider Navy Community. Published by: Defence Public Affairs HQ NZ Defence Force Wellington, New Zealand
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Editor: Andrew Bonallack Email: navytoday@nzdf.mil.nz Design and Layout: Defence Public Affairs
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Printed by: Bluestar Private Bag 39996, Wellington Distribution: Email: navytoday@nzdf.mil.nz
20 Contributions are welcomed, including stories, photographs and letters. Please submit stories and letters by email in Microsoft Word or the body of an email. Articles up to 500 words welcomed, longer if required by the subject. Please consult the editor about long articles. Digital photos submitted by email also welcomed, at least 500kb preferred. Stories published in Navy Today cannot be published elsewhere without permission. Copy deadline is the 15th of the month for the following issue. Subject to change. Views expressed in Navy Today are not necessarily those of the RNZN or the NZDF. Defence Careers: Phone: 0800 1FORCE (0800 136 723) www.defencecareers.mil.nz Changing Address? To join or leave our mailing list, please contact: Email: navytoday@nzdf.mil.nz
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Front cover: Midshipman Waikie Wang leads the haka during the combined JOCT and BCT 20/01 graduation at Devonport Naval Base. Back cover: HMNZS AOTEAROA’s Ship’s Company pose for a group photo following the ship’s commissioning. Photographer: PO Chris Weissenborn
Yours Aye Chief of the Navy
A highlight of this Navy Today issue is the graduation of the Basic Common Training and Junior Officer Common Training courses of 20/01, and rightfully so. The graduation parades of the recent years combine the ceremonial aspects of the military with the uniqueness and fun of our service. This year, however, the trainees have more to celebrate than before.
“ Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to us as a Defence Force and a Navy, you can be assured we are still out there doing our business.”
I applaud and acknowledge the incredible efforts of everyone who was involved in the training of our most recent recruits – trainees, instructors and staff, friends and families. The extended five weeks prior to graduation due to COVID-19 is unique. Completing the courses and supporting the newest sailors in our Navy during a global pandemic has been a massive undertaking and one that we have proven we are able to handle. The newest sailors have been welcomed into our iwi heramana whānau at a notable time in our world’s history, and a time where we can see our New Zealand Defence Force personnel at the forefront of another crisis occurring on our own soil. I expect our involvement to continue, at least in the medium term. It is unsurprising we are finding ourselves challenged in the execution of our ‘business as usual’; this has been a tough and strange time for all of New Zealand. Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to us as a Defence Force and a Navy, you can be assured we are still out there doing our business. HMNZS OTAGO has recently returned from the annual OP CALYPSO in the Pacific, where she worked in cooperation with regional organisations and navies to ensure the security and prosperity of the maritime commons in the region. Have a read about how HMNZS OTAGO has managed to execute our maritime missions whilst maintaining the health and safety of our shipmates.
And of course, this Yours Aye wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the recent Commissioning of HMNZS AOTEAROA, our new fleet tanker. It is not often the Chief of Navy has the tremendous honour of commissioning a new ship into our fleet, and I was immensely privileged and proud of being able to do so. Making the day even more special was the presence of HMNZS AOTEAROA’s ship sponsor, Her Excellency the Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM, QSO. It is only appropriate that our current Governor General and Commander in Chief is the sponsor of the ship bearing the name of our nation. We were also privileged to host delegates from HMNZS AOTEAROA’s home port, New Plymouth – Mayor Neil Holdom and representatives of the New Plymouth mana whenua, Ngāti Te Whiti. Ngāti Te Whiti presented HMNZS AOTEAROA with her Symbol of Command, Tai-Panuku, and it is a taonga that we are honoured to receive. As I reflect on the recent months, I find this whakatauki appropriate: Kaua e hoki I te waewae tūtuki, ā, āpā anō hei te ūpoko pakaru. Do not turn back because of minor obstacles, but press ahead to the desired goal.
Rear Admiral David Proctor Chief of Navy
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Back in business in the Pacific For those who thought the global pandemic meant a sneaky opportunity to fish illegally, the arrival of HMNZS OTAGO, the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Fijian Navy would have made the message clear: we pursue illegal fishing.
OTAGO undertook the annual Operation Calypso patrol over 28 days last month, joining forces with Republic of Fiji Navy vessel RFNS KIKAU and Fiji’s brand new Guardian-class patrol boat RFNS SAVENACA to work Fiji’s 1.3 million square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone. Backing up in the air was OTAGO’s SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopter and a RNZAF P-3K2 Orion, the latter covering more than 735,000 square nautical miles over Fiji, Cook Islands, Niue and the Solomon Islands. It’s all part of the New Zealand Defence Force’s contribution to sustainable fisheries in the Pacific, working in cooperation with the
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National Maritime Coordination Centre, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and Pacific Island nations. But it’s a challenge to undertake an international patrol within the restrictions of COVID-19. In what Commander Fiona Jameson, OTAGO’s Commanding Officer, calls the “new normal”, OTAGO became the first RNZN ship to conduct a “No-Touch” fuel stop in Suva, Fiji. It meant at no stage did any member of the Ship’s Company step ashore, and nobody from Fiji boarded the ship. All equipment was passed to the ship via lines, and any equipment that came into contact with anything from Fiji
HMNZS OTAGO’S PACIFIC PATROLS
OTAGO’s Elite Fire Team Who do superheroes call when they need saving? Who comes to their rescue? On board HMNZS OTAGO there’s an elite group called Fire Team Six. It’s a privilege and responsibility that’s not for everyone. All sailors are trained as fire fighters, but those accepted to Fire Team Six have to maintain a very high level of fitness, as well as a high proficiency in fire-fighting skills. But most of all, they have to have the determination and will to fight, to step into a compartment of a ship, and face whatever lies within.
was sanitised. The procedures proved that logistical stops in the Pacific are possible in a COVID-19 environment, which will improve the scope of operations for New Zealand and partner navies. “It was part of our mission to prove the concept of operating in a COVID environment,” says CDR Jameson. “The ‘no-contact’ stop in Fiji enabled OTAGO to remain on station and ensure maximum coverage of the Fijian EEZ and a high seas patrol area. Working safely with our Pacific partners in a COVID environment and building confidence in that has been a real success for the ship.” Within Fiji’s EEZ, the Seasprite was able to find vessels of interest, allowing the Fijian Navy to close in and board, while OTAGO positioned herself as the support vessel.
If a fire on a ship gets out of control and becomes too much to handle, the compartment is sealed and fixed systems such as CO2 are activated. Once the temperature drops below a threshold and is deemed safe enough to enter, Fire Team Six make the re-entry and ultimately reclaim the compartment. The operational capability – and all the lives in the ship – are on the line. Their presence drives the SSEP (Standing Sea Emergency Party), who are responsible for dealing with fire, flood and toxic gas incidents on board. Each of the members in Fire Team Six have their own regular jobs to conduct on board every day, as well as the extra responsibility of being in the fire team. After OTAGO’s workup and drills prior to their Pacific operation, a Fire Team Six member said being a part of the team is something special. “The camaraderie in the team is what keeps you going. When you’re fighting a big fire your shipmates are counting on you and you don’t want to let them down.”
“We also conducted various Naval training activities which enabled both ships to remain current in operations and continued to build our proficiency at working together to advance maritime security in the region. It is a testament to our longstanding defence relationship that has enabled both countries to quickly adapt to the ‘new normal’ and get back on station, on operations, together, towards promoting peace and stability in the Pacific.”
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Tested in Earthquake Exercise at Great Barrier Island
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In 2016 during the Kaikoura earthquakes, the Navy demonstrated how hydrographic surveying paves the way for humanitarian operations from ship to shore.
It’s that initial assessment, ahead of any amphibious operation, which falls to the Dive Hydrographic vessel HMNZS MANAWANUI and the hydrographers and clearance divers of HMNZS MATATAUA. Last month, the ship and teams combined for the ship’s first real test of hydrographic and crane operations for an earthquake exercise at Great Barrier/Aotea Island. Joint Force Headquarters informed the ship’s command team they had eight hours’ notice to embark the ship’s company and MATATAUA personnel for the island, which had suffered from a significant earthquake in the Coromandel region.
EARTHQUAKE EXERCISE
The team faced a lot of unknowns. Ashore, and above the water, the damage is visible. There are residents who need help, food and water, medical supplies, or possible evacuation. But the team have no way of knowing if the sea floor has altered due to the earthquake. It’s the job of MATATAUA’s hydrographers and divers to conduct a Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA), using sonar capability aboard the ship to a certain point, and then lowering a MATATAUA workboat to carry out a sonar survey along a route to Tryphena Harbour wharf. The unknowns need to be ticked off. Can a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat get in? Great. What about a barge?
Can HMNZS CANTERBURY’s Landing Craft make it to the wharf without grounding? Meanwhile, the divers check the stability and soundness of the wharf. Signing it off will make transfer of supplies for disaster relief a lot easier. As part of the exercise, MANAWANUI’s casualty handling skills were tested when a diver was swiftly returned with a simulated head gash. MANAWANUI’s Operations officer, Sub Lieutenant Matt Barnett, says it was a worthwhile evolution for the ship’s 100-tonne crane. They practised picking up a container from the cargo deck and placing it onto a barge, for transfer ashore.
“We’ve been doing a phased approach with the use of the crane,” he says. “We’ve been picking up items and swinging the crane around, to see what the movement does to the ship.” The crane is off-centre, on the starboard side, but the ship can quickly shift ballast water from different sides of the ship to counterbalance the crane’s movement. The Minister of Defence and Commander Joint Forces were guests for the exercise. “The Minister loved it,” says SLT Barnett. “He was very interested in what the ship and crew could do, and how we did, and the challenges we faced. He even got to drive the ship at one point.”
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AOTEAROA COMMISSIONS
Welcome to the fleet, Aotearoa y Andrew Bonallack B Editor
It’s an honour to take command, says Captain Simon Rooke. And it’s an honour and responsibility for his ship’s company to become guardians – Kaitiaki – of a ship whose name represents your country. On 29 July CAPT Rooke reported to Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor during HMNZS AOTEAROA’s commissioning ceremony, conducted in front of a substantial audience on the ship’s flight deck. Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy spoke first, reflecting on her pride in being asked to be the ship’s official sponsor in March 2017. “AOTEAROA – a grand name for a grand ship.” She said there hasn’t been a name of a ship reflecting the nation since 1912, referring to HMS NEW ZEALAND, who shares the same motto as AOTEAROA.
CAPT Rooke accepted both the Commissioning Warrant and the Commissioning Pennant, with the latter being hoisted for the first time along with the New Zealand flag and White Ensign. After the reading of the Command Directive to CAPT Rooke, RADM Proctor placed the Symbol of Command into his hands. “I have the ship,” said CAPT Rooke. “You have the ship,” agreed RADM Proctor. The symbol of command, a carved Kauri staff named Tai-Panuku (Smooth flowing tide), was created on behalf of Ngāti Te Whiti, the iwi in AOTEAROA’s ceremonial home port, New Plymouth.
Symbol of Command Tai-Panuku.
“It’s symbolic of how this ship will represent us on the international stage. It’s immediately recognisable in the Pacific region and beyond, as well as here in our home waters.” RADM Proctor acknowledged his predecessor, Rear Admiral John Martin, on the naming of AOTEAROA. He noted that, after five previous appointments, CAPT Rooke needed no reminder of the privileges and burdens of command. He reminded the Ship’s Company of their duty as kaitiaki, towards a ship that carried their nation’s name.
CAPT Rooke, who takes command for the sixth time, says it is an honour to become the first kaitiaki of AOTEAROA. “It is with enormous pride that I address you for the first time. Command is a highlight of any officer’s naval career, and it’s something I take seriously. It will command all my energy, passion and commitment I can muster.” He invited his ship’s company to look around them, at their fellow sailors. “You’re witnessing a ship becoming a commissioned warship of the Royal New Zealand Navy. We have a huge responsibility, to be courageous. I have every confidence that you will achieve all we are tasked to do. I promise to all of you, with the support of the very best sailors on board, that AOTEAROA will live up to her motto – Kokiritia (Onward).”
Opposite: Chief of Navy RADM David Proctor and CAPT Simon Rooke on the bridge of HMNZS AOTEAROA.
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AOTEAROA COMMISSIONS
“ You’re witnessing a ship becoming a commissioned warship of the Royal New Zealand Navy. We have a huge responsibility, to be courageous. I have every confidence that you will achieve all we are tasked to do. I promise to all of you, with the support of the very best sailors on board, that AOTEAROA will live up to her motto – Kokiritia (Onward).”
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First posting on navy’s biggest ship Able Communications Warfare Specialist Chanel Ruri has always been attracted to military life, and it was her sister’s experiences that persuaded her to join the Navy in 2018.
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She now has the distinction of being part of the commissioning crew for HMNZS AOTEAROA. “I saw the Navy as an opportunity to be in a role where you are proud of what you do and other people are proud of you for doing it,” she says. “I am so glad I did join. I have been pushed beyond my comfort zone in training, but I have learnt how to assist with damage control for floods, fires and toxic gas, as well as gaining skills in anchoring, replenishment at sea, and different ways to communicate tactically.” ACWS Ruri was promoted to Able Rate after the above photo was taken. It is her first sea posting, while most of her colleagues have had sea time before. “I am excited about all the upcoming opportunities to learn new skills, travel the world and serve my country on this beautiful new ship.
Her role on AOTEAROA will be to provide secure and reliable means of communication using flag signalling and hoisting, Morse code, tactical voice operation, radio, and sending and receiving signals between ships and to shore stations. “I also have the role to assist in damage-control operations, helping to berth and anchor the ship, helping with future replenishment tasks and much more,” she says. “Because this is my first posting on a ship, every day will be new to me, so I will be trying to learn as much as I can. I am really looking forward to the new experiences, new places to visit and getting out there to do my job.” Her budding artistic skills will also have an influence on AOTEAROA – she has been asked to design labels and T-shirts for the crew.
AOTEAROA PROFILES
Electrician up for southern ocean travel Leading Marine Technician (Electrician) Oliver Redshaw joined the Royal New Zealand Navy to gain new experiences and to travel. He is about to get those opportunities as part of the commissioning crew of HMNZS AOTEAROA.
“It has been a goal since before I joined the Navy to travel as far south as possible and hopefully at some stage on AOTEAROA I can get to Antarctica,” he said. “It will be so special to sail to a place not many people have been to.” LMT(L) Redshaw, who attended Bayfield High School in Dunedin, joined the Navy in 2014 because he wanted to travel, do a job that was different from “nine to five” and to make a difference. He trained as an electrical engineer, where a typical day involves working on the electrical systems on ships, conducting servicing or maintenance on anything from electric motors and lighting circuits, and working on ships’ generators and main engines. “Each day is different, because there is such a wide variety of equipment and technology to learn about and work on while at sea,” he said.
Among career highlights so far are deploying to Fiji in HMNZS CANTERBURY in 2016 to help after Cyclone Winston caused widespread damage, helping after Kaikoura was struck by a powerful earthquake later the same year, travelling to Raoul Island on a resupply mission in 2017, and travelling to Norway in 2019 to learn about the new Rolls Royce and Kongsberg equipment he will be working with in AOTEAROA. “On the disaster relief operations I would often be working to quickly rectify any mechanical issues that arose with the landing craft, so we could continue delivering supplies and vehicles to wherever we were deployed,” he said. “When not on the landing craft or ship I would go ashore to help the community with anything from fixing their generators to assisting the Army with their tasks repairing buildings.”
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A new challenge Chief Petty Officer Writer Vicki Ryan appears to have never tired of challenges. She joined the Navy in 1985 and was involved in the pilot study for the first women at sea.
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She progressed through the ranks, then left to study at AUT to become a dental hygienist/therapist. Now qualified and experienced, she’s returned to the Navy and keeps her qualification current by working one day a week at the Navy’s Fleet Dental Centre. “When I joined, I was living in Christchurch, having done half an apprenticeship as a chef and hating it. I walked past recruiting one day and thought, join the Navy.” In the early 2000s, after having served 20+ years, CPOWTR Ryan realised it would be sensible to add to her skillset. “When life feels easy and I have spare time I tend do something to make it more difficult and this was the case with study. I decided I should apply for the Oral Health degree at AUT. I was told I probably wouldn’t be accepted immediately, but I was. I had done some of the core papers prior to applying and completed the rest of the first semester through Voluntary Education Study Assistance
DENTAL HYGIENIST
“ The Navy is a supportive organisation, flexible, and offers many opportunities. I had come to a stage in life when you look at what you can do, how you can contribute.” (VESA), which was a great opportunity provided through the Navy. I used accumulated leave for the second semester, then left in March 2013, having been employed for my first year of study.” CPOWTR Ryan graduated in 2014 from Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Health Science (Oral Health), while still a Naval Reservist. “I wanted to work in a lower socio-economic environment, so I went to Northland and was based in Kerikeri and worked doing dental therapy (school dental nurse) for two years, then in private practice as an Oral Health Therapist with Lumino Kerikeri.”
Last year the Navy contacted her, looking to recruit experienced personnel for out-of-branch positions and offered her a position as a Chief at the Base Operations Unit. She wanted to keep current with her new qualifications and asked if she could continue as a dental hygienist, one day a week. It’s a first; dental hygienists in uniform are usually Army. “I always had really positive experiences in the Navy, and I felt this was another way I could contribute to the organisation.” She says people should look at what they can achieve while in the service. “The Navy is a supportive organisation, flexible, and
offers many opportunities. I’d come to a stage in life when you look at what you can do, how you can contribute.” CPOWTR Ryan describes dental hygiene as a long-term goal, but she has her eye on other challenges. “I’m always thinking, what’s next. It’s important for people not to doubt themselves. If I had known what the Oral Health degree entailed, I might have doubted my ability to do it. I wouldn’t call myself adventurous, but I do believe you need to put yourself out of your comfort zone to develop. We don’t know what we can do until we do try.”
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Help us recognise excellence in health and safety Nominations for the 2020 NZDF Safety Awards are now open. The awards are open to any person or unit in the NZDF that has gone above and beyond the call of duty, leading by example in demonstrating and promoting excellence in health, safety and wellbeing, regardless of rank, status (civilian, military or contractor), or whether health and safety is part of their role or not. You can find out more about the categories on the Directorate of Safety’s intranet page (ILP / HQNZDF / Directorate of Safety) or simply submit your nomination and the organisers will
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determine the best match. Most of the activity described needs to have taken place over the past 12 months or so. Who can nominate? Any member of the NZDF can nominate. How long should a nomination be? Depends on the level of detail, but a good guideline is not more than one A4 page (excluding any endorsement or support statements).
Keen to know more? Have any questions? For more details on categories, inspiration from past winners, timeline and format, check out the Directorate of Safety’s intranet page, or email your query to NZDFSafety@nzdf.mil.nz. Nominations close on Monday, 21 September.
NAVY ROADSHOW
Upcoming Navy Roadshow The Navy Roadshows have been taking place at Devonport Naval Base and in Wellington for the past year, with the first one being conducted in July 2019 and the most recent ones being held in February and March this year. The Roadshows are designed to engage, inform and educate. It gives our personnel the ability to ask questions of, and hear from, our Senior Leaders. Our Senior Leaders work extremely hard to ensure our personnel are able to voice what is important to them and these Roadshows provide a valuable forum to assist in that. The questions posed at the Roadshows continue to show that effective communication of important and pertinent information within the Navy is an ongoing issue. At the most recent Roadshow, 412 questions and comments were submitted via the mobile SLI.DO application. Some of these were very similar to questions that had been posed at previous Roadshows or the answers were easily accessible on the NZDF intranet. There were a large number that were very similar in nature, so these were consolidated and approximately 180 of these questions have been sent to various subject matter experts throughout the NZDF. Finding the right person to answer some of the questions has been challenging, but those
who have contributed have provided the best possible answers. Some of the questions have involved a lot of research to ensure accurate information is passed on, and as you can imagine, this takes time, and therefore the questions and answers are being disseminated as the answers become available. The questions and answers from the Roadshows have been posted on the RNZN Intranet ‘Ask the WON’ site. There is also the ability for you to post comments or further questions on the site. Some questions may also be answered, updated or readdressed at the next Roadshow or in future editions of Navy Today. You spoke and we heard; our sailors want longer sessions. For the next Roadshows the sessions will be two hours in duration, and in an effort to make it more relevant to what you want to hear, the upcoming Roadshows will be conducted slightly differently. We will request you submit your questions via email (email address to be confirmed), and these will be reviewed by a diverse panel of personnel and passed to Senior Leadership prior to the Roadshow. Think about what you want to ask and make sure your questions are clear and concise. If we can’t understand the question, or if the questions are
easily misinterpreted, you may not get the answer you are after. At the Roadshow, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions verbally. SLI.DO will not be used for this Roadshow. Please remember, questions can be asked at any time through a variety of means including shipmates, Divisional Officers, Commanding Officers, Command Warrant Officers and Command Senior Rates and the Ask the WON Intranet site. You do not need to wait until a Roadshow to have your voice heard. There is also a lot of information readily available on the Intranet that addresses some questions, so taking the time to do a bit of research may also be advantageous before you send a question through. Come along to engage with our Senior Leaders and take the opportunity to ask questions and inform them about what is important to you in the RNZN. Indicative upcoming Roadshow dates: Wellington Roadshow Thu 17 September Auckland Roadshow Mon/Tue 21/22 September
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Our People 1. ACSS Kafele Ababa stands as part of a catafalque guard at Pukeahu National War Memorial during the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. 2. WO1 Roddy Hickling, Jasmine Andrew and CDRE Andrew Brown, Commander Logistics, use an Air Force sword to cut the cake in celebration of the 10th birthday of Defence Logistics Command. 3. ASCS Ulani Wratt poses beside her new posting – HMNZS AOTEAROA – at Devonport Naval Base.
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4. OCH Janelle Barnhill shows off her certificate of achievement and class photos, a day before she graduates from BCT 20/01. 5. LTCDR Kimberlee Hamilton receives the New Zealand Armed Forces Award from Chief of Navy RADM David Proctor. 6. Wellington-based RNZN personnel take part in a MARS-L refresher training. 7. A big smile on graduation day for OMT Tom Johnston. 8. A regular visitor to Devonport Naval Base waits patiently for the Navy graduation near LTCDR Sarah Campbell and CPOEWS Greg Gatley. 9. OHSO Mackenzie Perry is awarded the Stoker First Class William Dale Cup as the most improved BCT trainee within BCT 20/01. 10. Captain Fleet Operational Readiness, CAPT Brendon Clark, welcomes the Navy’s newest medical officer, MID (now Surgeon Lieutenant) Kim Rapson, shortly after her graduation from officer training. 11. Mr Steve Lister from Babcock NZ Limited and CDR Kelvin Wishart were recently recognised with NZDF Commendations for negotiating the renewal of the Dockyard Management Contract – the largest ‘provision of services’ contract in the New Zealand Defence Force.
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� Lockdown�recruits celebrate graduation Graduation day has been a long time coming for the officers and sailors graduating from their 20/01 classes.
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BCT and JOCT graduation
“ Sometimes all people need is some compassion and aroha from their shipmates to make their day a good one.”
With the COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown falling right in the middle of their training, both the Basic Common Training (BCT) and Junior Officers Common Training (JOCT) intakes had five weeks added onto their courses. It meant the sailors completed 20 weeks while the officers went up to 27. For a period, the classes within their divisions stayed in ‘bubbles’, with instructors staying distant. It also meant the stoppage of leave, restriction of movement and cancellation of the much-loved BCT Church Service, an event where family and friends get to meet up with their recruits five weeks into training. So, for many loved ones, graduation day on 18 July at Devonport Naval Base was the first time they had seen their recruits in the flesh, and the first time observed in full uniform.
Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor addressed 100 BCT sailors and 24 officers. “To have completed this course was not done easily, and those of you on parade, and those of you in support, I thank you.” He said those graduating may well appreciate the sacrifices Defence Force personnel were called on to make, at a time when the Defence Force was at the forefront of the COVID-19 response within New Zealand. “Every member of the Navy has a ‘back in my day’ story,” he said. “Your training has occurred during a notable time in our world’s history. Our ability to deliver training through the unique set of challenges presented by COVID-19 speaks to yours, and our Navy’s, professionalism, adaptability and resilience. This will become part of each of your stories.”
RADM Proctor answered a question put to him by a BCT trainee a week earlier: “What is the best advice you’ve ever received?” “No one turns up to deliberately do a bad day’s work”, he said. “No-one wearing our uniform does. Sometimes all people need is some compassion and aroha from their shipmates to make their day a good one. This compassion and aroha for your fellow shipmates has been a keystone to getting you through the past six months of training during a global pandemic. Bravo Zulu, well done.”
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Get off the couch and get running Midshipman Raewyn Tailby
When Raewyn Tailby contemplated her future work choices at age 45, she decided semi-retirement was out. She didn’t know how to knit. So she filled out an application form to join the Navy. The former police officer and Adult Education specialist from Kaeo and Kaitaia is following in the footsteps of her husband, a former hydrographic officer, and son Dylan, currently a Supply Officer in the Navy. “I wanted to do something meaningful for the last chapter of my working life, and my husband and son thought I would enjoy this.” On 18 July Midshipman Tailby graduated as a Learning Development Officer (LDO). Because of her qualifications she was promoted to Sub Lieutenant and will now progress to NZ Defence College for two years, undertaking courses in learning development and adult education. When qualified, she will provide specialist training and guidance on learning to NZDF commanders and units across New Zealand. The work includes creating training courses, developing instructional standards, and providing personal development advice to NZDF personnel.
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“They [husband and son] talked me into it, saying I could join the Navy as an education officer. I sent my CV in, filled the forms out, and then got a letter saying I was accepted. I thought, heck, I better get off the couch and do some running. So 5.30am every morning, I was running endless laps around Kaitaia College.” Swimming wasn’t a problem; she learnt that at Police College. MID Tailby undertook 27 weeks of Junior Officer Common Training, a course that ran five weeks longer because of the COVID-19 lockdown. “That isolation period was the hardest,” she says. “And people were very much younger than me, and there’s not much point in small talk about mortgage payments or interest rates.” She was proud of her fitness and credits it to preparation and being “a bit of a hard girl from the Far North”. You need to go into this with an open mind, she says. “Things won’t always go as expected, but embrace the challenge, and go back to basics. Treat others as you wish to be treated.”
“ Where does it say in the rulebook I have to sit back and watch TV? Life is too short for that.” She initially had to salute her son, and her husband thinks it is hilarious that all the “OCD” things he learnt from the Navy that annoyed her, are now things ingrained in her. Another son has applied to join the Navy for next year. “I’ve probably got adult ADHD, in that I get bored really easily, and have to be challenged. And, I’m 45 years old, I’ve raised four kids into decent human beings. Where does it say in the rulebook I have to sit back and watch TV? Life is too short for that.”
BCT and JOCT graduation
From sailor to officer Midshipman George Sinclair
George Sinclair, Whakatane, is an easy-going guy. It meant he didn’t have a plan after leaving high school. “Mum and Dad said, if you’re staying around, you’re going to have to start paying rent. So, I thought I better get my A into G. A friend was joining the Navy, and I got in six months after him.” On Saturday 18 July Midshipman Sinclair graduated as a Weapon Engineer from officer intake 20/01, but it wasn’t his first graduation. He has “commissioned from the ranks”, having joined the Navy as a sailor in 2009 as an Electrical Technician. “When I joined, I found I liked it. If I was to describe myself at school, I was just an average person. I played sports and worked at the supermarket after school.” There’s not much time in training to reflect on homesickness, he says. “When people said they were homesick, I said, I don’t have time for that, I’ve got ironing to do. It’s about cracking on, getting ready for the next day.” He chose the Electrician trade to pursue a qualification, and he rose to the senior rank of Petty Officer, travelling to Hawaii, South East Asia, Antarctica and the Pacific Islands. His time as a senior rating meant he only had to do the last eight weeks of the 22-week Junior Officer training. His last posting was as a Basic Common Training instructor working indirectly with the Junior Officers, and so his class first saw him as teaching staff, before he became a classmate.
“It was always in the back of my mind to become an officer,” he says. “It’s opened up more options. As a rating you tend to stick with one branch. An officer has more freedom.” Because of his experience and rank, he was promoted to Sub Lieutenant after graduation. Weapon Engineer is a logical extension of his electronics training. “It’s working on frigates, with a good bunch of people. They’re level-headed people, smart, diverse, interesting. It’s a group I’d get along with.” He might have once been a “coaster” and acknowledges he’s still a laidback guy. But he loves the intensity of his work and the challenges in the Navy. “I know the reasons I joined are pretty light. But it’s about the reasons I stayed. It’s the travel, the unique experiences available, a system of personal and professional development. It’s the friends you make. It’s a very inclusive culture, if you immerse yourself in it. It is very diverse. You could be doing disaster relief one day, and then cleaning a toilet the next day. That being said, there are many good days, but also, many tough days. So if you have the resilience to handle that, and live for the good days, you might as well join up.”
“ It’s working on frigates, with a good bunch of people. They’re levelheaded people, smart, diverse, interesting. It’s a group I’d get along with.”
When asked what his family thought about their son joining the Navy, he laughs. “I think it was more about relief. I think they were really worried about what I was going to do in life – and whether I was going to move out!”
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New heights as an officer Midshipman Jo Boocock
Jo Boocock, from Te Teko in the Bay of Plenty, joined the Navy for variety, travel, personal growth and a good salary. After nearly twenty years as a chef, she needed a new path. On Saturday 18 July the former Chief Petty Officer was one of two “commissioned from the ranks” (CFR) graduates from Junior Officer Common Training class 20/01 at Devonport, going from a senior chef to a junior supply officer. She was promoted to Sub Lieutenant immediately after graduation, due to her former rank. “I was literally at the top point of my career,” she says. “I returned to work after parental leave and looked at where my career could go.” As a supply officer, she still maintains that connection with the chef trade, but the future pathways are broader. It was a challenge being back under recruit instruction. “As a chef and senior rate, I was in control of how my day went. I communicated daily with senior officers. But as a midshipman, I no longer had that control. It was a very steep learning curve.”
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As a CFR, she was only required to do the last eight weeks of officer training, rather than the 22 weeks for officer recruits new to military life. But that 22 weeks expanded to 27, due to the effects of COVID-19, so she started much later in the year. “It was tough adjusting to the new time frame. I’ve got three children and my husband, who is in the Navy, took up the slack at home. I’ve been really grateful for that. You have feelings of guilt for not being home, and it makes you want to do your best in training.” The best aspect of the course was making connections and building relationships with her fellow officers. “That will continue to grow as we continue on our respective career paths.” The toughest part of was keeping fit in the restrictions of COVID-19. For her future, she would like to start university study and work towards a senior officer posting. “The Navy offers a unique opportunity to learn, grow and strengthen you personally and professionally. You can do so much if you give the Navy a go.”
“ The Navy offers a unique opportunity to learn, grow and strengthen you personally and professionally. You can do so much if you give the Navy a go.”
BCT and JOCT graduation
No ‘what if’ for warfare officer Midshipman Hannah Van der Horst
If you had to be in a COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown for five weeks, it’s good to be with an awesome group of friends. That’s how Midshipman Hannah Van der Horst, 20, sees her fellow officers, who all graduated on 18 July from Junior Officer Common Training class 20/01 at Devonport Naval Base. Midshipman Van der Horst, who graduates as a warfare officer, finished at Whakatane High School. After a year on a Rotary Youth exchange in France, she eyed up the Navy as a career. “I had been thinking about it for a few years, and I have an uncle in the reserves. He suggested it would be something I would enjoy. I had a look online and found things that sounded like me.” The travel and meeting new people also appealed. Her training ran across the Level 4 lockdown, meaning her officer training was extended from 22 weeks to 27. “That was pretty rough, for all of us, having five weeks in lockdown. We still trained to a modified schedule. Our classes were in three separate bubbles, and we connected by Zoom. We could do things like our history essays and mindfulness training, but there’s things you can’t do when
you can’t have instructors within two metres. But I was with an awesome group of people for five weeks. That was pretty cool.” The toughest parts of the course was when the team role-played a Navy task force helping with disaster relief in an island country with civil unrest. “That was physically and mentally challenging, but it’s an awesome test of how far you’ve come, and it allows you to put your leadership skills into practice.” She has had prior leadership experience, as captain of the Bay of Plenty Dressage team, and being a prefect at school. She will return to her school to give a talk after graduation. “I’ll tell them, take every opportunity that comes your way. If you don’t take it, you’ll wonder, what if?”
“ That was physically and mentally challenging, but it’s an awesome test of how far you’ve come, and it allows you to put your leadership skills into practice.”
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STAYING IN TOUCH Prior to the internet and emails, letter writing was the primary means a sailor stayed in contact with family and friends at home. Relatives would write to sailors via Devonport Naval Base, who would sort them and send them off in mail bags by air, hopefully to link up with an intended ship when it entered port.
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OLD AND NEW MAIL
Lloyd Mansell Lord and Betty Fuller were romantically involved when he was killed during the sinking of HMS NEPTUNE in December 1941. He was 23 years old. The letters shown are correspondence between Betty and Doris Lord, Lloyd’s mother. They kept in touch with each other for many years after Lloyd’s death.
The letters opposite are courtesy of the Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy, featuring items from the James Beattie and Lloyd Mansell Lord collections. James Beattie joined the Navy in 1942 at the age of 21. He was on board HMNZS LEANDER on 13 July 1943 during the Battle of Kolombangara. He was reported missing at sea and his body was never recovered. The letters span the course of a year and are between James and his mother.
Aligning a ship with its mail could be a hit-and-miss business, even into the latter part of the 20th century. On frigates it was the role of the Navigator’s Yeoman or the Electronic Warfare sailors to collect the ship’s mail. Warrant Officer Communications Warfare Specialist Wayne Dyke, Warrant Officer of the Navy, says it was not unheard of for the mail to miss the first port of call, or the next. “And so we’d have mail from the first week of deployment, and we might be due to come home.” Ships had a mailbox for posting, and sailors could buy stamps from the ship’s canteen. “Sailors didn’t waste precious run time ashore on writing letters home,” he says. “Letter writing was saved for the quiet middle watches on board.” Sailors could phone home once they were ashore.
With the advent of email, ships had an email account that families could write to. “It would be someone’s job to download the emails into the ship’s Local Area Network, and sailors could access them from a ship’s terminal.” For more urgent messaging, families could send a telegram to the ship, or communicate by high frequency radio. Today, a sailor within cellphone range of land can communicate instantly. All personnel have a NZDF email account and emailing while at sea is swift. But on the Anzac frigates or Protector-class ships such as HMNZS CANTERBURY, internet access is slow. In contrast, those serving on the Navy’s newest vessels HMNZS MANAWANUI or HMNZS AOTEAROA enjoy ‘welfare wifi’ 24/7, at a level equivalent to being at home. See more at the Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy (www.navymuseum.co.nz).
Clockwise from top left: A jackstay mailbag transfer between HMNZS TAUPO and USS ENDICOTT near Korea, early 1950s. The mailbag arrives (location unknown). A modern setting of an officer in HMNZS OTAGO at his desktop. LH Vavasour sorts mail from home.
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Commendation for physical training ambassador When the barriers are cultural, language and nautical, sometimes it’s best to jump right in. Chief Petty Officer Physical Training Instructor Marc Thomas found he had a tough road ahead in mentoring the Physical Training wing of the Afghanistan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) last year. As part of the Operation Rua 2 contingent between March and November, CPOPTI Thomas was “training the trainers”, instructing 15 Afghan PTIs who would go on to deliver a PTI curriculum to 900 officer cadets. He initially had to overcome a bias favouring Army PTIs when he applied for the role. “It’s great that the Navy get to go on a land-based deployment,” he says. “PTI training in New Zealand is tri-service. Anatomy and physiology doesn’t change because of the uniform.” But he knew he had to work hard to show that the Navy could thrive in a predominantly Army environment. His success overseas has earned him an NZDF commendation from Commander Joint Forces, Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour. “An absolutely superb operational tour”, says his citation, noting CPOPTI Thomas’ “confidence, competence and supreme level of physical conditioning”. But it wasn’t smooth sailing.
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PTIs are experts in anatomy, physiology, training principles, exercise prescription, and event management. None of that existed on the ground. There was no PTI trade structure, no PTI school and no formal courses. “The PTIs had been identified, but they didn’t have a lot of knowledge. So I had to put a PTI course together, and it had to be done through an interpreter. It took a while to gain their respect and prove credibility; this was especially hard being a westerner. I eventually got command approval to jump in with them when it came to runs and exercises.” Jumping in on PT is not usual, he says. “We would drive from Camp Qargha to the officer base in an armoured vehicle with four to six “guardian angels” (escorts), where security wasn’t tight. You’re jumping in with a whole lot of locals. I was required to wear body armour and carry an actioned weapon any time I went for a run out of the confinements of the gym or a certain distance from the safe room. But I knew, if I wanted these guys to listen to me and trust me, I had to embed myself with them. From doing this I gained respect and credibility quickly, which enhanced the mentoring relationship.” CPOPTI Thomas encouraged the integration of female officer candidates into the core PT programme. “Before the NZDF mentors came, the women did no PT. It was a really tricky one, with a lot of cultural barriers, and you can’t disregard that. Command would ask, where are the women? They would push for it, so we had to convince people that females are physically capable, using examples from our own Defence Force. It became more accepted, but it was a very touchy and tricky subject.”
Outside of his work at the ANAOA, he ran the camp gym at Camp Qargha, organising numerous fitness competitions, and running charity events. “There were multiple events ran by every nation ranging from volleyball tournaments, half marathons, military skills, shooting competitions and powerlifting competitions to name a few. It was a great competitive atmosphere with all the big nations going head-to-head”. On his way home at Al Minhad Air Base, he ran nutrition and physical training seminars for NZDF and international personnel. He says the deployment was amazing. “This is something I’ve never done before, it’s definitely the highlight of my military career so far. I’m extremely grateful for being given the opportunity and for the experiences I had, I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
CPOPTI Marc Thomas gets hands-on during physical training instruction with Afghan PTIs. CPOPTI Marc Thomas receives an NZDF Commendation from Commander Joint Forces, RADM Jim Gilmour.
Honoured above and below the waves The late Honorary Captain Andrew Leachman RNZN, one of New Zealand’s most experienced Antarctic navigators, has had an Antarctic undersea feature named after him.
CAPT Leachman, who died in 2017, was first attached to the Royal New Zealand Navy as an ice navigation consultant in 2011. He coached and mentored ship’s companies travelling to the Southern Ocean, lately in Offshore Patrol Vessels OTAGO and WELLINGTON. His work fostered the Operation Castle maritime patrol capability, ensuring fishing vessels complied with the regulations of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). “Leachman Ridge” is among 43 place names for undersea features notified by the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB), under Land Information New Zealand. Board secretary Wendy Shaw says the name was recommended to the NZGB by its Undersea Feature Names Committee, in consultation with key agencies such as RNZN, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Science (NIWA) and GNS Science, and subsequently made official. “Andrew Leachman’s
service in the Southern Ocean fulfilled one of the specifications for naming undersea features which is ‘to honour the memory of people involved in ocean sciences, exploration or marine protection.’” CAPT Leachman was made an Honorary Captain in a ceremony in Nelson in 2017. In 2018 he was posthumously awarded The New Zealand Antarctic Medal. The NZGB encourages New Zealanders who have discovered or written about an unnamed undersea feature to make a naming proposal. More information can be found at www.linz.govt.nz.
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Working in Wellington Entering the “public service” environment of Wellington can take some getting used to – but there’s plenty to gain from a posting with Naval Staff in HMNZS WAKEFIELD. Navy Today talks to two team members at Defence House. Able Electronic Technician Renee Baldwin
She relaxed into the role, and today really enjoys the Wellington scene. “I’ve always loved Wellington for its diversity. You can wear a rainbow tutu with blue socks, and nobody blinks.”
A posting in Wellington came at the ideal time for AET Renee Baldwin and her family. Their time in Defence housing was coming to an end, and Auckland rentals were tough.
She loves the work she does at Defence House. “I like the fact I’m given quite a bit of responsibility for my rank. I go to meetings, I’m asked for my opinion. I feel valued and part of the team. You get to wear civilian clothing on occasion, and that’s when you feel you are really on the same level as everyone. On Fridays everyone’s in civilian clothing and you don’t know who’s an officer and who isn’t. It’s just having that little bit of freedom.”
While her husband works out of Trentham, AET Baldwin enjoys the ease of Wellington’s public transport and a short walk to Defence House. Since May 2019 she’s been the business support coordinator for the Maritime Regulator. She books travel, tackles finance tasks with the business manager, updates manuals and procedures and attends a lot of meetings. “There’s a lot of officers,” she says, “and I thought it was going to be very regimental. It’s triservice, so you have to learn the army and air force ranks. Being a junior rate, it was a bit scary. I wondered if I was going to be out of place. But it’s the complete opposite. It’s a very intense environment, but my manager, a civilian, helped me bridge the gap and made me feel welcome and supported from the start.”
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She is impressed that many people are double-hatting roles. “You don’t really have that at HMNZS PHILOMEL, where people have one position. I sometimes wonder how people keep up with it all.” At Defence House, she gets to see the bigger picture about what the Navy wants to do. “Devonport is more the doing end of things. It’s a different Navy in Wellington. This is planning. Strategic learning. A lot of junior rates would probably appreciate knowing the ‘big picture’, the reasons why the Navy came to that decision.” She will continue in the role into next year. “It’s a really cool environment here. It’s enhanced my career, and my view of what my career can hold next.”
WORKING IN WELLINGTON
Midshipman Dion Houston For a junior officer, recently graduated, the wealth of senior ranks in Wellington is confronting at first. “It’s the sheer amount of gold, crowns, and blue bars on the shoulders,” he says. “It takes some time to get used to. But once I got settled in, it really isn’t as scary as I thought.” MID Houston is “additional to organisation”, meaning a posting of two months while he waits for his flying training to commence at Ohakea. He’s tackled a variety of tasks involving fleet planning, infographics, presentations and helping with planning for the upcoming Navy Roadshow and Naval Leadership Board. Like any young officer in Auckland, his focus had been Devonport and the ships there. “I knew that Defence House and Joint Force Headquarters were places in Wellington, and I had some surface knowledge, but I never really understood what they did or how it worked.” He says the biggest gain is learning about the workings of the Navy. “I get a larger view on who the key people are, what they do, why they do things, and how it all fits together to create outputs. Being able to see how Joint Forces, the Maritime Component Commander and Captain Fleet Operational Readiness interact with the Chief and Deputy Chief of Navy and Naval Staff here is very useful in understanding how and why decisions are made. I’ve really come appreciate the factors that go into getting ships to sea.” He’s had plenty of opportunities to ask questions. “I’ve been able to sit on meetings and boards on a variety of topics,” he says. “It’s been very valuable and a great way to hear opinions and gain insights into what goes on behind the scenes.” Wellington, he says, is a nice change of pace from Auckland – once you get used to the weather. “It’s very easy to go for a wander through the city to find a place to eat as the city is super-compact.” His time was short, but fruitful. “I would definitely recommend it. It’s an awesome opportunity and a good learning platform that should be made the most of.”
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Getting critical on safety It’s taken a team of engineers nearly two years to catalogue almost 22,000 items of “critical safety” within the Royal New Zealand Navy. Now a collaborative partnership between Babcock and the Navy is charged with devising the methodology for auditing and maintenance – and putting a tag on every single one.
From left, Haneen Alqam, Alan May, Hamish Currie, Peter Casey, Richard Griffin, Mark Lithgow, Wesley SadlerSmith, Romney Koraua.
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The story starts with the definition of a “Critical Safety Item” (CSI). A CSI is any rotable, repairable or consumable ship part, assembly or equipment item containing a critical characteristic where the failure, malfunction, or absence of which could cause a critical failure resulting in loss or serious damage to the ship, loss of life or serious injury to personnel, or serious damage to the marine environment. The project dates back to 2015, with the imminent introduction of a new Health and Safety at Work Act. The Navy decided they would proactively identify items that met this definition of a CSI. A project team conducted a “Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)” of all Navy equipment. As of today, the team has identified 22,816 items, each with specified mode, cause and effect. For example, a failure mode could be a hose bursting at
CRITICAL SAFETY WITH BABCOCK
The Critical Safety Item Management Team (CSIMT) is part of the Maritime Engineering Support Team (MEST) – a strategic partnership between Defence Logistics Command (Maritime) and Babcock New Zealand.
Top: Romney Koraua works a fitting a tag to the line. Bottom: Haneen Alqam and Romney Koraua work on a hose line in HMNZS WELLINGTON. Right: A CSI tag with a QR code.
its connection; a failure cause (hose incorrectly assembled and not pressure tested) and a failure effect (fire in the engine room). There were other items (in fact, 1,656 of them) that also require regular maintenance but would not cause harm if they failed. These are now classed as “Continuously Certified Items” (CCI). It is entirely possible for a CSI to be uncontrolled by regulations. A good example is a fuel hose. Obviously, failure of a fuel hose could be disastrous, but there are no regulations that state what maintenance and upkeep a fuel hose requires. Conversely, CCIs are governed by regulatory maintenance rules, even though they don’t cause the same level of harm if they fail. In 2018 a new team was formed – the Critical Safety Item Management Team (CSIMT). Four Configuration Engineers, two Graduate Engineers
and a Configuration Data Engineer were tasked with managing existing and new CSIs and CCIs through cataloguing, tagging, auditing and developing a centre of expertise. Effectively, the life cycle of a CSI and CCI could now be mapped. The team could be assured that the standards required from the manufacturer were consistent. The chain of Objective Quality Evidence (OQE) was unbroken and traceable, showing the item conforming to requirements from manufacture to end of life and disposal. The work has to be methodical, and prioritised, rather than a “big bang” sweep of thousands of items. There are 90 different CSI categories, and lifejackets – for example as one CSI category – contains 2,600 CSIs. Chlorine pumps, on the other hand, have eight. Priorities were based on the risk categories and risk assessments.
So far, the CSIMT have completed 26 CSI investigations, covering 8,000 CSIs including fuel hoses, Inshore Patrol Vessel radar, life rafts, air cylinders and relief valves. The remaining 27 CSI investigations will be completed in the first half of 2021, with CCI investigations to follow. An example of shifting priorities includes integrating 13 completed CSI investigations for the new Dive Hydrographic vessel, HMNZS MANAWANUI. With MANAWANUI departing for Exercise RIMPAC in July, this process identified outlying risks and faults on board the new platform, with 10 actions raised and closed to date. The CSIMT’s work continues to contribute to the continuous safety improvement journey within the Navy. If you have any question or need any advice on CSI/CCI please email CSIMT@NZDF.mil.nz
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Mystery in concrete answered
“ I might have the answer to an article regarding “stones in concrete” on page 35 of Navy Today, July issue.” Every year a class of RNZN Engineering Artificer Apprentices would go to Scotland as part of their training. I was class 37, we went in 1974. Every class went on expeds to Rannoch. Class 36 (RNZN 36) joined the RNZN in January 1970 and went to Scotland in April 1973 for eight months’ training and would have consisted of Les Thomas, Pete Shirley, Rod Holden and Bryan Mackle and would have been in Rannoch then with RN class 711. The RNZN classes always joined a RN class that had joined a year later than they had.
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The 711 is the RN class they would have been with. It stands for year of intake which was 1971, and the 1 stands for the first intake of that year. The 703 would have been the intake before that, 1970 intake 3 (third for that year). Quite often the RN would join two classes together for expeds and that would be why there are two RN classes together there. Also some of Class 703 could have been back-classed as was quite common then. Hopefully this clarifies the mystery. Thanks for the mag, always a good read. Richard Shore Ex WOMEA. A20102
TE KIWI MĀIA
Te Kiwi Māia Close to the heart Te Kiwi Māia, a Defence Forceendorsed charity, gathered some creative talent over lockdown to create their saleable charity T-shirt. Able Musician Rebecca Nelson, who founded the charity, unveiled the new design created by Corporal Renee Thyne, RNZAF. Te Kiwi Maia – the courageous kiwi – provides support and respite for first responders and New Zealand Defence Force personnel, both current and former, who have physical or psychological injuries as a result of their service to Aotearoa and our communities. Te Kiwi Māia’s aim is to establish a homestead and working farm designed and equipped to foster physical, psychological and emotional rehabilitation and recovery; somewhere for those who have committed to New Zealand, and who have been injured through their work, to recuperate and refresh. CPL Thyne, a former children’s book illustrator and graphic designer before her Air Force career, says her design – images of headgear in a heart arrangement – represents the heads of our responders, while the heart represents both the health of those personnel and support of the person wearing the shirt. “I was only too happy to provide my skills to generate awareness and support for Te Kiwi Māia,” she says.
All profits from the T-shirt sale goes back to Te Kiwi Māia. See www.tekiwimaia.co.nz for more information and sales.
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