NZ SAS to stay in Afghanistan for another year

[RoyalGreenJacket]

The New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has confirmed that the New Zealand SAS deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, will be extended for another year from April.

Mr Key said:

"The SAS are extremely well respected for what they do, so obviously our traditional allies on the ground in Afghanistan, the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada, and others, obviously would love to see the New Zealand SAS there because they do a great job and they make a real difference."

The New Zealand SAS will focus primarily on partnering with the Afghan Crisis Response Unit and ensuring the work they have been carrying out to bring that unit to a high operational standard is completed. This is the main reason for the extension of the deployment."


NZ SAS soldiers in Afghanistan

read more here: www.newstalkzb.co.nz/sas_extend_afghanistan

the British Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox welcomed this decision and said:

"This is a great example to many of the sleeping giants who have greater capability and greater budgets who should be showing the level of commitment that is being shown by New Zealand."

i agree - there are many other nations (not just the sleeping giants) SF troops who could get stuck in.

[turbocalves]

Your man on the right is in the hang over

[Craghopper]

He is actually a highly decorated SAS Cpl.. That photo showed him back in A-Stan after receiving a Victoria Cross.

In total disregard of his own safety, Lance Corporal Apiata stood up and lifted his comrade bodily. He then carried him across the seventy metres of broken, rocky and fire swept ground, fully exposed in the glare of battle to heavy enemy fire and into the face of returning fire from the main Troop position. That neither he nor his colleague were hit is scarcely possible. Having delivered his wounded companion to relative shelter with the remainder of the patrol, Lance Corporal Apiata re-armed himself and rejoined the fight in counter-attack.

[rod and serpent]

He is actually a highly decorated SAS Cpl.. That photo showed him back in A-Stan after receiving a Victoria Cross.

I knew I recognised his face, by all accounts a very brave soldier and a VC winner too.

[rod and serpent]

Cpl Apiata VC

[faughanballagh]

Your man on the right is in the hang over

Beat me to it.

[collins]

yeah but hes still in the hangover

[ARNGScout]

yeah but hes still in the hangover

He obviously brought his wolfpack to Afghnistan.

Got to work with them on my tour when we did a joint OP. Very professional, got none of the "we're SF, your part-timers" nonsense from them. Great bunch.

[timhorgan]

He obviously brought his wolfpack to Afghnistan.

Got to work with them on my tour when we did a joint OP. Very professional, got none of the "we're SF, your part-timers" nonsense from them. Great bunch.

Agreed ARNG,
David Maloney, who was interviewed here on NZ Radio served with the NZ SAS in Vietnam and eventually commanded NZ SAS and was also CO of the NZ Army contingent monitoring the ceasefire in Rhodesia- he was an incredible leader and one of the most down to earth guys you could meet.




http://www.radiolive.co.nz/LUSH--Dav...4/Default.aspx

[faughanballagh]

Cpl Apiata VC

Not to be negative now, but anyone else struck by the fact that he's only a corporal (he's apparently been in since 1989...maybe the fact that the majority of that service was in the Territorial Force makes a difference)?

[rod and serpent]

Not to be negative now, but anyone else struck by the fact that he's only a corporal (he's apparently been in since 1989...maybe the fact that the majority of that service was in the Territorial Force makes a difference)?

Promotion must be slow.

[timhorgan]

Not to be negative now, but anyone else struck by the fact that he's only a corporal (he's apparently been in since 1989...maybe the fact that the majority of that service was in the Territorial Force makes a difference)?

Nice bit of background here- he might have even learned a bit from working alonside the ARW

http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/4220

[Truck Driver]

Your man on the right is in the hang over

THAT was exactly my reaction when I saw this picture for the first time !

He obviously brought his wolfpack to Afghnistan.

Got to work with them on my tour when we did a joint OP. Very professional, got none of the "we're SF, your part-timers" nonsense from them. Great bunch.

Yep, I' ve met a lad from ARW on a Defence Forces course in the past, and it was the
exact same in terms of attitude, fair play...

[Truck Driver]

Funnily enough the other guy with the helmet made me think of
this lad ....

[turbocalves]

Not to be negative now, but anyone else struck by the fact that he's only a corporal (he's apparently been in since 1989...maybe the fact that the majority of that service was in the Territorial Force makes a difference)?

Could it be that the NZDF is small and that the NZSAS being a fairly smaller portion of said organisation which one would presume has not got huge turn over, would slow down the rate of promotion.

Or maybe hes happy being a Cpl, outside the US its not a bad rank to have in that one has direct contact with the troops at the cutting edge of things, whereas in the US (I believe the marines are slightly different) its seems to be a side step rather than a promotion. (though I may be wrong on this).