New Zealand Defence Force

[Rhodes]

The New Zealand army has recently reorganised its units into one brigade.

Army Plan Takes Shape

On Tuesday 13 December, the 2nd Land Force Group, based in Linton Camp, and the 3rd Land Force Group, based in Burnham, amalgamated to form 1 (NZ) Brigade. The establishment of 1 (NZ) Brigade is one of the most visible aspects of the changes being made over the next 2 years based on Chief of Army Major General Tim Keating’s plan to Operationalise the Army.
The first phase of this plan, known as Army 2015, sees major changes to Army’s current structures, locations and method of operations to allow for its future growth and improve combat effectiveness.

In addition to the changes in Linton, a new Headquarters Deployable Joint Task Force (Land) is being established at Burnham Camp. Command of the Territorial Forces transfers to the newly established Headquarters TRADOC (Training & Doctrine Command) previously the Headquarters Land Training Doctrine Group, based in Waiouru.

"These new organisations are not a destination. Instead, they form a starting point for how Army will operate in future years to support its objectives and the priorities of the Government of the day," says Major General Keating.

"These changes fall directly from the future force structure proposals presented in Defence White Paper 2010.. Part of that White Paper identified a need for Army to develop a more deployable headquarters & task force. These changes help us to achieve this, allowing us to continue to meet our objectives and obligations at home , within the broader Pacific region, and further afield with our allies and partners," says Maj Gen Keating.

The transition to 1 (NZ) Brigade was marked by a parade of 800 soldiers and officers from 2nd Land Force Group. In addition to the Linton based units, the parade also included representatives from 2/1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles, 3 Logistics Battalion, 1 (NZ) Military Intelligence Coy, and 1 (NZ) Military Police that now form part of the Brigade.

http://www.army.mil.nz/at-a-glance/n...5c25093%7D.htm

[faughanballagh]

Makes sense.

[RoyalGreenJacket]

the NZ Army have been actively recruiting ex British Forces in the UK recently - my mate went to one of their sessions today and they are offering a very decent package with full relocation and good pension benefits for lads who leave the UK to join them:

http://www.defencecareers.mil.nz/how...g-presentation

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE RECRUITING PRESENTATION
The New Zealand Defence Force is currently looking for people from the UK with full-time military experience to fill a number of critical roles. We have a wide range of vacancies, at a variety of rank levels, and are keen to hear from anyone who may fit the bill. We have a recruiting team visiting the UK late March early April.

WHY NEW ZEALAND?

The array of exciting activities and spectacular scenery in New Zealand is unmatched anywhere in the world. Experience the unique culture, the warm and hospitable people, and innovative adventure activities that take place amid dramatic and diverse landscapes. For those that seek pure adrenaline bungy jumping, quad biking, paraponting and jet boating are just a few of the activities lined up for the more adventurous person. It is also about pure relaxation. New Zealand is an ideal place where you can feel free to indulge, with a weekend away at a luxury lodge or spa resort offering the ultimate in pampering. If you want to explore the creative and cultural riches of New Zealand, there are many opportunities in every region.

To be eligible for overseas enlistment you must have previous or current military service from one of the following countries:

United Kingdom

United States of America

Canada

Australia

If you are an overseas applicant, to be eligible to apply, you must have been a citizen of one of the countries listed above for a minimum of 10 years.

Note: Personnel “below” the rank of Corporal (equivalent) will not be selected for recruitment from overseas. These ranks target ex-NZDF personnel looking to re-enlist within the NZDF.



NEW ZEALAND ARMY

Currently the New Zealand Army is targeting the following trades and rank levels for overseas enlistment:

Ammunition Technician

Armourer

Crewman

Driver Army Logistics Regiment

Electrical Fitter

Electronics Technician

Electronic Warfare Operator

Fire Fighter

Gunner

Information Systems Operator

Intelligence Operator

Maintenance Fitter

Medic

Movement Operator

Military Police

Physical Trainer

Plant Operator

Rifleman

Systems Engineer

SAS Trooper

Supply Technician

Vehicle Mechanic

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND NAVY

Currently the RNZN is targeting the following trades and rank levels for overseas enlistment:


OPERATION BRANCH:
Pilot Observer

Pilot

Seaman Officer Principal Warfare Officer - Lieutenant

Seaman Officer Hydrographer - Lieutenant

Leading Communications Operator

Leading Combat Seaman Specialist

Operational Divers

Hydrographic Survey Technicians


TECHNICAL BRANCH:
Marine Engineering Officer Charge qualified

Weapons Engineering Officer - Lieutenant

Petty Officer Marine Technician (Electrical): UK equivalent is POET(ME)ART and they must have PQE and EOOW 2

Warrant Officer Marine Technician ART with control room tickets/Charge.



ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE

The RNZAF is currently targeting the following trades and rank levels for overseas enlistment:

Pilot - Qualified Flying Instructors FLTLT and SQNLDR

Helicopter Crewmen (HCM) - CPL to F/S

Air Warfare Specialists - SGT to F/S - Link 16 expertise

Senior Intelligence Specialists (Sintels) LAC - F/S

Armourers - Cpl

Avionics - LAC - SGT

Engineer Officers Flt Lt (Software expertise preferred)

Physical Training Instructors (Force Protection) CPL - F/S

Operations NCOs (Base Operations) - F/S

Mission Briefing Officers SGT - F/S

http://www.defencecareers.mil.nz/how...eas-applicants

plenty of opportunities for lads like myself leaving the British Army.

Jungle - you're eligible too - fancy it?!

[Jungle]

Jungle - you're eligible too - fancy it?!

I'm getting offers here too; today I was offered a job as a Ground Liaison Officer / Force Protection Officer with an Air Expeditionary Wing...

I wouldn't mind a few years in NZ; I'll write them just in case...

[RoyalGreenJacket]

I'm getting offers here too; today I was offered a job as a Ground Liaison Officer / Force Protection Officer with an Air Expeditionary Wing...

I wouldn't mind a few years in NZ; I'll write them just in case...

let us know how you get on.

they are happy to conduct initial interviews over Skype.

[Craghopper]

let us know how you get on.

they are happy to conduct initial interviews over Skype.

Are you interested? Will Mrs Greenjacket + Kids mind moving around the world?

[RoyalGreenJacket]

Are you interested? Will Mrs Greenjacket + Kids mind moving around the world?

realistically Crag - no, while it is very tempting - i'm trying to settle the family now as my boys have lived in 5 different countries since they were born and only spent 3 years of their lives in England.

yes it would be great - if i was single i'd give it a whirl.

[Craghopper]

realistically Crag - no, while it is very tempting - i'm trying to settle the family now as my boys have lived in 5 different countries since they were born and only spent 3 years of their lives in England.

yes it would be great - if i was single i'd give it a whirl.

I'd do it but wifey wouldn't leave mammy

I'm sure if you canvass them they might let a paddy(Irish DF I'm referring to) join the ranks since all weapons training is the same..

[RoyalGreenJacket]

I'd do it but wifey wouldn't leave mammy

I'm sure if you canvass them they might let a paddy(Irish DF I'm referring to) join the ranks since all weapons training is the same..

i agree mate - unless they are really strict and have done a deal with the other nations governments then i'd say DFI lads are in with a chance.

[Jungle]

let us know how you get on.

they are happy to conduct initial interviews over Skype.

I stopped the process; I received posting instructions to the job in the EXP Wing. Following that, I have an opportunity for a posting in the US, so I'll go for that.

[ropebag]

...yes it would be great - if i was single i'd give it a whirl.

we're thinking about it - yes its an upheaval for the kids, but i'll be leaving in 3 years so its likely that there'll be upheaval anyway - and the things i'd like to/can do in Civ Div all mean i'd be away even more than i am at the moment. its something to think about - i can't imagine that you'll be leaving the cake and tending the garden till you drop dead, you're going to have a second career, and its worth thinking about how much upheaval there'll be while you're in that career.

we're looking at it as one last move and then staying put - it's a really good place to bring up kids, its gives them the opportunity to live/work in NZ or Australia when they finish school, or they can come back to the EU if they wish.

[Te Kaha]

I thought a more detailed rundown of the recent changes to the NZ Army structure as part of Army 2015 might be of interest.

A new Command has been formed called TRADOC (Training and Doctrine) which will be centred next year at new Campus near Massey University (close to Linton Army Camp (which will now stay open as the new HQ for 1 Brigade rather than being closed as initially mooted after the DWP/10), and 90 minutes from Waiouru Training Camp and just 30 minutes from Ohakea AFB. TRADOC has taken on the command of the Army’s six Reserve Infantry Battalions which this year are to be restructured into three Reserve Infantry Battalions with an envisaged four companies based on 3 platoons. These will be geographically centred. Northern combining the remaining infantry elements of 3 and 6 Batt, Central 5 and 7, and Southern 2 and 4 Batt after the other attached reserve units have be integrated into 1 BDE or in the case of Medical services under the new NZDF Joint Services Medical Structure. HQ TRADOC Command will also comprise of a Land Operations Training Centre, Tactical School, School of Military Intelligence and Security, Logistics Operations School, School of Military Engineering, School of Artillery, School of Signals, Combat School - with Mounted and Dismounted Operations Wing, Army Command School, Officer Cadet School, NCO and WO Development Wing, 5 Army Depot, NZ Army Recruitment Company, and the NZ Army Trade Training School.

The Army Reserve will be split into 2 strands. An ‘Active Component’ which will be a high readiness reserve that will not go below a strength of 1200 Army reservists, who will train for an average of 24 days a year. In addition, there will be a ‘Standby Reserve’ component of personnel who have specialist and other skills, for example medic, commsigs, arty, engineering and logistics, but who do not require the same level of annual military training, will be retained and only required to do an annual refresher block course, ensuring overall numbers of Army Reserves are similar current levels. These people will train at TRADOC but will be attached to their operational units under 1 BDE.
The newly formed 1 (NZ) Brigade will number around 3300 personnel of which 500 will be Reservists and a further 300 recently civilianised contractors doing the back office jobs. The BDE will be based at Linton Army Camp with some elements also at Burnham.

As reported earlier in the thread 1 (NZ) Brigade has been formed (following the spinning off of the Army Reserve infantry elements into TRADOC along with the former Land Training Group) with the consolidation of 2 Land Force Group and 3 Land Force Group into a revised brigade structure. The new BDE has the following ORBAT. HQ 1 New Zealand Brigade (1 (NZ) BDE), 1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1RNZIR), 2/1 Royal New Zealand Infatry Regiment (2/1 RNZIR), Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles (QAMR - A Sqd, B Sqd), Waikato Mounted Rifles (RNZAC), 16 Field Regiment (16 FD REGT - 161, 163, 11/4 Batt), 2 Engineer Regiment (RNZE), 1 New Zealand Signals Regiment (RNZSC), 2 Combat Service Support Battalion (RNZLC), 2 Health Support Battalion New Zealand (RNZMC), 3 Combat Support Services Battalion (RNZLC), 1 Military Intelligence Company (RNZIC), 1 Military Police (RNZMPC). The new brigade will start to focus more on amphibious op's than it has done in the past and from this structure will eventually come a Ready Reaction Force of Company Group size that will complement a similar initiative being undertaken by the ADF thus creating an ANZAC crisis response capability.

An example of the changes at a unit level can be examined with respect to the Gunners at 16 Fd Regt are being restructured into 3 new Hybrid Btys - two Regular force (161 and 163 Btys ) and one made up of Army Reservists (11/4 Bty). The new Btys will have a unique structure in that AD (Mistral), mortars (88mm) and guns (Hamel 105mm) are integrated into the same sub unit. The depleted 39 Mortar Bty and 43 Air Defence Battery's as well the depleted former Reserve 32 (Obsevation) Battery were merged into the 3 refocused Batteries last December. It was also vital that a 3rd manuver group be established with the redevelopment of Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles from a Squadron into a Regiment, which includes the former Army Reserve motorised squadron, Waikato Mounted Rifles.

The third major component of Army 2015 is the establishment of HQ Deployable Joint Task Force (Land) (HQ DJTF(L)) at Burnham Military Camp which provides the basis of the Land contribution to a Deployable Joint Inter Agency Task Force HQ as a dedicated rapidly deployable Command and Control (C2) element that will be able to deliver C2 to support contingencies in the land environment both domestically and off shore, with a focus on the South West Pacific.

The rationale for the restructured NZ Army is that a Combined Arms Task Force Group of Battalion Group size will have the capacity to be able to be rotate whilst undertaking UN Chapter VII deployments as well as have the concurrent capacity to deploy a Light Task Force Group of Company Group size that would be able to accommodate a Chapter VI contingency in the South Pacific. For example if another INTERFET operation was underway and a RAMSI type scenario or Samoan Tsunami situation eveloved during that time frame.

Finally, though not obviously reported, is that since December the NZSAS has developed into a Regiment from being a Group. It now includes a fully established 1 (NZ) Commando Squadron, 1 EOD Squadron and CBRE as well as the original sabre squadrons.

On the downside there is plenty of upheaval as these changes go through - but frankly the old model was not working and a far better Army will result.

Cheers Te Kaha.

[Te Kaha]

Fair bit of happenings going on down here of late.

NZDF is looking to get 11 new maritime helicopters from Kaman for a deal expected for around $200m. The aircraft are the re-manufactured Seasprites that the RAN bought in 2001 and tried to adapt and graft there own weapon systems, avionic upgrades and sensors leading to a billion dollar disaster. When the deal went belly up the airframes went back to Kaman who stripped out the Aussies "enhancements" and put in a OTS full digital cockpit effectively making the the SH-2G(I) an upgraded SH-2G(NZ) model. New Zealand has been flying 5 Seasprites since the 1990's. Firstly the old F model then the G since 2001. It is expected that up to 8 of the 11 Sprites will be IOC by 2015 and serve until 2025 when a new maritime helicopter is introduced shortly before the Anzac II later next decade. The excess Sprite will be considered attrition spares. With the completion of the this beal and the expected second tranch of three AW-109 LUH's, the NZDF will be capable of operating up to 24 new helicopters.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Sec...9731340361000/

Other NZDF news:

1) We are pretty much back inside the US camp with the signing of this bi-lateral defence agreement.

http://beehive.govt.nz/release/us-nz...ngement-signed

2) To celebrate we are off to RIMPAC for the first time since 1984.

http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/feature-...-nzdfotruf.htm

3) Though not officially announced yet, the RNZAF has begun delivery of 5 US leased KingAir B200's for Multi Engine Pilot Training replacing its 5 King Airs it has operated since 1998. Again this is seen as an interim measure as there is an expectation that purchased B350ER's or similar that would be capable of inshore fisheries and customs patrol as well as the MEPT role will be introduced. Funding for this project was deferred and the lease updated to buy time. Time indeed was of the essence in that all RNZAF aircraft except the MEPT platform and the aging basic trainer the CT/4E possess a full digital cockpit. Having old flight systems in trainers and then expecting young pilots converting to P-3K2's, C-130 and such was counter-productive and pointless. The newer leased B200's with FD cockpit and improved radar will enable the RNZAF to do limited inshore patrol freeing up the P-3K2's.

4) Finally, the PC-9M and the T-6B Texan II are in the final shootout to be the platform for the RNZAF advanced pilot training syllabus to effectively replace the Aermacchi. There is also speculation that a further tranche of PC-9's/T-6's may eventuate to replace the CT/4E and cover both the basic and advanced syllabus like Ireland does.

One last thing - lets hope Ireland finally gets the luck it deserves and puts one over the AB's tonight.

[Goldie fish]

NZ navy sailors flock to Oz mines

The Defence Force is losing hundreds of staff to Australian mining companies as low morale leads 40 per cent of personnel to consider a career change.

Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Rhys Jones revealed that the mining industry was recruiting in Devonport, home of Auckland's naval base.

Navy staff were being targeted because of their experience with heavy machinery, and departures to Australia were one of the reasons the Navy's attrition rate had climbed to 22.3 per cent.

Lt Gen Jones said Defence Force numbers often fluctuated, but departures had increased during tough economic times.

The force could not compete with mining salaries, which were often twice as large as those in the military.

The Air Force, Army, and Navy had lost 1000 people in the past two years, and a "high proportion" had gone into mining.

The Navy had cut back on exercises at sea because of low staff numbers, and was prioritising its patrols for busy periods, such as in fishing season.



Staff were also moving to the Australian Defence Force.

"We have agreements between all the militaries where you can't actively go an headhunt someone who's serving in here," said Lt Gen Jones.

"But of course all the militaries can advertise what their conditions of service are, and they can tell people, 'Hey if you want to leave the NZ Defence Force, come and talk to us'."

The Defence Force could still handle disaster relief, but it could struggle to sustain a large operation.

"Another East Timor, of 2000-2002, when we were putting 1000 people in operations, would strain us."

A survey of the Defence Force given to a parliamentary select committee yesterday showed morale had been falling since early 2009.

More than 40 per cent of staff intended to leave, up from 27 per cent in mid-2009.

The Defence Force was being restructured, including job cuts, to save $400 million by 2014/15.

Lt Gen Jones said the force was working hard to improve the quality of life for its staff.

"What we do try to focus on is still maintaining a very positive work environment where people feel valued."


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10816225

[Te Kaha]

Depending on ones speciality the Australian Defence Force are offering huge signing on bonuses for Kiwi's wanting to cross the ditch.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment...ectid=10812382

Compounding that issue is of course the mining boom particularly in Western Australia and inland Queensland in which ex NZ military are being targeted and thus flocking to. The reason - Salaries of AUD200K are not uncommon. Soldiers are seen by the mining industry as perfect for the tough and at times technical job - which involves working in hot humid conditions, a predominantly male culture and within very isolated company mining towns (the closest civvy life can take one to a large military compound). Many civvy's can not hack it - but ex military types can and do because ones take home pay even after the high cost of living is tripled and some BHP camp ain't too bad after a couple of tours into the Stan at 50K a year for your average ambitious 30 year old ex infantry NCO.

There is no way the NZDF can counter those issues particularly around the massive salary differences.

Morale is indeed trending lower due to 1) The contracting out of many on base support jobs and rationalisation (even though I agree with it) was not executed properly. 2) The IOC deferral of some major projects (particularly Navy and Air Force) which would have kept up professional interest enough to stay on, has given some pause for thought. 3) The glacial speed that some projects have taken has lead to further rank and file frustration 4) The flow on effects of poor policy and acquisition decisions taken last decade was the trigger point for many leaving and though the 2010 Defence White Paper and some recent long term pathways are promising such as the JATF structure and Army 2020 - that is not the here and now.