HMNZS Te Mana's POEWS Gatley is welcomed home by his son Jordan.
10 May 2008
International Day of Families is a wonderful opportunity to publicly recognise and thank all of the families of New Zealand's Defence Force personnel.
Around 13,500 people make up the New Zealand Defence Force, and it should not be forgotten that behind each of these service and civilian personnel is a family – these are the wives and husbands, their children, as well as parents and grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, and beyond.
All of New Zealand should be aware of the personal sacrifices these families make so that our Defence Force is able to succeed, at home and around the globe.
A career in our Navy, Army or Air Force brings with it a particular set of challenges. Training and postings throughout a career can see families asked to move several times. Consequently, families must leave behind networks of friends and support they have made in one place, and forge new friendships and key contacts like doctors, teachers and the like in a new town or city.
Of course, when our service personnel are deployed on active operations overseas, this provides its own set of stresses.
The New Zealand Defence Force recognises that our continued effectiveness is reliant on the families of our people.
I publicly thank these New Zealand families for their support, patience, understanding and commitment.
Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae
Chief of the Defence Force
Background:
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 15 May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families.