The back door of a C-130
The following editorial comment appeared in a recent issue of the respected Pacific Wings magazine. The words are reproduced here with the permission of editor Rob Neil. The sentiments expressed in this article are testament to the hard work, dedication and professionalism of the men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force.
Two recent events, Jumpstart and the RNZAF’s Open Day at Whenuapai — both covered in this issue of Pacific Wings — have prompted me to put pen to paper about the quality of New Zealand’s military.
Considering the miniscule size of New Zealand — both geographically and in regard to the size of its population — the country’s defence forces are second to none in terms of quality of service to their nation.
Its armed services might not have the newest and shiniest toys, but I am convinced that New Zealand has the very best personnel and service ethos anywhere. Underpaid and overworked they might be, compared to those in many other countries, but New Zealand’s service personnel continue to display the kind of dedication and commitment that have made ANZACs the stuff of legend around the world.
The men and women who join our services might initially do so for many reasons, but the training and ethos inherent in our military system inevitably endows them with a lasting sense of patriotism and pride that is sadly lacking elsewhere in society. Values like courtesy, consideration, decency, respect for others, comradeship, hard work and honesty are central to the military way of life.
When the military provides a public service, it does not do so out of self-interest or for profit — it does so because it is the military’s raison d’être. Far too many people criticise military activity as expensive “games” for big boys and girls. In our safe and protected little haven in the Pacific, Kiwis forget that there is a real world beyond our Utopian shores and that it can be a very nasty place. They also forget that while some of our soldiers, sailors and airmen are “practising” their “games” at home, others of their comrades are using their skills in life-and-death situations in genuine hotspots around the world — most commonly, these days, as highly respected peacekeepers rather than war makers.
New Zealand’s service personnel are universally respected for their tolerance and decency in peacekeeping roles as much as for their historically recognised abilities as fighting forces.
The modern military in New Zealand does infinitely more building than destroying and, as a politically neutral arm of whichever government is in power, provides a global ‘ambassadorial’ service without equal.
The next time the newspapers joke about a C-130 breaking down at an airshow or criticise a lack of airlift capability while our limited ‘fleet’ of 757s undergo vital conversion and upgrade work, stop and think of New Zealand’s military personnel deliberately putting themselves ‘in harm’s way’ every day, without fanfare — frequently without any recognition — in filthy war zones like Afghanistan.
Remember, too, the countless yachties, fishermen and seamen whose lives have been saved by RNZAF Orion crews patrolling the endless oceans, the thousands of citizens of Pacific and other nations whose lives have been saved by aid delivered by RNZAF C-130s or Royal New Zealand Navy ships after natural disasters, and the countless civilians whose homes and welfare have been protected by New Zealand soldiers on the ground in dismal conditions in forsaken countries around the world.
To all of the men and women in New Zealand’s armed Services, for whom words like “country, nation, flag and pride” actually mean something, thank you very much. Keep up the fantastic work — it is appreciated.