Malaya medals
The Queen's approval has been sought for eligible New Zealanders who served in Malaya / Malaysia, to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) medal.
The Malaysian government wishes to award the medal to those who served in Malaya / Malaysia, for a defined period of days, between 31 August 1957 and 31 December 1966. This also includes service in Singapore up to 9 August 1965.
A submission is being made to the Queen seeking her approval for those who meet the eligibility criteria to accept and wear without restriction the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal (the PJM).
Viet Nam working group
Former State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham has been appointed to chair a working group established earlier this year to consider issues relating to military service in Viet Nam raised by the Viet Nam veterans and the RSA.
Mr Wintringham is to be the independent chair of the working group, which also involves government officials, the Royal New Zealand RSA, and the Ex-Viet Nam Servicemens Association.
Viet Nam veterans will be consulted by the group, to hear issues, and suggestions for the resolution of them, and to ensure they are receiving the appropriate pension, health care and medal entitlements.
War medals to executed soldiers The presentation of war medals, certificates and medallions to the families of the five soldiers who were executed during the First World War for mutiny and desertion and pardoned by Parliament in 2000 has been approved by the government.
The Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War Act 2000 pardoned the five soldiers of the New Zealand Division, First New Zealand Expeditionary Force, who were executed during the First World War for either mutiny or desertion. The Act started as a Private Members Bill introduced by Mark Peck and was adopted by government.
The purpose of the Act was ‘to remove so far as practicable, the dishonour that the execution brought to those soldiers and their families’.
In addition, as part of the Act, the government was required to take steps to restore the memory of the soldiers.
Research has shown that the five soldiers would have been eligible for medals, certificates and medallions. It is planned to present the awards to the next of kin at ceremonies in Wellington and Canberra later this year. Four of the soldiers were executed and buried in France and one in Belgium.
Tropic Astra
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is conducting its tropical training exercise from 23 July to 14 August in Fiji – Exercise Tropic Astra.
Four Air Force Iroquois helicopters and about one hundred personnel will be taking part in the exercise.
The exercise provides the Air Force an excellent opportunity to assist with civil aid projects while undergoing training in a tropical environment.
The Air Force will be working with Fijian authorities and New Zealand Aid on civil aid projects in a number of locations.
During the last Tropic Astra exercise held in Fiji, civil aid assistance provided by the Air Force included building a maternity and childcare clinic, building a school toilet block and erecting power pylons. After six months in the planning, the Air Force personnel and equipment started arriving in Fiji on 23 July. The training exercise began on 27 July.