Royal New Zealand Navy patrol ships will continue protecting New Zealand’s coastal waters 365 days of the year, the Navy has confirmed.

The NZ Defence Force will be participating in the world’s largest international maritime exercise, Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2012), conducted near Hawaii from 29 June to 3 August.

NZ Defence Force personnel deployed to the Sinai have this week marked 30 years of continuous commitment to the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO).

Media are invited to attend the farewell on Saturday 12 May of the next rotation of NZ Defence Force personnel to depart for a six month deployment to Timor-Leste.

The latest graduates of the Limited Service Volunteer (LSV) programme will proudly march out in front of friends and family this Saturday at Burnham Military Camp.

Thousands of tourists who flocked to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard got a little taste of Kiwi, when the NZ Army Band performed the musical part of the ceremony on Saturday 5th May.

A military funeral with full ceremonial honours will take place at Devonport Naval Base on Friday 11 May 2012 for Able Electronic Warfare Specialist Ben Revell (27) who passed away from Motor Neurone Disease (MND) on Saturday 05 May 2011.

Saturday will see teenagers from CanTeen jumping out of Air Force planes over the skies of Auckland. The RNZAF is lending a ‘community hand’ to Jump Start, a charity event that gives teenagers from CanTeen and Project K (a youth development programme), the opportunity to complete a tandem skydive with civilian sport skydivers out of an Air Force C-130 Hercules. The event not only provides many positive benefits for the first time jumpers, but raises money for the charities.

Able Chef Henry Longstaff has been around the Navy most of his life. From St Martins in Christchurch, his father was the captain of the dive support ship HMNZS MANAWANUI.

01 May 2012 : The New Zealand Defence Force has begun its biggest joint exercise involving the New Zealand's Navy, Army and Air Force since the late 1990s.

The nearly 75 years of wartime and peacetime service of personnel based at Hobsonville Air Force Base is to be recognised through a new memorial. The Memorial will be unveiled by the Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshall Peter Stockwell, at Hobsonville Point this Saturday, 28 April 2012.

Swords will be drawn, bayonets fixed and ceremonial flags flown high through the streets of Auckland this Saturday when the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) parades through Auckland to celebrate their 75th Anniversary.

A man washed overboard, 600 nautical miles north-west of Singapore, has been successfully located last night by a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P3K Orion.

HMNZS RESOLUTION, the RNZN’s principal hydrographic survey vessel will decommission from service at a formal ceremony in the Devonport Naval Base on Friday 27 April 2012.

North Shore MP Maggie Barry will carry out the prestigious Reviewing Officer role at the Royal New Zealand Navy’s graduation parade of its newest sailors this week.

We should be proud of the heritage the New Zealand military has, from our first forming as a nation, to the First World War, the Second World War and beyond to this day. Anzac Day is about how we as a military force can feel proud about what our predecessors have done; about the role that New Zealand’s military has played in guaranteeing New Zealand’s place in the world, particularly the ethics and values and morals of our country and how we’ve stood up for those.

Three Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships are arriving at ports around New Zealand prior to Anzac Day, and members of their crews will march alongside New Zealand Defence Force personnel at commemorative services around the country.

New Zealand Defence Force personnel will join Kiwis around the world in places as diverse as Gallipoli, Washington, Penang, Riyadh; Afghanistan and Timor Leste to mark one of New Zealand’s most significant days; Anzac Day on Wednesday 25 April.

The New Zealand Defence Force is reporting an accident at the shooting range at Tekapo Military Training Area, in South Canterbury. The NZ Defence Force says a member of a visiting group from the 2nd Royal Ghurka Regiment here participating in Exercise Pacific Kukri appears to have discharged his weapon, injuring another Ghurka soldier in the foot.

Media are invited to attend the return on Tuesday 24 April of the nineteenth rotation of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT), who have completed a six month deployment to Afghanistan.

On Tuesday 24 April media are invited to join HMNZS RESOLUTION as she sails in to Auckland for the final time as a commissioned Royal New Zealand Navy ship. RESOLUTION will be returning to Devonport Naval Base from Gisborne in preparation for her ceremonial decommissioning on Friday 27 April. During her historic voyage into Auckland Harbour and the Naval Base, media are able to join the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Wray, on the ship as he conducts her final duty as an RNZN ship. As she sails in to the harbour RESOLUTION will also be flying her 14 metre decommissioning pennant flag from the mast head.

The New Zealand Defence Force is pleased that so many members of the public will join them wearing medals on Anzac Day and have provided some guidance about how medals can be worn with pride. The rules governing medal wearing in New Zealand known as the Order of Wear specifically allows family members to wear medals of the deceased on the right side for national days of memorial like Anzac Day and Remembrance Day (11 November) and other notable events.

Members of the New Zealand Defence Force will support a number of ceremonies held in Wellington to commemorate Anzac Day on Wednesday 25 April. The Chief of Defence Force (CDF), Lieutenant General Rhys Jones will attend the Dawn Service at the Cenotaph at 5.30am, along with Wellington based New Zealand Defence Force personnel.

As part of Anzac Day commemorations for 2012, the Royal New Zealand Air Force will engage in a series of flypasts around New Zealand, weather permitting.

Members of New Zealand Cadet Forces (NZCF) will be standing tall providing ceremonial support at ceremonies around the country this Anzac Day. NZ Cadet Forces is a voluntary, disciplined, uniformed youth leadership training organisation for both boys and girls aged 13 to 18. It comprises the Sea Cadet Corps, the New Zealand Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps, and uses a military framework to provide young people with opportunities to develop their confidence and leadership skills.

A vibrant Reserve Force's presence in Tauranga is not in jeopardy from proposed organisational changes, the New Zealand Defence Force has said today. Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, says the NZ Defence Force understands the importance of maintaining a Reserve Force presence at a local level.

It will be a truly Anzac affair when the NZ Army band perform with the Australian Army band at Gallipoli on Anzac Day. Army band member Lance Corporal Mike Chesnutt, is one of eight members of the NZ Army band that will represent New Zealand at the Anzac Day services at Gallipoli in Turkey. He will be playing the euphonium, a brass instrument like a tuba.

The spirit of the ANZACs was demonstrated recently when the New Zealand Defence Force contingent in Gallipoli made a visit to Shrapnel Valley Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Upper Hutt resident, Angeline Lambert, a civilian who is part of the Maori Cultural Group with the Defence contingent explains: “During a visit to my dentist a few weeks before going to Gallipoli, the Dental Nurse, Lisa, mentioned that her father’s brother was buried in Gallipoli. I offered to take something on behalf of their family to put on his grave. She was unsure where he was buried, however, it was easily found through the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site.”

Tenisha Cawte was working in a paint shop in Mount Maunganui when she was recruited into the Navy. The Ngatea (Waikato) local was studying for her Bachelor of Commerce degree and working part time when a Navy recruiting officer came in to buy paint for his

For two years in a row, TUSSOCKBUSTER has proved to be the biggest motorcycling event of its kind in New Zealand. OFFLIMITS is a registered charitable trust and its purpose is to raise funds for the promotion of NZDF sporting activities and to assist with soldier welfare.

The introduction into service of the new NH90 helicopter is going very well the Chief of Defence Force has confirmed. He was responding to concerns raised today by media about a number of issues identified in June 2011, in a report prepared by the Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force. This report was discussed at length at a recent public hearing of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee (FADTC), and today Lieutenant General Rhys Jones reiterated the assurances accepted by the FADTC committee that any issues related to the NH90 were being well managed and solutions identified.

Since Samantha Palmer joined the Navy she’s been on anti-piracy operations in Somalia, learnt to fast-rope out of a helicopter, searched for unexploded World War II ordnance in the Pacific, and been one of the first on the scene after the Canterbury earthquake. And those are just a few of the adventures the Sunnyvale local has packed into five years at sea.

When Able Stores Accountant David Sanderson arrives in Gallipoli later this month he will be able to trace the footsteps of a number of his ancestors who fought at Gallipoli. ASA Sanderson (21), grew up in Glenfield, attended Glenfield Collage and joined the Navy in 2008. He will be part of a tri-Service New Zealand Defence Force catafalque guard, which will represent New Zealand at the Anzac Day services at Gallipoli in Turkey.

Having a great-great uncle who fought at Gallipoli will make Lieutenant Colonel (LTCOL) Mark Blythen’s role as Contingent Commander in the upcoming Anzac Day ceremonies in Gallipoli even more personal.

Being the Master of Ceremonies at the Anzac Day services at Gallipoli later this month will be a huge honour for Navy Commander Glen Stokes from Upper Hutt. CDR Stokes will be part of a contingent of 18 New Zealand Defence Force personnel, which will represent New Zealand at the Anzac Day services at Gallipoli in Turkey.

New Zealand Army Bandsman Lance Corporal (LCPL) Mark McKenzie will have one of his bucket list wishes granted later this month when he sings the New Zealand National Anthem at the Anzac Day commemorations at Gallipoli in Turkey.

It was a sombre occasion as Corporal (CPL) Douglas Hughes, who died tragically in Afghanistan earlier this week, completed his journey home when he arrived back in New Zealand late last night.

Corporal (CPL) Douglas Hughes will begin his journey home later today, escorted by two of his comrades from the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT).

The NZ Defence Force has completed its investigation into the death of Private Kirifi Mila who was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in rolled off the road down a steep bank in the North East of Bamyan, Afghanistan, on 15 February 2011.

The first New Zealand multi-agency conference on Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED), hosted by the NZ Defence Force, has been a notable success.

The support shown by Blackhead Quarries for their employees Warrant Officer Gerry Costello and Sergeant Dan Bristow has earned the company the Territorial Forces Employer Support Council (TFESC) National Employer of the Year Award.

The Air Force Red Checkers will perform their popular aerobatic displays at Warbirds over Wanaka during Easter. This display will mark the end of their national tour to celebrate 75 years of the RNZAF.

The New Zealand Defence Force soldier who died in Afghanistan yesterday has been named as Corporal Douglas Hughes, aged 26. Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones confirmed the soldier died yesterday and an investigation is underway. Corporal Hughes was deployed with the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan, Afghanistan in September 2011. It was his second rotation in Afghanistan.

A New Zealand Defence Force soldier serving with the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team has died in an incident in Afghanistan today.

An incident in Afghanistan has resulted in the death of a New Zealand Defence Force soldier serving with the NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team.

The NZSAS mission to Afghanistan officially ended at 2359 hours (Afghanistan time) on Saturday 31 March 2012. The NZSAS were deployed in September 2009 - the fourth deployment of the Task Group to Afghanistan.

A cannon will be fired on 4 April 2012 to mark the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR) Corps Day.

HMNZS TE KAHA has successfully completed a six-week trial of her battle prowess with an intense 24 hours in the Indian Ocean near Perth that included the crew having to rig makeshift controls after her bridge was “destroyed" in a mock "missile attack.”

AIR FORCE AIR SHOW - UPDATE People that bought tickets for the RNZAF 75th Anniversary Air Show, 31 March but were unable to enter the Air Show will be refunded the ticket price. From Monday ticket holders will be able to have their ticket price refunded in accordance with the refund process through Eventfinder, the 75th Anniversary Air Show ticket providers at www.eventfinder.co.nz ENDS

The Air Force Red Checkers team will perform an aerobatic display over Dunedin on Wednesday 4 April as part its national tour to celebrate 75 years of the RNZAF.

2 April 2012 : The families of two NZSAS soldiers tragically killed in Afghanistan last year were presented with the New Zealand Memorial Cross by Prime Minister John Key today.

This Saturday will be the last chance for Wellington locals to tour HMNZS RESOLUTION, the Navy’s principal survey and research ship, before she is decommissioned next month.

During the presentation of the NZ Memorial Cross to the family of Lance Corporal Leon Smith, the Prime Minister today announced that he would also become the latest recipient of the Charles Upham Award for Bravery.