This is a summary of the “Joint Vision” statement contained within the Defence Planning Framework. Our joint vision speaks of who we are, and what we aspire to be – the “who and what”. Our strategy is about where we are going and how we will get there – the “where and how”. Together, vision and strategy – who, what, where, and how – take us forward.
Three Services as One Force, being the best in everything we do
The NZDF is One Force of three parts. The three Services – Navy, Army, Air Force – are charged with developing and sustaining the specific military capabilities, professional skills and internal culture necessary to meet the unique requirements of their operating environments. To deliver the maximum joint effect the single Services then coordinate, and integrate, their capabilities and activities in a joint and collaborative setting. This recognises that the NZDF will achieve its greatest successes in the future when its single Service strengths are skilfully woven together in operations like the strands of a rope. As One Force, we will achieve greater things than the sum of our component parts would ever allow.
“Being the best in everything we do” is our enduring operational, organisational and cultural yardstick. Operationally we look to work alongside our coalition partners with confidence; organisationally we aim to sustain the trust of our stakeholders, both internal and external; and culturally we determine to “do the right thing” by those who serve with us – both now and in the future.
As a small and highly professional Defence Force we regard Agility as the focus of our organisational operating concepts. Agility refers to our capacity to plan and execute operations rapidly and flexibly, while maintaining an ability to change from one type of activity to another in good time and with the resources to be effective. It is about being light on our feet, responding innovatively, and being agile of mind within tight decision cycles. It is about bouncing back from setbacks, seizing the initiative, and pressing home the advantage. We will practice Agility in our thinking, planning, training and operations. We regard our small size as an attribute to be capitalised upon. A small force is an agile force – and an agile force gets things done.
Agility in decision-making and actions means the application of that special ‘Kiwi’ lateral resourcefulness that makes the most of any situation. The natural initiative of our people that enables them to adapt quickly to new or changing circumstances - that ‘let’s muck in and give it a crack’ attitude, making the best of what we’ve got - means that combined with our quality leadership we will always maintain momentum in times of crisis.
The NZDF ethos is our living spirit and describes our enduring values, beliefs, expectations and professional standards. It creates and shapes the NZDF culture. Our people define our ethos at the same time as it defines them, so that while the people of New Zealand who join the NZDF are shaped by our existing ethos, they also contribute to it and enhance it. The close and continuous two-way connectivity between New Zealand society and its military will ensure that this relationship will rightly remain inextricably linked.
Part of the NZDF’s reputation for professional excellence relates to the high ethical standards we uphold in all our activities. The New Zealand citizen who joins the NZDF has been raised in a society that has fostered an acute sense of what is right and wrong, and our training culture reinforces and extends these values to ensure our personnel perform honourably and strictly within the laws of armed conflict. To members of the NZDF, rules of ethical behaviour are to be followed; they are not inconveniences to ignore or undermine. There is pride felt in being awarded the opportunity to serve one’s country with honour and discipline, and this shapes how we see ourselves - and why others appreciate our contributions.
The NZDF ethos is a warfighting ethos. This ethos is embraced not only by all Service personnel, but also by all NZDF civilian staff whose vital work enables our operations. It consists of five interdependent components that serve to unite us: we will continue to be bound together by our vital purpose that originates out of the unique burden of responsibility we carry; through being of New Zealand as well as for New Zealand, we will maintain strong communities of trust across and within both the New Zealand public and the NZDF; our universal focus on leadership that promotes discipline, judgement, innovation and confidence; our New Zealand Profession of Arms that acknowledges the NZDF to be a distinct self-regulating organisation with a monopoly on a particular expertise, performing a vital and higher purpose in the interests of New Zealand and its people; and the strong and enduring core values of the NZDF.
We are, and will remain, a values-based force. Values are the moral principles and standards upon which we interact with others, make judgements and take actions. Our values are thus the foundation upon which NZDF culture and professionalism are based. The four core values of the NZDF that represent our traditional and continuing anchors are Comradeship, Commitment, Courage and Integrity:
- Comradeship is an attribute that develops out of trust, learning and working together. Through Comradeship we will continue to support and encourage our fellow NZDF colleagues at team, Service and joint levels.
- Commitment is the obligation of responsibility that all personnel give to the NZDF and the Government of New Zealand. It is demonstrated by putting others before oneself, contributing to the team, giving selfless service, and acting for the greater good rather than personal gain.
- Courage has both physical and moral dimensions. Physically, it means overcoming fear when advancing into probable danger when it is easier to retreat. Morally, it means making the hard decisions and having the conviction to stand by them. Showing Courage entails being brave enough to do what one believes to be right, challenging others to also do the right thing, and getting the job done despite hostile or adverse conditions.
- Integrity ensures that we remain open, honest and trustworthy in all that we do and that we conduct ourselves with sincerity, reliability, unselfishness and consistency of approach.
We will recruit, grow, and retain the right people so that together we are the best prepared that we can be. The right people for our future are those who already practice our values and who can be trained and educated to a high level of expertise in their chosen field. We will recruit personnel who embody the Kiwi spirit – individuals who know how to lead, but also how to follow, who take pride in their physical health, who are striving to improve themselves and their career prospects, doers, thinkers with initiative, problem-solvers, those who want to represent New Zealand with pride. The notion of excellence achieved through unity of purpose extends throughout our organisation to encompass not only our forces actually undertaking operations, but also to our valuable Service and civilian support staff who enable us to achieve our objectives.
The future security environment will remain dynamic, as will be the exact nature of the operations on which we will deploy. Our forces will be trained and equipped to operate across the Spectrum of Operations in New Zealand and across the globe. We will be as effective undertaking the myriad types of multi-agency and peace operations as we will be in combat. This will require forces trained and equipped for combat, capable of delivering lethal and non-lethal force in the most demanding environments. Flexible, concurrent and sustained deployment will be hallmarks of future NZDF operations. Our operational Agility will be demonstrated through our ability for rapid deployments when warning times are short, and for rapid changes in tempo during operations.
We will continue to build upon our operational achievements and unique identity. The NZDF will exhibit cultural traits and unique symbols that differentiate us from all others – attributes that will communicate our New Zealand identity proudly to the rest of the world. Improved language and cultural awareness skills will identify us as willing to understand and accept the cultural values of others in the pursuit of peace. Wherever possible, deployed NZDF contingents will seek to optimise soft power to enhance operational effectiveness in a mission area. We will develop a positive rapport with the local communities with whom our forces interact.
Through teamwork that is driven by a common sense of purpose and enhanced by our core values, we will succeed in our assigned missions. Members of the three Services work as part of different specialised teams, and will come together as One Force on operations that will demonstrate that the NZDF is the best in everything it does.
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