New Zealand Defence Force personnel have been recognised for a wide range of efforts in the past few years, ranging from rescuing people in the flood waters of Cyclone Gabrielle to going above and beyond in the fields of safety, international relations and military technology.

Two Defence Meritorious Service Medals and four Chief of Defence Force Commendations have been awarded this month, spread across Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Air Force and civilian personnel.

“These awards recognise our people who have gone above and beyond what is normally asked of them,” says Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Tony Davies.

“They provide exceptional service in the areas of operations, strategic relationships, safety in training, scientific leadership, and search and rescue operations.”

The RNZAF’s Corporal Tessa Black, a senior medic, was awarded a DMSM for her work during a very busy 2023, which started with Cyclone Gabrielle.

She was aboard the first NH90 helicopter sent to survey the cyclone’s impact on her home province of Hawke’s Bay which quickly became a rescue mission for stranded members of the public who were threatened by rapidly rising flood waters.

CPL Tessa Black. Photo supplied.

On the first day she winched eight people and their dogs to safety and over the following days was involved in the rescues of a further 70 victims caught in the flood waters, silt and slash. 

“I think we were so busy trying to rescue everybody I didn’t think about being scared,” Corporal Black says.

“We train quite a lot with winching and moving around the aircraft. That training is so valuable and when something happens it’s just second nature.”

The rest of 2023 was no less demanding, with Corporal Black being on call for 138 days and participating in 80 per cent of NZDF responses to emergency requests for assistance.

These included rescuing a hunter with a broken femur, and a tramper with a dislocated shoulder. She was also involved in a medical evacuation from Antarctica. 

Corporal Black enlisted in the RNZAF straight from high school in 2014. She was named RNZAF medic of the year in 2021 and part of the team that helped evacuate people from Kabul before the Taliban’s takeover.

“I’m very lucky that I’ve been in the right place at the right time and been able to go on those trips.”

Meanwhile, the NZ Army’s Lieutenant Colonel Sean McCulloch was also awarded a DMSM for his work reviewing training accidents and the Army as a system - a highly complicated piece of work that has resulted in the risks associated with Army training being notably reduced.

Since the end of 2021 he also developed the Army’s “Capstone Orders”, which provide a critical mechanism to better integrate with New Zealand’s military partners, as well as assisting the Army’s senior leadership to re-establish and enhance critical relationships with partner nations.

CPL Tessa Black. Photo supplied.

The four CDF Commendations covered personnel working internationally and on safety and weapons systems.

The Navy’s Commander Sarah Bamfield was awarded a CDF Commendation for her work as the Defence Adviser to the Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu over a three-year period.

She was pivotal in New Zealand’s efforts to strengthen its defence and strategic relationship with Fiji despite increasing regional geo-political pressure and considerable domestic challenges generated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Commander Bamfield’s positive influence among female leaders in Fiji was also widely acknowledged.

The NZ Army’s Captain Joshua Rohorua earned a CDF Commendation after he was deployed at short notice to Europe last year to help with the coordination of military resources to Ukraine.

The role was identified for an experienced Major, but Captain Rohorua was able to foster strong relationships with key personnel and communicate widely among senior international officers from varying services.

He was responsible for providing high level briefings to the Commanding General and support the production of information that was distributed to senior United States personnel and coalition partners, often at very short notice.

Captain Isaac Stuckey was awarded a CDF Commendation for developing the new way the New Zealand Army conducts live firing by night.

This project was in addition to Captain Stuckey and his team’s normal responsibilities and he took a substantial amount of the project on himself to allow his team to focus on delivery of their routine courses.

Defence Science and Technology’s Timothy Raybould was awarded a CDF Commendation for his work with the successful introduction of new defensive capabilities to the Royal New Zealand Navy frigates.

Dr Raybould not only proved the ship’s combat system in its own self defence, he also proved it in advanced defence of other high-value escorted ships.

“This success has been well noted by close industry partners and enhanced New Zealand’s reputation as a technically competent and professional partner.”