MEDICS IN PNG - Royal New Zealand Navy

FLEET PROGRESS
INTERNATIONAL
NAVAL COMBAT FORCE
HMNZS TE KAHA
Karen Baird, leader
of the Raoul Island
project; the smile
on her face shows
just how valued
fresh milk is!
BY LT EMMA GIBBS RNZN
RAOUL ISLAND RESUPPLY
BACK IN 1987 the Department of Conversation
took over the management of Raoul
Island, the largest of a chain of small islands
stretching about 600 miles north of NZ, from
the Meteorological Service and Lands and
Survey. The Island was in the process of
becoming over-run by wildlife, with goats,
cats and rats being the main concern. With
the Island under new management, these
introduced beasts were actively eliminated,
and 2003 saw the last of them gone for
good. Since the demise of those predators,
the many endangered species of birds on
the Island have thrived, with a significant
increase in numbers in only a few years. For
many the art of bird watching is not a pastime
that evokes enthusiasm, but for those
who understand the plight of these endangered
species, Raoul Island now presents
an opportunity to save several species from
complete extinction.
And so we come to those people who
made it all happen, the DOC workers and
volunteers who give up 6-12 months of their
lives at a time, to live on an island where they
cannot fish (there is a marine reserve surrounding
the Island), do not have fresh milk
(a brew consists of a powdery substance
Photo: Te Kaha
to give the illusion of milk) and live from
resupply to resupply. TE KAHA took mercy
on them and donated eight 2-litre bottles
of our best blue top milk, which should at
least allow each of them a cup of tea and
bowl of cereal!
Their main job is the restoration of the Island’s
flora and fauna, while also collecting
data for external agencies. Restoration of
the Island’s plants means weed eradication,
now that the pests have been removed, and
monitoring the birds’ recovery. They are also
responsible for the continuing maintenance
of the facilities there from the (few) roads to
the diesel generators.
The DoC staff’s tasks for external agencies
are varied and somewhat more interesting:
• They launch a helium balloon every morning
which feeds meteorological data back
to a computer which is then sent on to the
Meteorological Service
• They collect CO2 samples for the Scripps
Institute in the USA for the project to measure
the world’s CO2 levels
• They monitor the two volcanoes on the
Island, Denham volcano and Raoul volcano,
using a remote seismometer to record volcanic
tremors and take photos once a week
which are sent back to GNS for their data
• and a small portion of their time is taken
up with catering for visiting yachties and
carrying out quarantine requirements.
In order to do all this, they are trained
(somewhat similarly to RNZN personnel) in
areas such as bush fire-fighting and other
emergency responses, while among the
team are medics who are trained in basic
life-saving medical care.
TE KAHA’s involvement was for resupply
- which that the DoC staff rely on. This is often
undertaken by the RNZN and this year TE
KAHA was able to help out. We were loaded
‘up to the gunnels’ with food, fuel, equipment,
vinyl flooring and 11 DoC workers.
Their jobs on the Island would range from
laying the vinyl in the huts to installing a
sound device on one of the hills to simulate
the call of the White Naped Petrels - in order
to entice those birds from the neighbouring
island, which is the sole island habituated
by these endangered birds.
It was sunny and clear as we anchored at
0630 on 5 August – spectacular conditions
for a day of flying stores ashore. The process
was a 7 hour marathon for the flight
crew and those loading and unloading the
stores, as the helicopter made 41 round
trips, the majority with an under-slung load
of bladders of fuel for the diesel generators
on the Island. Crew fatigue was possible
concern, and not just of the flight crew, as
the people responsible for hooking up the
stores at one end and removing them at
the other needed to be on their game the
whole time. The whole evolution was a success,
and our aircraft also transferred a load
of stores from the main base to a secondary
location on a distant beach - before the
weather began to pack in and it was time to
recover the aircraft. The DoC workers were
extremely grateful for that extra run, as that
saved them hours in back-breaking labour,
lugging the stores themselves.
From Raoul Island, we set course for Darwin,
a 14-day transit to our first port visit for
OP CUTLASS 02/07.
MALAYSIAN
INTERNATIONAL
TATTOO
THE NZDF Maori Cultural Group that performed
at the Kuala Lumpur International
Tattoo in early September was led by the
RNZN contingent from HMNZS TE KAHA.
The Cultural Group included 27 Navy personnel,
complemented by four personnel
each from the RNZAF and NZ Army. As
with all NZDF Maori Cultural Groups, this
one carries the spirit of ‘Te Hokowhitu A
Tu’ (28th Maori Battalion) and performs
under ‘Te Ope Kaatua o Aotearoa’ ~ New
Zealand Defence Force.
The NZDF is honoured to have been
invited to participate in the Kuala Lumpur
International Tattoo in celebration of Malaysia’s
50th year of Independence. The
participation of our Maori Cultural Group
is a reflection of the strong and historic
ties between New Zealand and Malaysia
in military co-operation and diplomatic
relations.
The Maori Cultural Group performed a
collection of songs and dance from New
TE KAHA AND THE JAPAN
TRAINING SQUADRON
TE KAHA sailed from Darwin to Malaysia in company with the Japan
Training Squadron, (which had visited Wellington in late July)
The JTS impressed TE KAHA with their precision, doing things ‘bang
on time’. They also introduced TE KAHA to a new night station-keeping
exercise: every night, the four ships had to remain in a diamond formation
from 2200 – 0600, and stay within 500 metres of their station on the
guide. On the hour, every hour, the guide would change, so as to give
everyone an opportunity to practise station-keeping. We usually practice
this in sectors – and often quite generous ones – so this required a lot
more monitoring and skill by the OOW.
Inter-ship voice communications with the Japanese were good, despite
the expected language barriers. Their communicators speak reasonable
English, and the standard transmissions are understood and clear.
TE KAHA has appreciated this special opportunity to be in company
with the JTS in East Asian waters
Zealand that spoke of history and legend.
The high intensity seven minute bracket
was specifically put together for the Kuala
Lumpur International Tattoo. The bracket
included the use of traditional Maori hand
weapons, poi and musical instruments
and the performers wore traditional
dress, including traditional body art.
NZDF Maori Cultural Groups have a
strong history in performing at international
events all around the world;
Royal Tournaments, World Expos, corporate
functions and numerous formal
Government functions and ceremonial
welcomes. Maori culture has been embraced
by the NZDF and now forms part
of military ceremonial parades to complement
traditional ceremonies showcasing
the unique NZ Maori and Defence Force
culture.
All members of the Maori Cultural
Group are committed volunteers who
come from a background in traditional
performing arts and many have performed
internationally before. Senior members
of the group have also performed at the
prestigious National Performing Arts
Competition held bi-annually in New
Zealand.
EXERCISE SUMAN
PROTECTOR 2007
JDS KASHIMA alongside TE KAHA in Darwin
The Malaysian Ministry of Defence stated
that the inaugural EX SUMAN PROTECTOR
2007 (SP07) was one in a series of Jointlevel
exercises involving the armed forces
from the FPDA partner nations, which was
conducted from 20 August to 9 September.
This exercise reflected collaborative
traning for the defence of Malaysia and
Singapore and was hosted by Malaysia.
It aimed to enhance interoperability and
mutual co-operation.
SP07 was a multinational Command Post
Exercise/Computer Assisted Exercise
(CPX/CAX) in the planning and conduct of
Joint Operations. Personnel of the FPDA
nations (Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand,
Singapore and UK) were exercised within a
Combined Joint Task Force HQ along with
Maritime, Air, Land and Logistic Component
HQs. The exercise was conducted at
RMAF Butterworth Air Base, in Malaysia.
It included the effects of military interplay
between Non-Governmental Organisations
and Other Government Departments with
a focus on political, legal, media issues. A
multi-national After Action Review team
led by HQ IADS is now assessing the exercise
outcome.
Photo: Te Kaha
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