In this special episode of Unclassified, we talk to the outgoing Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, about his almost 50 years in service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He reflects on how a self-confessed mischief maker rose through the ranks to the top job, some of the tough calls he’s had to make including the impact of the global pandemic on the NZDF, the changing geostrategic environment, and more.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

In this episode we talk to Royal New Zealand Navy Commander Tim Hall about his involvement in the response to the deadly volcanic eruption of Whakaari / White Island in 2019.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

In this episode we talk to Flight Sergeant Dave Cresswell from the Royal New Zealand Air Force about deployments around the world, from Antarctica to the Middle East, and emergency responses following the Pike River disaster and Christchurch earthquakes.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

In this episode we talk to Flight Lieutenant Nicole Brooke about her experience of navigating precarious search and rescue operations from the cockpit of a Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter, including in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

In this episode we talk to Lieutenant Colonel Iain Hill, from the New Zealand Army, about what it’s like to be at a military base in the Middle East as it comes under a rocket attack, the role leadership plays in deployments, and the one sound he will never forget from his time in Iraq.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

In this episode we talk to Chief Petty Officer Leon Reilly, from the Royal New Zealand Navy, about his experience of leading a crew through a hair-raising rescue at sea in the midst of a tropical cyclone.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

In this episode we talk to a member of the Female Engagement Team, an element of New Zealand’s Special Forces, about what it was like to be in the thick of the August 2021 evacuations from Kabul Airport, in Afghanistan.

This series deals with themes of loss of life, grief, trauma, violence and mental health. If you need to talk to someone, here are some support services:

• Call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor
• Phone 0800 LIFELINE or text 4357 (HELP)
• Members of the NZDF can also visit www.health.nzdf.mil.nz or phone 0800 NZDF4U

If you have any feedback or thoughts on this podcast - email podcast@nzdf.mil.nz

Every day, members of the New Zealand Defence Force achieve extraordinary things.

In this season of Unclassified, we’re bringing you unforgettable first-hand tales of courage and commitment from members of the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force.

This six-part series will include previously unheard stories from around the globe, including daring rescues at sea and on the ice, the chaos of evacuating New Zealanders from Kabul as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the aftermath of the White Island eruption, and the reality of coming under a barrage of rocket attacks in Iraq.

This is Unclassified. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.