Handover of New Zealand Defence Forces Attache to Tonga Featured
Lieutenant Colonel Bill Keelan the outgoing New Zealand Defence Forces Attache to Tonga has been presented with the Australian Defence Force’s Commendation for Distinguished Service at the Australian High Commission in Wellington.
29 May, 2017. New Zealand Defence Forces Defence Attache to Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea will hand over their duties on Wednesday 31 May 2017 at His Majesty’s Armed Forces Headquarters.
The current defence attaché is Lieutenant Colonel William Keelan who will finish off up his time at the end of May 2017.
Lieutenant Colonel Josh Winerra will take over from Lieutenant Colonel William Keelan. The New Zealand defence attache office is located in Suva, Fiji, in the New Zealand High Commission Office.
Lieutenant Colonel Josh Winerra will arrive to Nuku’alofa on Tuesday 30 May on Air New Zealand. He will depart from Tonga to New Zealand on Wednesday 31 May 2017 after the occasion.
Currently, New Zealand Defence Forces have one representative in Nuku’alofa working with His Majesty’s Armed Forces as the Mechanical Engineering Adviser and coordinate military training courses and education for all military personnel that will prepare to train under the New Zealand Defence Forces mutual assistance program (MAP).
The current NZDF Mechanical adviser and MAP coordinator is Warrant Officer First Class Roger Middleton. He is current here for two years durations with his family.
The handover ceremony will take place at 103hrs at the presents of Captain Sione Fifita, Acting Chief of Defence Staff, His Majesty’s Armed Forces, with all HMAF senior military officers. The Australian Defence Attache in Nuku’alofa Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Quinn, Major Cameron Ellis (Staff Officer
Training Doctrine at HMAF HQ), Lieutenant Commander Paul Ryan, (Australian Defence Forces Maritime Surveillance Adviser at the Tongan Naval Headquarters) will also attend as well as Warrant Officer First Class Roger Middleton.
-HMAF
