Media Release

2 November 2015

New Warrant Officer for NZDF’s Operational Headquarters

A long-serving Air Force Warrant Officer has been appointed Warrant Officer of Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand (HQ JFNZ), the New Zealand Defence Force’s operational headquarters.

Warrant Officer (W/O) Toni Tate, who is currently the Command Warrant Officer to the Base Commander of Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea, will take up her appointment on 11 December and will succeed Warrant Officer Class One Chris Wilson.

“Warrant Officer Tate is a proven leader and an outstanding role model, and I am confident that she will do a great job,” said Major General Tim Gall, Commander Joint Forces New Zealand.

“Her appointment is a significant milestone as the first female member of the NZDF to achieve this level of Warrant Officer,” he added.

The position of Warrant Officer HQ JFNZ is the equivalent of the top Warrant Officer positions in the three Services: Sergeant-Major of the Army, Warrant Officer of the Navy, and Warrant Officer of the Air Force.

Since enlisting in the Air Force in 1986, W/O Tate has served in various roles and deployed to a number of missions including to East Timor in 2007. In 2010, she was posted to the Directorate of Career Management as the Career Manager for the Air Force non-technical trades.

She has been awarded the New Zealand Meritorious Service Medal for services and leadership during organisational change. She has a diploma in Frontline Management and a New Zealand Diploma in Business. She has completed the Singapore Warrant Officer Joint Advanced Leadership Programme and the Joint Warrant Officer Advanced Course.

“I think it is an awesome opportunity to be able to add value in the Joint environment and have a direct impact in supporting our deployed troops,” W/O Tate said of her new role.

“One of the areas I want to focus on is the NZDF support to deployed personnel and their families. I also consider it to be my role to check in on the pulse of Headquarters JFNZ and overseas missions on behalf of the Commander,” she said.

Warrant Officer Class One Wilson, who was appointed Warrant Officer JFNZ in August 2012, said his successor was “exceptionally well-qualified for the role”.

“She is held in high regard by colleagues. She is a keen listener and she knows how to bring people together around a common goal, qualities that will stand in her good stead,” he said.

ENDS

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