Deployed Personnel Will Be Dipping into a Kiwi Christmas

Deployed Personnel Will Be Dipping into a Kiwi Christmas

New Zealand Defence Force personnel who will be deployed overseas on Christmas Day can expect a bit of Kiwi cheer thanks to RSA Christmas parcels being packed today.

Volunteers from local RSAs and children from Mount Cook School in Wellington joined with NZ Defence Force personnel including the Chief of Army, Major General (MAJGEN) Dave Gawn, to help pack the Christmas parcels.

Inside the parcels are classics such as Vegemite, reduced cream and onion soup mix, Gingernuts and Raro juice packets as well as messages and cards from the local primary school children.

MAJGEN Gawn said, “It can be difficult to be away from your loved ones and there's nothing like receiving a message or gift from New Zealand.”

"The parcels will help bring a little bit of home to our deployed personnel during the Christmas season.”

RSA National President, LTGEN (Rtd) Don McIver says that RSA Christmas parcels have been sent to overseas personnel since the First World War.

“We are proud to continue this longstanding tradition and bring a small reminder of home to our Defence personnel deployed overseas at Christmas.”

“Our troops are doing a great job in often difficult circumstances and these parcels are a small token of the RSA’s gratitude for their service,” said LTGEN (Rtd) McIver.

Generous financial contributions from local RSAs, Countdown and the Navy, Army and Air Force Welfare Funds, enable the parcels to be sent each year.

There are currently 193 NZ Defence Force personnel deployed on nine operations and UN missions across ten countries including Afghanistan, Antarctica, South Korea, South Sudan, Sinai and the Middle East.

ENDS

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