Defence Force appointments announced

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has today announced that the new Chief of Air Force will be Air Commodore Mike Yardley.

Dr Coleman is also pleased to announce the Chief of Defence Force has appointed Air Vice-Marshal Kevin Short to the role of Vice Chief of Defence Force, and Brigadier Tim Gall will be the new Commander Joint Forces New Zealand.

“I congratulate Air Vice-Marshal Kevin Short, Air Commodore Mike Yardley and Brigadier Gall on their new appointments. I am confident they will make great contributions during their tenure,” says Dr Coleman.

“Air Commodore Yardley has solid leadership experience. In his current role as Air Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand he has capably commanded the Air Force’s operational forces and training units. He is a well suited successor to out-going Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell, who will be leaving the Defence Force next month after a highly distinguished career spanning 41 years.

“I am confident Air Vice-Marshal Short will ably support the Chief of Defence Force in his new role as Vice Chief. Currently the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Air Vice-Marshal Short, has overseen the withdrawal of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan and the closure of our mission in Solomon Islands. He also successfully ran Exercise Southern Katipo, the NZDF’s largest international exercise in decades.

“Brigadier Gall has strong command experience, and is well placed to succeed Air Vice-Marshal Short as Commander Joint Forces New Zealand. In his current role as Land Component Commander Joint Forces, he is responsible for the Army’s operational forces and training units.”

Air Vice-Marshal Short and Brigadier Gall, who will be promoted to Major-General, will take up their new three year positions from 31 March 2014. Air Commodore Yardley will be promoted to Air Vice-Marshal on 27 March 2014 and will assume his new three year position from 1 May 2014.

Air Commodore Yardley joined the Air Force in 1981 as a navigator. In 1999 he was appointed Commanding Officer No 5 Squadron. In 2001 he was posted to USAF Air War College which he graduated with a Master of Strategic Studies. He has held a number of key staff positions, including Chief of Staff Headquarters NZDF from 2011. He was appointed Air Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand in May 2013.

Air Vice-Marshal Short joined the Air Force in 1976. In his early career he completed duties as a navigator and aircraft captain with No 5 Squadron. He has held various command positions throughout his career. In 2006 he commanded the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan, Afghanistan. In 2011 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Air Force. In February 2013 he was appointed Commander Joint Forces New Zealand.

Brigadier Gall joined the Army in 1978 and graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in Australia into the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport. He has held a number of command appointments throughout his career, and has deployed to Antarctica, Sinai, Iran, Bougainville and Korea. In 2009 Brigadier Gall was appointed Assistant Chief of Capability, and he played a key role in the Defence Mid-Point Rebalancing Review. In October 2013 he was appointed Land Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand.

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