Hon Gerry Brownlee
Minister of Defence

25 August 2016 Media Statement

Minister welcomes Baghdad appointment

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the appointment of a New Zealand Army Brigadier to a senior role in the counter-Daesh Coalition.

The Brigadier will take up the role of Deputy Commanding General of the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command, Operation Inherent Resolve, for a nine-month period from November.

“The role is based in Baghdad, and while the NZDF has a small number of other roles at Coalition headquarters in the region, this will be the most senior position a New Zealand officer has held in the organisation,” Mr Brownlee says.

“It shows the trust and confidence the Coalition has in the professionalism and ability of New Zealand Defence Force personnel.”

Other recent senior international appointments which show the regard with which NZDF personnel are held include the appointment of Major-General Dave Gawn as the Head of Mission/Chief of Staff to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation based in Jerusalem, and Royal New Zealand Navy Commodore Jim Gilmour who led the recent RIMPAC 2016 amphibious taskforce.

The Brigadier appointed to the Coalition Headquarters in Baghdad will not be named, consistent with New Zealand’s non-identification policy for personnel deploying to Iraq.

ENDS

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