New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Release
1 May 2009

New Chief For Army

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Outgoing Chief of Army MAJGEN Lou Gardiner (L) shakes hands and shares a laugh with incoming Chief of Army MAJGEN Rhys Jones at the Change of Command ceremony at the Army National Marae, Waiouru Military Camp yesterday. MAJGEN Jones wears the Chief of Army Korowai (cloak). NZDF official - NZ Army, Ceremonial, 30 April, 2009.

A special ceremony marked the official changeover of leadership for the NZ Army at the Army National Marae at the Waiouru Military Camp yesterday.

Major General (MAJGEN) Rhys Jones formally became the Chief of Army after changing command with retiring chief, Major General Lou Gardiner.

The changeover was witnessed by around 200 people including the Associate Minister for Defence, the Honourable Heather Roy, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae and other distinguished guests.

The passing on of the Chief of Army’s korowai (cloak) at the ceremony symbolically represented the change of command.
New Chief of Army MAJGEN Jones said at the ceremony he was looking forward to carring on Major General Gardiner's good work including his focus on developing leadership among all ranks.

MAJ GEN Gardiner leaves after 37 years service in the New Zealand Army, three of them as Chief which he said was a “brilliant job”.

ENDS

Image Caption WN 08-0046-20: Outgoing Chief of Army MAJGEN Lou Gardiner (L) shakes hands and shares a laugh with incoming Chief of Army MAJGEN Rhys Jones at the Change of Command ceremony at the Army National Marae, Waiouru Military Camp yesterday. MAJGEN Jones wears the Chief of Army Korowai (cloak). NZDF official - NZ Army, Ceremonial, 30 April, 2009.

Biography - Major General Rhys Jones
Major General Rhys Jones was born in Timaru, New Zealand on 2 May 1960. He was educated at Wanganui Boy’s College
He enlisted into the New Zealand Army in December 1978 and attended the Royal Military College, Duntroon Australia from 1979 to 1982

He has attended staff college at Fort Leavenworth, USA, and higher defence college at the Australian Defence College. He has also attained a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from La Trobe University (Melbourne) as well as a Diploma in Qualitative Futures.

Major General Jones has had operational duty in the Middle East with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation, as an observer, then Operations Officer with the Observer Group Lebanon.

During his career Major General Jones has held a variety of command appointments, including Commanding Officer of New Zealand’s armoured regiment; Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles (QAMR). He has also commanded at Formation level, commanding 3rd Land Force Group based in the South Island of New Zealand.

He was the Land Component Commander within Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand before becoming Commander Joint Forces New Zealand in October 2007.

Major General Jones is married to Debbie and they have three children. His hobbies include reading history, war gaming and black powder shooting.

ENDS

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