21 September 2001

Piers Reid, former head of New Zealand Army

In a press release on 20 September 2001 National's Defence Spokesman, Max Bradford, alleged that I had promoted, when Chief of general Staff, only those who agreed with my views on defence policy and not promoted those who didn't. This is a cheap shot and an insult to the Army promotion system and to me, but more importantly it is a wretched insult to all the decent and talented officers promoted in my time as Head of Army. Officers such as Major General Martyn Dunne, Brigadier Lou Gardiner and Brigadier Jerry Mateparae, all promoted during my time as head of Army will be deeply shocked to hear that Mr Bradford considers their promotions unworthy.

My Bradford shows no understanding of the formal checks and balances, nor of the series of boards and reviews set up in each of the armed forces to consider suitability for promotion.

Mr Bradford's claim that there is an A and B team in the army is his deliberate perverting of the universally accepted system of promotion on merit. The only organisation I am aware of which runs a formal A and B team is Mr Bradford's party, where those on Ms Boag's List, such as Mr Bradford, are clearly a B team.

It is time Mr Bradford's smear campaign against those who disagree with his views on defence policy stopped. I invite Mr Bradford to name one single officer promoted by me on the basis of his or her views on defence policy and one single officer declined promotion for the same reason.

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