Military exercise more than fun and war games
The New Zealand Defence Force undertakes many humanitarian and disaster relief exercises around the world. But in order to be prepared, they need to keep their skills sharp. Kirsty Lawrence saw first-hand how they respond to specific scenarios held as part of Southern Katipo, a biannual exercise the NZDF runs in New Zealand.
Sitting in the middle of a grassy field, families wait. Some are reading books, others are engaging in conversation. All around the outside of the field are Red Cross and Civil Defence volunteers, who are making sure the families are looked after and well.
This internally displaced person camp has been running for two days and families are getting prepared to be evacuated onto a ship.
However, this camp isn’t based in a war torn country or a Pacific nation ravaged by a cyclone. It’s in Linkwater at the top of the South Island.
These families are from neighbouring towns who have volunteered to take part in a Southern Katipo scenario. Southern Katipo is a Defence Force exercise held in New Zealand every two years.
This year, it involves 3000 people, 16 countries, six helicopters, 17 planes, five ships and more than 100 vehicles.
Held all around the top of the South Island the exercise lasts for three weeks, running from the end of October till the middle of November.
The scenario for this year’s Southern Katipo is that the fictitious island nation Becara is experiencing an ethnic riverly that has exploded into a new wave of violence.
Tension between the Wesso majority and the Havo minority has led to bloodshed and people fleeing their homes.
New Zealand has stepped in to aid their South Pacific neighbour and lead a combined joint task force in response.
Within this exercise a number of mini scenarios play out, with one held on Sunday testing the Defence Force skills in evacuating about 150 people from a camp in Linkwater to Picton and then onto HMNZS Canterbury.
As this scenario is based around a conflict zone situation, NGO organisations are brought in to run the camp, taking their role very seriously. Becara Red Cross signs are plasted on tents and vehicles, with the New Zealand Civil Defence team now rebranded the Becara Civil Defence team.
When I arrived to have a look around the camp I was informed all uniformed military officials are denied entry, like a real time war scenario.
However, even those who are operating ‘‘out of scenario’’ escorting media are heavily questioned before being let in.
Mark Mitchell is working with one of the four fictitious NGOs on site and says they do these exercises as real as possible for the military’s benefit and also for their own benefit.
Their main focus when it’s a conflict zone is to maintain an impartial, neutral and independent role, making sure the camps are military free.
Mitchell says in simulation exercises normally only one organisation is involved, so bringing different organisations together to work with the Defence Force is a great opportunity.
Another organisation who got to practice their skills in the camp was the Vodafone Foundation, the charity arm of Vodafone.
The campaign manager for the public sector Lise Mackie says Vodafone are becoming more involved in deploying on humanitarian missions after natural disasters.
Their role is making sure areas affected are reconnected with the outside world.
‘‘We provide free calling and free wi-fi to local populations so they can get that first phone call home and say ‘I’m alright’.’’
The IDP camp was closing on the Sunday I arrived and families being ‘‘evacuated’’ to safety.
This saw them transferred onto buses and taken to Picton.
Once in Picton, 150 people had to be transported onto HMNZS Canterbury, which would be their home for the night.
In order to get that many people out of Picton and onto the ship ribs are utilised, with smiles spreading across the younger childrens faces as they are placed in helmets and onto the small boats.
They are taken out to HMNZS Canterbury and then processed onto the ship.
Executive officer of the ship Emma Broederlow says this is the same process they used when taking about 600 people on board after the Kaikoura earthquake in 2016.
First, passengers receive a short briefing and go through a security screening process.
They then fill in medical forms so arrangements can be made for any medical conditions, with forms also filled in for next of kin and legal documents signed..
Residents staying the night are then assigned accommodation.
Once the paperwork is taken care of, Broederlow says the ship makes sure there are areas set-up people can relax, with movies put on to take their mind off whatever disaster they have encountered.
Kaikoura was a real life example of these skills being used in New Zealand and Broederlow says they want to be ready to respond to any natural disaster in New Zealand and elsewhere.
‘‘Going into cyclone season, November through to March, we’re going to be at immediate notice to respond.
‘‘We keep our skills sharp anytime we execute them in these scenarios.’’
One area of the ship that has a harder role then most when they take on board extra bodies is the galley.
Able Chef Bradley James has been a chef in the navy for three years and says he loves the job.
Normally on HMNZS Canterbury they cook for about 140 personnel on board.
This Southern Katipo exercise has seen that number increase to about 300, testing their skills much like a real life scenario would.
‘‘After Kaikoura we fed 600 on here.’’
He says the key is preparation and in their massive fridges and freezers they are prepared for any curve balls that may be thrown at them.
James makes it apparent how much care and thought goes into what they cook on the ship and says in scenarios like this, what people eat is important.
‘‘After today people will be tired so we try to change the menu, spice it up.’’
Commanding officer Matt Wray, who is in charge of HMNZS Canterbury, says Southern Katipo is a great experience and the benefits for the ship are great.
This scenario saw them test their processes for getting people on board the ship, but throughout the overall exercise they have been testing other skills as well.
Wray says they have been moving large equipment around New Zealand to be used in the exercise as well as being a landing pad for helicopters.
He says this scenario, bringing civilians on board, was good practice.
‘‘Doing it in a more controlled environment means we are able to hone those processes and make them spot on.’’
Even though Southern Katipo is an exercise for defence, the public seemed to get just as much out of it as the Defence Force.
One local resident on the ship could not wipe the smile off his face as he walked off on Monday, holding his Lego model he had created of the ship with pride.
Mika Boniface says he is hoping to have a career in the navy, with his passion sparked after seeing the HMNZS Canterbury in the 2015 Southern Katipo exercise.
It gave him a passion for the navy and saw him create the lego model of the ship, which he got to show to Wray on this visit.
‘‘I showed him this and I sat in his seat ... I want to be in the navy one day.’’
This statement was echoed by young people all over the ship, and while the exercise was great practice, it might also help bring in new personnel too.