Reservists on parade
RESERVISTS HONE SKILLS AT RESERVEX 2012
Exercise Reservex 2012, the annual National Naval Reserve
concentrated training period, was recently conducted at the
Devonport Naval Base, Auckland.
More than 60 Reservists from Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington,
Christchurch and Dunedin Naval Reserve Units took part in the
exercise. For many, their Naval Reserve life is a parallel career
to their civilian occupations. Their Navy training is divided up
into different branches, with a wide range of seamanship, bridge
watch-keeping, electrical, electronic, mechanical and weapons
engineering, and merchant marine operations training conducted
during the exercise. While they make use of the Navy���s ship
simulators, much of the training involves practical training both
Leaving harbour routine
Seaboat training
ashore and at sea during the week, including aboard the Navy���s
Offshore Patrol Vessel HMNZS Wellington, Inshore Patrol Vessel
HMNZS Rotoiti, and on Navy RHIB���s.
At Reservex they hone and demonstrate their marine and
military skills, often applying skills and experience from their
civilian occupations to the navy work they do. The reservists
develop these skills during their training and apply them in
support of the Navy���s operational capability as and when
required.
���The range of occupations and skills Naval Reservists bring to
the Navy from their civilian jobs is invaluable to both Navy and
NZDF operations, and in turn, skills acquired in the military like
leadership, problem solving, and punctuality, are valued by their
employers,��� said LTCDR Gerad Chaplin, the Officer in charge
of Reservex 2012.
ABOUT THE NAVAL RESERVE
The Royal NZ Naval Volunteer Reserve is an integral part
of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Reservists provide a welltrained force that is often utilised to supplement and augment
the Navy���s regular personnel strength. Naval Reserve personnel
train in a broad range of disciplines including seamanship, law,
engineering, and electrical, to fill many different roles in the
Navy either at sea, or in shore-based roles in Maritime Trade
Operations as the Navy���s specialists on Merchant Shipping.
In recent years Naval Volunteer Reservists have deployed on
NZDF operations around the world, both on land and at sea,
as well as making contributions to the NZDF responses to the
Christchurch earthquakes and the Rena grounding.
For further information on the Naval Reserves please see:
http://www.defencecareers.mil.nz/navy/reserves
Cable deck training
Reservist engineers in the main
engine room of HMNZS Wellington
March/April 2013 Professional Skipper 63
