22 August 2006

As the Long Look Exchange blows out the candles on its 30th birthday next week, we celebrate the New Zealand Defence Force’s most enduring exercise with the UK, which has given hundreds of soldiers, sailors and airmen a uniquely military OE.

The Long Look Exchange, originally called Exercise Long Look, is a four-month reciprocal exchange between the British defence forces, and the New Zealand and Australia defence forces. Every year, the NZ Defence Force sends about 25 Army, 10 Navy and 10 Air Force personnel – usually NCOs or junior officers – to the British defence forces, and 45 British personnel take the Kiwi Long Lookers’ places in New Zealand.

The exchange has been running since August 1976. After visiting New Zealand in 1975, the then adjutant general of the British Army, General Blacker, proposed a four-month working exchange of UK, New Zealand and Australian personnel. Originally restricted to Army personnel, it was soon widened to include Air Force and Navy personnel.

“Many years ago, before we got to do all these operations, Long Look was regarded as the ‘Big Trip’ – it was the Army’s OE”, said Major Joseph Dowrick, GSO2 International Commitments at AGS. “It was a working opportunity – not a four-month tourist trip – that gave a lot of people a chance to see the world.” He said the aim of the exchange is to broaden the military experiences and knowledge of selected officers and NCOs, and to promote wider cooperation between the three Commonwealth armies.

This year, while the rest of us are enduring a cold, damp New Zealand winter, 36 New Zealand Defence Force personnel are enjoying record summer temperatures on the other side of the world. The contingent, comprised of 21 Army, nine Air Force and six Navy personnel, is in the UK from 7 May to 8 September on Exercise Long Look 2006.

“The soldiers and officers have fitted into their host units extremely well and have also been well received by their units, with comments made about their professionalism, training standards and their positive attitudes. The Kiwis have latched on to every opportunity that has come their way”, said WO1 Lou Kirby, who is accompanying the personnel on their exercise. She says a few have even made noises about trying to keep their Kiwis!

LBDR Ian Hutton, 16 Fd Regt, sailed up to Scotland on exercise. This included a week at Cape Wrath doing a live-fire exercise, consisting of artillery fire with NGS and US F15 jets flying in, all engaging the same target. 

This was followed by the two-week Exercise Iron Storm, in Larkhill – the biggest artillery exercise LBDR Hutton has seen. There were mortars, L118 Light Guns, AS90 155mm self-propelled guns and MLRS, and movements by air using helos (Sea Kings, Chinooks and Lynx) – a lot of rounds were fired.

CAPT Debbie Cromie, WSC, deployed to Kenya to take part in Exercise Sharp Point 2006, with 3CS Med Reg. She spent a week in BATUK (British Army Training Unit Kenya) attending medical clinics for HIV patients or children of Aids sufferers. 

She also spent three weeks in Lesirikan, conducting three five-day patrols where they travelled to remote areas in the Samburu District to provide essential immunisation and primary healthcare to communities. The unit gave 4,012 vaccinations and saw 3,618 people with healthcare problems.

The most common ailments were musculoskeletal (shoulder and backache), headache, malaria, and intestinal worms. There were some interesting conditions, such as 10-year-old snake bites (perhaps a little late for treating that one). The most interesting cultural activity was a post-wedding dance performed by the local warriors. They were very colourful, sporting chest and head adornments made from feathers, beads and buttons.

During his attachment to the Band of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, SGT Tyme Marsters, of the NZ Army Band, had a three-week tour of Germany based at Rheindahlen Military Complex (JHQ). Their first job was at Bad Lippsgringe, playing for a low-key Beir Festival-type activity. Then they were off to a few retreats around JHQ, Hannover and Bonn, followed by a 10-day tour around Berlin, Keil, Hohne and Fallinbostel.

LT Philip McMillan and CPL Glenn Savage, 1 RNZIR, have spent two months on Exercise Med Man in Canada. The exercise, based upon conventional, high intensity war fighting as part of an Armoured Battle Group, was followed by a simulation exercise against an OPFOR on the plains of Alberta.

SGT Anthony Russell, Force MP Coy, was attached to 111 Pro Coy, Hohne Station, Germany for two weeks.  Following orientation, he spent his first week as an observer on RMP patrols of the garrisons. He spent his second week participating in training designed to reintegrate staff into the unit after their return from Op Telic (Iraq). While in Germany, he visited Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp, Celle and Hamberg. 

LT Aaron Soppet, 2/1 RNZIR, has been attached to the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards based in Windsor, as an anti-tank platoon commander. He has noticed some differences between the New Zealand and UK armies. Where 2/1 RNZIR are training, conducting PT or deploying on operations, the Coldstream Guards have been rotated into at least two years of “public duties”, such as providing parades and guard mounts in a variety of locations. So far, they have been in constant demand, and their busy schedule has left little time for normal military training.

LT Soppet has also noticed many similarities between the New Zealand and British armies, such as our orders, kit, and procedures. “Both our armies are very alike, and differ mainly in small ways such as traditions and formalities. In the Coldstreamers, the only officer saluted by other officers is the CO”, says LT Soppet.

A highlight of his trip was adventure training around the Spanish island of Majorca, in the Mediterranean, sailing on the Household Division’s yacht Gladeye. Another highlight was attending a Javelin conversion course, where he fired a live Jav round. He considers the Jav “one great bit of kit”.

Before returning to New Zealand, LT Soppet will attend the UK FIBUA instructor’s course, visit Edinburgh and try to catch up with some of the Paras in Cardiff.

SGT Bung Warner, WSC, attended Exercise Bavarian Surprise: one week’s summer adventure training in Germany. The exercise gives 55 sailors and marines a taste of the career opportunities available to them.

However, because the weather was unseasonably cold – with snow down to 700m (Bavaria is at 800m) – some activities had to be cancelled. However, this proved to be a bonus. The 55 sailors and marines were able to explore Munich and visit a WWII concentration camp at Dachar, which SGT Warner described as “a very graphic and humbling experience for us all’.

The weather also allowed them to get in some snowboarding, with virtually the entire mountain to themselves. The personnel also participated in planned adventure training activities such as mountain biking, white-water rafting, and indoor rock climbing.

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