Building resilience in our reservist soldiers
Around 50 reservists from the lower North Island came together at Waiouru Military Training Area recently to hone their live firing and combat skills.
26 November, 2024
The officer responsible for Exercise Hindenburg Lieutenant Colonel Shaun O’Connor said reservists from 5/7 Batallion focussed on weapon handling, combat tactics, professional development and teamwork in a field environment.
“It’s about ensuring our reservists have training in the latest weapons, such as the new rifle mounted scopes and night vision equipment so they can integrate more easily with our Regular Force soldiers. Reservists need to be trained to a level so they can be confidently deployed alongside our regular troops when necessary and within the response times,” said Lt Col O’Connor.
He said reservists often get deployed overseas into combat zones with NZ Army Regular Force troops so it’s important the reservist soldiers are confident in their skills and ready to step up.
“In exercises such as this we put the reservists through scenarios attempting to replicate the same stress and strains they would find in combat. They have to be proficient in weapon handling and live firing, understand health and safety and the terms of engagement, individual application of tactics and junior leadership as well as working as a team to achieve their mission. They are challenged mentally and physically as we build resilience, determination and controlled aggression,” said Lt Col O’Connor.
The exercise also provided an opportunity for reservist officers to put their leadership and command skills into practice through the application of DATE - IP (Decisive Action Training Environment, Indo-Pacific) on a tactical exercise without troops (TEWT). This was alongside practical activities including the use of 3D printed models to better visualise the ORBATs (Orders of Battle), structures and employment of friendly and enemy forces.