Well done, lads!

Huey14 · 12-16-2004, 22:07

Secret NZ soldiers win US honours

17.12.04
By MARTIN JOHNSTON and JULIET ROWAN

New Zealand's top military unit, the Special Air Service, has been honoured by US President George W. Bush for its involvement in the war in Afghanistan.

The New Zealand Government last night confirmed that the secretive SAS unit received a unit citation and a personal commendation for its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Kelly, from the United States.

The Government has been tight-lipped about SAS involvement in the conflict.

Defence Force press officer Commander Sandy McKie last night confirmed that President Bush presented the citation to the SAS. She said Colonel Kelly received it in San Diego.

Helen Clark's spokesman, Mike Munro, said the Defence Force told the Prime Minister's office about the award a week ago. He did not know whether she planned to make a public announcement.

The LawFuel.com website reported that President Bush gave the award on December 7 in recognition of the SAS contribution to the American-led war in Afghanistan.

LawFuel, an independent international news service for lawyers run from New Zealand, said the unit citation was given by President Bush to members of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, consisting of units from the United States, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Germany and Norway.

Helen Clark said in March that an SAS unit would carry out direct action and long-range reconnaissance missions during a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

She said in the first week of April that up to 50 SAS troops had gone to Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister has consistently refused to reveal the scope of SAS activity in Afghanistan. But documents leaked from Defence Force headquarters in May said the troops would take part in combat missions under the control of American forces.

Their activities would include quick strikes and other small-scale offensive operations. They would also engage in raids, ambushes, direct assaults, attacks from the air, ground or sea, guide "precision weaponry", and conduct independent sabotage and "anti-ship" operations.

The SAS troops would help American forces to assess enemy activities, secure data on particular areas and engage in post-strike reconnaissance.

A little more information about the SAS unit came when two of its soldiers were wounded in Afghanistan in June during a pre-dawn raid with other forces. A unit commander revealed that the forces were operating on their own in and were "a long, long way from the normal conventional forces".

Mr Munro said it was unlikely President Bush's award would result in more information being revealed.

National Party defence spokesman John Carter said he did not know about the award, but it came as no surprise.

"They are outstanding individuals who have done us proud," he said. It was great that another country had recognised their contribution.

The Green Party's defence spokesman, Keith Locke, said the award put the Government in an embarrassing position. It highlighted New Zealand's involvement in a "dirty war" fought alongside American troops.

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I'm very pleased about this.

**Ambush Master** · 12-16-2004, 22:22

Congrats out to them !!!

Hell, it took 30 years before some of our own US units received recognition for what we did (SOG).

I say stand PROUD and 'ta hell with those that consider this a "Dirty War" !! Hell, all wars are dirty to those that have to fight them !! I find it less than amusing and even less HONORABLE, that the ones that squabble about and belittle those that are conducting the "War" are those that are so GUTLESS that they wouldn't/couldn't defend themselves from those that the Courageous are prosecuiting !!!

Huey, please let your fellow countrymen know, that MANY of us would stand by them ANY DAY !!!

Many Thanks for the info !!

Martin

BearFlag · 12-16-2004, 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambush Master

Congrats out to them !!!

Hell, it took 30 years before some of our own US units received recognition for what we did (SOG).

I say stand PROUD and 'ta hell with those that consider this a "Dirty War" !! Hell, all wars are dirty to those that have to fight them !! I find it less than amusing and even less HONORABLE, that the ones that squabble about and belittle those that are conducting the "War" are those that are so GUTLESS that they wouldn't/couldn't defend themselves from those that the Courageous are prosecuiting !!!

Huey, please let your fellow countrymen know, that MANY of us would stand by them ANY DAY !!!

Many Thanks for the info !!

Martin

I second that, I have the pleasure of knowing a few people who served with the kiwis in the stan and they all said that they were soldiers of excellent caliber and ability. This recognition is definitely an honor they should wear proudly.

Huey14 · 12-17-2004, 02:07

The funny thing is, I doubt they would have had much recognition from our own governenment. They seem to treat the military as something to be simply tolerated, and a nesercerry evil. Which is obviously the wrong idea. I'm not in on the inner working of the SAS though so I could be wrong.

The last sentance I think the reporter threw in as a joke, since that's all the Green Party is. They don't have a leader, because that would be putting one person over the other. So they have "Co-Leaders".

You know the funniest thing though? We've heard more info about the SAS in the Ghan from the White House than our own govt! LOL.

**Bill Harsey** · 12-17-2004, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambush Master

Congrats out to them !!!

Hell, it took 30 years before some of our own US units received recognition for what we did (SOG).

I say stand PROUD and 'ta hell with those that consider this a "Dirty War" !! Hell, all wars are dirty to those that have to fight them !! I find it less than amusing and even less HONORABLE, that the ones that squabble about and belittle those that are conducting the "War" are those that are so GUTLESS that they wouldn't/couldn't defend themselves from those that the Courageous are prosecuiting !!!

Huey, please let your fellow countrymen know, that MANY of us would stand by them ANY DAY !!!

Many Thanks for the info !!

Martin

What Ambush Master says! Good job Guys!

**Roguish Lawyer** · 12-17-2004, 08:33

Smashing! Brilliant! Or whatever you lads say down under!

NousDefionsDoc · 12-17-2004, 08:35

Attack Force Z! Good job.

Tuukka · 12-17-2004, 10:07

Who Dares Wins

Btw, what color is the boathouse at Hereford or should i say Auckland in this case...

**Airbornelawyer** · 12-17-2004, 13:54

Congratulations to them.

The article is a little vague on details, but what they received was the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. The members of Task Force K-Bar were cited in a ceremony in San Diego at the Naval Special Warfare Command. For units, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation is equivalent to the Navy Cross for individuals.

Besides the NZSAS, also cited were units of the US Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, AFSOC and other US personnel in the Task Force, and the TF's other foreign SOF from the Australian SASR, the German KSK, Canada's JTF-2, the Danish Fromandskorps and Jægerkorps, Norway's Marinejegerkommandoen and the Hærens jegerkommando and Turkey's ÖKK.

I don't know what Lt. Col. Peter Kelly's "personal commendation" was, but I suspect a Bronze Star, as the Australian SAS task force commander received one earlier for those operations.

CPTAUSRET · 01-13-2005, 11:43

Late to the thread, and I agree with what's been said.

But why would they publish the CO's name??

Hell, it's a secret unit, and they publish his name...

Terry

zeroalpha · 01-13-2005, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPTAUSRET

Late to the thread, and I agree with what's been said.

But why would they publish the CO's name??

Hell, it's a secret unit, and they publish his name...

Terry

The CO's name is public knowledge. Just like the Brit SAS - same deal. He is the only unit member ever identified. That however, is (normally) the only name thats ever published, unless someone makes a cock up... as happened not so long ago.

I wont go into details, but it can (and does) happen. For various reasons....

CPTAUSRET · 01-13-2005, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeroalpha

The CO's name is public knowledge. Just like the Brit SAS - same deal. He is the only unit member ever identified. That however, is (normally) the only name thats ever published, unless someone makes a cock up... as happened not so long ago.

I wont go into details, but it can (and does) happen. For various reasons....

Yeah, not too long ago someone was presented a medal and had his picture flashed all over the world.