Wellington woman experiencing military life in the jungle
Wellington student Holly Neale has swapped her text books for the jungles of Malaysia for the next few weeks as she takes part in a large multinational military exercise.
Private Neale, a full-time student, is one of more than 50 New Zealand Army Reservists from all over the country taking part in Exercise Bersama Lima, a military exercise held each year involving forces from New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and the United Kingdom. These countries signed the Five Power Defence Arrangement in 1971 as a commitment to defence co-operation and regional stability in South East Asia.
Private Neale, who lives in Hataitai, is studying for a Bachelor of Sociology and International Relations, with minors in Cultural Anthropology and Political Science, at Victoria University.
She is following in the military footsteps of her parents, both of whom served in the New Zealand Army.
“Dad joined at 16 because he wanted to be independent and seek adventure and ended up being a sniper,” she said. “Mum joined at 18 and spent most of her career in the Military Police. She wanted to do a job that wasn’t stereotypically feminine. There is a significant element of me also that wants to continue to show people that women can be strong and are not afraid to get stuck in.
“I also saw this as a great way to challenge myself, to develop as a person and learn amazing new skills. You get to make new friends and test yourself in new environments with some of the best people you will ever meet.
“Being a Reservist has improved my self-esteem and confidence, and has enabled me to develop skills I would never have gained otherwise. It just changes you as a person, for the better.
“I can’t wait to see where this experience takes me, either in civilian or military life.”
Private Neale is thrilled about the opportunity to train in Malaysia.
“It is such an amazing opportunity to develop my skills as a soldier in an unusual environment,” she said. “It is also great working with soldiers from our ally and partner nations.”
Exercise Bersama Lima, from 29 September to 19 October, is usually based in Singapore and takes place in the South China Sea and around the Malaysian Peninsula. It involves Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army, and Royal New Zealand Air Force units and supporting units conducting training with Five Power Defence Arrangement air, land and maritime assets.
Members of the New Zealand Army Reserve regularly work and train alongside their Regular Force counterparts in New Zealand and overseas. Their military training also strengthens the leadership, resilience, teamwork and focus they bring to their civilian roles — benefitting their employers and their communities.
When Private Neale returns from the exercise she will continue with an internship she is doing with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), working in a department focussing on strategy and the future of the NZDF.
“I am very excited to be able to apply some of the skills I have gained at university and apply them in a real-world setting that also relates to my passion for the Army,” she said. “I hope to work for the NZDF full time and get some knowledge and experience under my belt, while continuing to train as a soldier with the Reserves.”
