RNZAF Force Protection is the Royal New Zealand Air Force unit responsible for Base Security and Investigations, Ground Defence, Service Policing, Physical Fitness and Core Military Skills. The unit currently operates under the "Expeditionary Support Squadron", and has several different specialties which include Physical Training Instructors, Survival Instructors, Military Working Dog Handlers, and Force Protection Operators/Specialists (FPSPEC's). All personnel operate under the "Force Protection" umbrella but maintain their speciality.
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Force Protection traces its lineage back to the RNZAF Police. In 1999 many areas of the Air Force underwent significant change, cost saving and disbandment. The RNZAF Police was no exception and in a controversial move this saw the amalgamation of General Service Instructors (GSI's) with the RNZAF Police. The RNZAF moved away from a sole focused policing role, and a role more suited to ground defence and base security with policing as a secondary service. A name change in 2000 to encompass the new trade, saw it become "Air Security Police", the new unit were deployed to East Timor in 1999/2000 and also the Solomon Islands in 2003. A further name change in 2010 has seen the present name of "Force Protection", this is to encompass the broad range of skills and different specialites.
Applicants attend a 3 day selection in order to be considered for training on the full time 16 week Force Protection course. After being selected and initially completing RNZAF Recruit Course, successful applicants are then placed on the intensive 16 week course and training is then conducted at RNZAF Base Woodbourne, where trainees learn advanced ground defence, physical fitness, patrolling, camoflauge and concealment, bushcraft, survival techniques, base security and investigations, weapons, CBRN, and instructional techniques. On successful completion of the course trainees are then posted to an operational unit either at RNZAF Base Ohakea or RNZAF Base Auckland. A small Security and Investigations Detachment is based at RNZAF Base Woodbourne.
All Force Protection personnel complete Military Self Defence courses and this is completed annually. Personnel also complete Heavy and Light 4WD courses to ensure they are competent in all aspects of on-road and off-road driving.
After two years posted to a unit and completing four senior modules in this period FPOPR's then obtain an increase in rank (moving up to an LAC), and are redesignated as FPSPEC's, where team members then choose to stream into one of three roles, Physical Training Instructors, Security Police/Dog Unit, or Ground Defence. Physical Training Specialists then go on to complete the full six month course run in conjunction with the NZ Army, and Royal NZ Navy at RNZAF Base Woodbourne, Ground Defence Specialists then go onto complete further training such as CBRN Instructors, and Weapons and Range Instructors courses. Security & Investigations Specialists then complete further Service Police training, or become Military Working Dog Handlers. All MP training is carried out at the NZ Army base in Trentham, this is currently a tri-service school and uses instructors from all three services, Army, Navy and Air Force. All personnel complete an intensive three month course and then return to their respective units. There are also attachments to the RNZAF Survival School where a two year posting would then see members return to their original unit.
FPSPEC's are also responsible for all drill and weapons training for RNZAF Personnel. Command and Recruit Training Squadron (CRTS) at RNZAF Base Woodbourne have a number of FPSPEC's to instruct and train Officer Cadets and Recruits in their initial phases of training.
Force Protection is tasked with protecting RNZAF assets and its personnel, military discipline, investigations and general police and security duties. Air Transport Security Missions and VIP flights aboard Air Force aircraft are usually a regular occurrence and exercises overseas has seen many team members of Force Protection travel extensively throughout both New Zealand and the world.
Force Protection unit is usually commanded by a junior officer such as a Flight Lieutenant and Senior NCO's such as Sergeants acting as a 2IC. A Warrant Officer may also act as a flight commander. Usually a Corporal will command the junior team members.
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