A Tauranga man is taking part in taking part in an Australian-led warfighting exercise.
Major Jacob Murray is the Officer Commanding of the Alpha Company, 1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, and is currently taking part in Exercise Hamel.
The New Zealand Army's participation in Exercise Hamel continues the longhistory of the two militaries working together and highlights NZ Army's continued focus on training, on interoperability with local militaries, and on remaining a key ally within the South West Pacific.
Around 260 New Zealand troops are training alongside 4200 Australian soldiers in the Australian Army's annual foundation warfighting exercise, which is being held in Townsville in Northern Queensland from 7 July to 1 August.
"It's always a great experience working with our closest military partner," said MAJ Murray, who led the Kiwi combat team attached to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment during Exercise Hamel.
"The Australians ensured we were attached to various units and worked with assets that we don't have back home. All our Army personnel will go away with a better understanding of how Australians do business, what operating at a brigade level looks like and how to translate command intent on the ground."
The son of a retired Air Force Warrant Officer, MAJ Murray joined the Army after graduating from Tauranga Boys' College in 1998. "My father didn't push me to join the military but I guess being exposed to the military lifestyle from a young age drew me to it."
With support from the NZ Army MAJ Murray studied at Victoria University of Wellington, where in 2001 he completed a degree in commerce, majoring in management and public policy.
He has previously been deployed to the Solomon Islands and to Belize, where he trained the British infantry and other allied forces in jungle warfare. He also worked for two years at the British Army's Land Warfare Centre in southwest England, helping coordinate and plan their exercises overseas.
"Army life is anything but routine and mundane. It is a great career choice," said MAJ Murray.
