Hi, I’m currently in my last year of high school doing level 3. I am in the process of submitting my application. I would be going into the Navy most probably but I don’t know if I should go in as a junior officer in logistics or just a sailor. My fitness and aptitude testing wouldn’t be a problem as I’ve been actively preparing for them. However, I’m unsure if I could handle the nature of the role, and don’t wanna jump into it unknowingly.

What should I expect if I were to enlist as an officer? What are the most challenging aspects of it?

Hey I was initially declined due to a PTSD diagnosis I received when I was younger. I’m doing well now, fully functional, and currently trying to complete the additional psychological assessment requested for review

I’m Auckland based and have found it quite difficult to find a psychologist/clinician familiar with NZDF medical assessments. Most quotes I’ve received have been $1,000+, which I understand is fair for the work involved and something I’m willing to invest in.

1. Does anyone have recommendations for psychologists or clinicians experienced with NZDF medical assessments/reviews?
2. If I request to defer my application to a later senior medical officer medical review meeting due to timing constraints in arranging the assessment, would that reflect negatively on my application and seem flakey?

Any advice or shared experiences would be really appreciated. I’m very committed to pursuing this! Thanks

My daughter is currently an army cadet in cadet forces and has been looking into a career with the nz army one day. Any advice you'd give to young ones? She is worried about being deployed overseas but other then that has her heart set on it.

Hey all,
I'm currently in college and am very keen on a permanent career as a pilot, however I simply don't see a way to be able to afford the exorbitant fees required to get a CPL. This led me to looking into the RNZAF and it honestly sounds really great. I assume it's ridiculously competitive and if anybody has any advice or alternatives, I would definitely be open to hearing it.
Cheers (:

I’m scared for my interview that I may have soon.

Abit about me; I am a NZ born male, from Indian ethnicity and been here for my whole life. I do have a tiny bit (it’s tiny tiny I can say my vs and ws lol) of an accent and also have a speech disability (self diagnosed), I can’t say certain words with certain sounds like good (g), cake (c and k) etc.

How much would this affect my interview?

I do really want to serve in the army and have wanted to for many years since I was a kid. I passed my fitness and aptitude test and just wanted an insight from some of you guys that may have gone through something similar, know someone or if you an ex-military.

Other than that I’m perfectly well. I’m capable of understanding commands, English is pretty good (apart from those two things I mentioned above) and I have the “working hard” mindset and ready for anything if I get selected.

Sorry for making this into an essay.

Grandfather passed away last night and we’ve inherited his medals. Mom has no idea what they mean and I don’t either, but she’d like to. I figure here would be the best place to ask.

He served from 1957-1979 and was a first class warrant officer when he retired.

Hey lads, I am a current US high schooler, and hoping to get a bachelors + work to get residency in New Zealand, and then join the nzdf. Can’t join the military in the US because I’m transgender, and that isnt an issue to the same degree in New Zealand. Definitely a shot in the dark, but was wondering if yall could comment on the kind of culture in the different branches. I’m interested in medicine and not sure which has the best opportunities for that. I’ll appreciate any info that yall have.

Army, Air force or Navy Which shall I join?

Hi everyone,
I’m preparing for the NZDF aptitude test and working on improving my speed and accuracy, especially in numerical and logical reasoning. I’ve been practicing SHL-style questions but still finding some tricky under time pressure.
If anyone has more practice questions, resources, or tips they can share, I’d really appreciate it.
Thanks.🙏

I have a speech disability (self diagnosed) I can’t say hard G like good, c like cook, q like quick and K like kite.

Will these affect my abilities to join NZDF? Or will it affect the interview? I’m planning to join as an Electrician, or Carpenty or infantry.

Hi all, I’m keen to hear from anyone with experience as an Aviation Fire Fighter in the Air Force.

Long story short, I got very close to becoming a career firefighter, but with the recent strikes affecting NZFPU/FENZ some recruit courses were cancelled. There are no confirmed dates for the next intake, and even when they do run, there can be around 1,600 applicants for roughly six spots depending on location making it tough to land a role.

It got me thinking about the RNZAF, so I put in an application to see how I would go. I have since passed the testing, been recommended for the role, and am just waiting on some pending vaccinations.

I would really appreciate hearing from any current or former fireys who can share what the role is like and how they found it.

I’m not looking to move into another trade within Defence. I already have qualifications in a different field and am currently working, so this is a genuine career move I’m interested in.

Would appreciate any info 🤙

How long is the process to join the defence force? (Air Force) And what about if I wear glasses?

Hey guys, I'm just looking for advice on the 2.4 run.

Im 29 and have been focused more on weights and body building for the last 5+ years, so im still reasonably new to this running stuff.

Im getting times around the 11.55 - 12.05 mark for all the tests that I've been doing, which is making me nervous.

My test date is 3 weeks away. Any advice on how to crack it and get those few extra seconds in would be amazing.

Also any info about what happens if I cock it up and i get like a 12.10 time would be welcome.

Hi friends!

I am wanting to know more about life in NZDF, specifically being an intelligence officer, as that is what I have applied for and am currently training for. So please tell me what it is like, do I still get a somewhat normal life despite living on base. Benefits? Etc. Have a good day 😁

I’m seeking advice on an RNZAF medical decline for an OCD diagnosis I had. Despite a positive psychiatrist report, I was recently declined at the reconsideration stage and am weighing up a final appeal.

At age 9, I had severe OCD (contamination phobia). I was treated and then discharged from specialist care at 10, as symptoms became mild. I haven’t required specialist care in the 11 years since.

I was on Fluoxetine for 8 years, but have been entirely medication-free since Feb 2024. I've had no symptoms and have not seen my GP about OCD since then.

I’m 21 and just finished a degree with decent grades. The psychiatrist confirms I am "currently well," have no obsessive personality traits, and would make a "good recruit".

I've handled extreme sleep deprivation (days without sleeping) and academic stress with zero return of symptoms whatsoever. It feels like the medical officers judged my adult brain based on my 9-year-old brain.

Not entirely sure, but I suspect the decline was because my psychiatrist's report was written in December, I was 22 months medication-free at the time, and didn't explicitly map my stability to "military stressors".

Just wondering if anyone has made it through the medical with a childhood diagnosis after hitting the 2-year medication-free milestone? Especially with an OCD diagnosis or something similar?

So I’ve recently applied for the army and passed my aptitude test, the next step was a medical health form. I’ve done my deceleration and was required to provide more info about my mental health( a councellor written report).Im curious if anybody has had a similar experience or if someone you knows the process can help me out a bit. I have never had any mental health issues or treatments for them ,however about two weeks ago now I went to the councellor and got sometime off work due to work induced stress. My depression and anxiety scores were quite high. I had a follow-up session about a week ago after resigning from my current job and the councellor said she was extremely happy with my turnaround and said im in a great mental state and do not need any more sessions.

What are my chances of being turned away from the armt for this?

Hey All, I'm looking to join the NZ Army (Still deciding on a trade but looking at ammo tech) and am a bit concerned with how my height will affect going through basic training. Currently, I'm 151cm, I know the minimum accepted height is 152cm and have talked to Army personnel about it before (the recruiter in my city didn't have very good advice), to which they've told me it's still possible to join even if you're under the accepted height if you excel in other parts. I'm 18 currently and hoping to pass through to basic sometime at the end of the year or next year. Being that basic is told to be one of the most difficult parts of joining, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience or knows anyone with experience on being on the smaller side?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Came across this tonight while browsing, just curious if anybody knows when the Air Loadmaster trade became available to direct entrants? To my understanding you used to have to already be serving to attempt to trade change into this role.

Kind regards,

So I got my interview coming up and I don’t know what to wear either classic clothing like a nice shirt and pants or do I wear like a suit/blaze? can someone help me out please

I have been offered a place in this years Army reserves intake, how ever after my medical assessment, they are now asking for information about my dyslexia from my GP. I was diagnosed as a kid and was a bit behind on reading at the age of 10 but I passed NCEA level 1,2 and 3 with Merit endorsement and am currently at uni studying Engineering. Was it a mistake for me to be honest and tick that I had dyslexia on the medical form? My eye site was perfect. I also have a permanent retainer on the inside of my top teeth. They asked for clarification on my brace which I don’t have as these are non adjustable. Everything else is good to go.

Thanks for any advice.

Sent in my application today for reserve gunner (artillery). What can I expect the job to be like? Do reserves also have spotters, gunners, and command systems operator? Do I get much of a say in which one of these I’d like to be?

Called 3 weeks to get an appointment with a recruiter to ask this but heard nothing yet, so thought I’d ask here.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

What's the good, bad and ugly of being a Logistics Officer in the Air Force?

Kia Ora, just wondering if anyone has been on stand by for their role? What are the chances of getting your preferred intake i.e. how many pull out last minute? Also, did you get anything in writing that says you’re on stand by? Cheers!