Brendon Fraher retires

SERVING NEW ZEALAND FOR HALF A CENTURY

By Charlene Williamson

An Army officer with nearly 50 years service, Colonel (Rtd) Brendon Fraher has called it a day.

His career has taken him to all corners of the world, including Afghanistan, the former Rhodesia and the United States, but it’s his regimental appointments and commanding New Zealand soldiers that remain dearest to his heart.

COL Fraher enlisted into the New Zealand Army in January 1971. He undertook officer training at the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Australia and completed a Bachelor of Arts in Military Studies graduating to the rank of Lieutenant in December 1974 having been awarded the Sword of Honour.

He has held a wide variety of roles during his 50 years in the New Zealand Army and NZDF and has had two operational deployments – Rhodesia in 1979 and Afghanistan in 2007.

His regimental pedigree includes commanding a rifle platoon, adjutant, being a rifle company commander and the Commanding Officer of 2 nd /1 st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNIZR). He also spent time as an instructor at the Officer Cadet School in Waiouru.

His extensive list of staff appointments have all been in Wellington and include being the Military Secretary and Assistant Chief of Army Operations, Plans and Development and Training. He has also twice held the appointment of Deputy Chief of Army.

Within Headquarters NZDF he has been the Defence Inspector General, Project Manager for the initial Business Case and Cabinet Approval of Project Takatini, the consolidation of the Air Force at Ohakea, and Project Director for the building of the new interdepartmental Freyberg building in Aitken Street. He was a member of the Defence Transformation Programme team and of the steering group to establish Headquarters Joint Force New Zealand at Trentham.

He is also a graduate of the British Staff College, Camberley and the Australian Joint Services Staff College in Canberra. He was the Military Advisor in New Zealand’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

COL Fraher was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 for his service in Afghanistan.

He retired from the Army in 2009 and was appointed as Head of Corporate Support (Army) as a civilian. His most recent position was Head of Resource Optimisation (Army).

COL Fraher said the highlight of his military career has been the privilege of commanding New Zealand soldiers and that he will most definitely miss the people he has worked with.

His most rewarding appointment was as a Platoon Commander in 1 st Battalion,RNZIR in Singapore.

“Being in command of a rifle platoon was a great experience and one of the best military appointments I ever had. As a young platoon commander I learnt a great deal about soldiers and soldiering that prepared me well for my future in the Army, both in New Zealand and overseas.

“I really enjoyed my time in South East Asia and the quality and experience of the non-commissioned officers who were with me. As well as this company commanders Robert Upton, MBE and Grant Steel, DFC, both guided my development as a junior officer.

“I have spent all my working life in the Army and have had lots of different appointments; however the highlights have always been regimental appointments,” said COL Fraher.

He also enjoyed being the NZDF representative in support of the filming of The Lord of the Rings and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

There have been many changes in the last 50 years and COL Fraher said the increasing level of technology is something that has changed the way the Army operates today.

“The key changes have been the introduction of technology, the complexity of the equipment on issue and the quality of the clothing now provided,” he said. Chief of Army Major General John Boswell said it has been an absolute honour to have served with COL Fraher over many years. “My first encounter was when he was my Commanding Officer at 2/1 RNZIR in the late eighties.

“Latterly Brendon has completed a number of key headquarters appointments in Wellington, the most recent overseeing the maintenance and development of the Army estate – an area of critical importance to the future of our Army,” he said.

Late last year COL Fraher agreed to take up the position of Honorary Colonel 2/1 RNZIR.

“‘It’s great that Brendon will retain a link with Army by recently agreeing to his appointment as the Honorary Colonel of 2/1 RNZIR,” said MAJGEN Boswell.

COL Fraher said he would like to thank those people who had looked after him during his career and that he was looking forward to spending time with family and friends at his home in Wanaka.