Junkyard War Looms For Army Mechanics

New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa
Media Advisory
23 March 2010

Junkyard War Looms For Army Mechanics

Army mechanics will turn junk into treasure this weekend in a scrapheap build off that will see teams use old parts to build working mechanical contraptions set by a panel of judges.

The scrap yard challenge is part of the annual Logistic skills competition that will be held at Burnham Camp this weekend to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR).

The Army's best drivers, chefs, stewards, mechanics, suppliers and administrators will compete across the wide spectrum of trades that make up the RNZALR. Each of the trade groups of the regiment aims to demonstrate their excellence within trade whilst also highlighting the individual skill of its team members.

Drivers will negotiate varying driving tasks and situations they could be exposed to whilst deployed on operations as they compete for the Driver of the Year. This will see drivers use the wide variety of military vehicles the NZ Army operates including the UNIMOG, Pinzgauer and heavy lift truck and trailers.
Chefs will battle it out in the kitchen while stewards aim to provide top class service when they compete for the Roy Smith Trophy. They will be cooking up top class cuisine for invited guests including Chief of Army Major General Rhys Jones, local MP Amy Adams and the Selwyn District Mayor Kelvin Coe.

Supply technicians will encounter complex supply chain management issues as they battle for the Rickshaw Trophy; and the administrators will be required to solve many HR problems to gain recognition as the top administrator.

The weekend will also see soldiers demonstrating their fitness and shooting skills as they compete to win team and individual shooting matches.

Skills competitions are an integral part of being a soldier in the New Zealand Army and aims to demonstrate excellence within both trade and individual soldiering skills.

ENDS

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