NZDF engineer honoured for response work in Vanuatu

Warrant Officer Class 2 Rob Allen, a New Zealand Army engineer, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Decoration for his exceptional response to two critical emergencies in Vanuatu. The award recognizes his leadership during a light aircraft crash and a subsequent powerful earthquake.

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A little bit of a shock to be fair. Like most soldiers, I'm not great with getting awards. But I was grateful, just a bit humbled I suppose. It validates that I'm working in well with the soldiers over here and together we're doing a good job.

Allen, who has been seconded to the Vanuatu Mobile Force Engineer Squadron since 2023, described the award as unexpected and humbling. He stated that the recognition validates the strong working relationship he has with the soldiers in Vanuatu and their collective success in their duties.

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That has been the most rewarding piece for all of us. With plenty of doom and gloom in the world, when people are in need, then people all band together to go in and help.

In July 2024, Allen and his team were instrumental in responding to a plane crash near Port Vila. They cleared a path through dense vegetation, enabling ambulances to reach the wreckage and providing assistance to move the vehicles through difficult terrain. Allen noted the collaborative nature of this response as particularly rewarding, especially amidst global challenges.

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It was a big, big hit, felt like a train hit me outside of the building ... and then I saw everyone else heading outside, so I ran outside as well and there was a second, it was like a big shunt, chucked me to the ground, and then I just sort of started realising what had happened.

Just five months later, Allen found himself at the center of a larger crisis when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu. He was involved in assisting with evacuation efforts during a tsunami warning and later led his team to a collapsed building where survivors were trapped. The moment the first survivor was rescued from the rubble remains a vivid and significant memory for him, highlighting the importance of community banding together in times of need.

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One lady was out within about three hours. It was jubilation, everyone was cl