New Vice Chief of Defence Force appointed
DefenceDefence Minister Phil Goff announced today that Rear Admiral Jack Steer will become the next Vice Chief of Defence Force (VCDF).
Rear Admiral Steer, a navy officer, is currently the Commander of Joint Forces and he will take up his new appointment in February 2008, following the retirement of Air Vice-Marshal David Bamfield, the current VCDF.
Rear Admiral Steer was born in Christchurch and joined the navy in 1973. He has held a variety of appointments including commanding the frigate HMNZS Wellington during an operational deployment in the Arabian Gulf and Military Adviser to the New Zealand Mission to the UN. Rear Admiral Steer was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 1995 Queen’s Birthday Honours List and assumed his current appointment in May 2006.