✨ Military Honours
14 OCTOBER 2011
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 156
4465
posed an imminent threat to both Coalition Forces and the local population. He was involved in neutralising the threat. On the same day, he provided assistance to members of two other EOD teams to recover and dismantle 12 suicide vests worn by insurgents. The insurgents had been killed before they were able to detonate their vests. This operation provided useful intelligence on the working components of the vests and how best to deal with them in any future encounters.
On 19 September 2010, he was the EOD vehicle gunner on a route clearance patrol to Bak District; this particular patrol often encounters small arms fire and indirect fire, as well as numerous IED finds or detonations. After 14 hours spent patrolling, his vehicle came to a sudden stop when an IED was spotted within two metres of the left
rear of the vehicle. He quickly scanned for threat elements and reported the potential danger to the patrol commander, who then made the decision to discontinue the patrol and to return to Forward Operating Base Salerno.
Warrant Officer Class Two Wanihi as a member of the Counter-IED team, 717th EOD Company, carried out his duties in a high threat environment. Many of the IEDs he encountered were notoriously volatile and he was exposed to stressful and dangerous situations on a regular basis.
Dated at Wellington this 1st day of October 2011.
REBECCA KITTERIDGE, Clerk of the Executive Council.
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NZ Gazette 2011, No 156
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New Zealand Gallantry Medal Awarded to Warrant Officer Class Two Denis Joachim Wanihi
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🛡️ Defence & Military1 October 2011
Gallantry Medal, Afghanistan, Military Honours, IED, EOD, Counter-IED, Bak District, Forward Operating Base Salerno
- Denis Joachim Wanihi (Warrant Officer Class Two), Awarded New Zealand Gallantry Medal
- REBECCA KITTERIDGE, Clerk of the Executive Council