For Trooper Alex Jansen this year's Anzac Day commemoration at Ohinemutu was different.
Mr Jansen arrived back late Tuesday night from Afghanistan and attended the dawn ceremony with his father Erik Jansen.
"I felt obligated and this year it felt different than in previous years."
The 21-year-old soldier said he could relate to Anzac Day more now that he had served overseas. He has been to a number of dawn parades but is now one of the returned servicemen. He can't elaborate on the fighting he and his unit were involved in but said it wasn't that dangerous.
His unit, Victor Company of First Battalion, was in Afghanistan for seven-and-a-half months. They were originally deployed for six months but it was extended.