Warrant Officer Class One Denis Wanihi says there is a great variety of work in dealing with ammunition and his job has taken him around the world.
Warrant Officer Class One Denis Wanihi says there is a great variety of work in dealing with ammunition and his job has taken him around the world.
Keeping ammunition and explosives safe and stored correctly is the main role of a New Zealand Army ammunition technician, but a few times a year there is a chance to have some fun destroying it.
Expired, worn and damaged ammunition and explosives are disposed of every year under stringent safety conditions at Waiouru Military Training Area - a job that is a highlight for those involved.
Ten ammunition technicians work at the Waiouru depot. A big demolition schedule requires technicians from other depots and Linton’s 2nd Combat Services Support Battalion to support the Waiouru team.
Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Denis Wanihi, who is the chief ammunition technician and the depot manager at Waiouru, said it’s not just a matter of placing old ammunition in a pit and putting explosives on top of it.
There are techniques involved and all ammunition is different, with around two months of planning and preparation required for this particular demolition.
“An ammunition technician must know the ins and outs of what they are destroying so they can dispose of it correctly,” Wanihi said.
“A lot of this is learned through practical experience so ammunition technicians must attend as many of these demolitions as possible to progress in their careers.”
Waiouru Military Training Area provides a remote area for the NZ Army to dispose of expired, worn and damaged ammunition and explosives.
He said it provided a base knowledge and experience that soldiers take overseas on deployment or an exercise. Wanihi said the primary purpose was to keep everyone safe from ammunition.
“At the higher level you will also get to be involved and be a major planner in projects that are worth millions.”
Wanihi was born in Waverley in South Taranaki and attended St Joseph’s Convent School, Patea, and Patea Area School.
He was a recipient of the New Zealand Gallantry Medal for his work in Afghanistan.
“In Afghanistan, we received and collected caches of old, foreign and unknown munitions and destroyed them,” Wanihi said.
The job of an ammunition technician is a combination of logistics and supply as all ammunition must be safe and accounted for at every stage of its life, whether it’s in the depot or being used by soldiers in the field.
All new ammunition arriving in New Zealand is transported to a depot where it is checked again, counted and stored, under the management of an ammunition technician.
While a large part of what ammunition technicians do is compliance it’s also about managing risk and providing advice to units on use, handling and transport.
Ammunition technicians are frequently asked to accompany soldiers on international exercises to oversee the transport, storage and use, and safe return of ammunition.
Recent deployments include Australia, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, the US and the United Kingdom.
As a rule, where there is New Zealand ammunition, an ammunition technician will be close by. They are also required to work around planes and ships loading ammo for transport.
It takes about two years to train as an ammunition technician and between five and seven years to become fully qualified.
Wanihi said it was a great career because of its variety of work, both overseas and at home.
“We work with Army, Navy and Air Force - one day we are working with planes, another we are out in the field keeping ammo safe and ready to use for the troops. On another day we are walking through the training area looking for unexploded munitions to destroy.”
