Victoria University student and New Zealand Army Private Michael Rennie has defeated other competitors from Army and Navy Reserve Units around the country to take out the title of Defence Force Reservist of the Year.
Rennie, who is also undertaking a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting, gained first place after performing a series of military tasks including weapons handling, first aid, physical fitness, as well as a public speaking competition.
Reservists are part-time members of the army, allowing them to undertake study or other employment as well as serve in the Army, Navy or Air Force. They provide extra manpower to the New Zealand Defence Forces when needed for specific tasks, such as Defence Force operations in the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Afghanistan.
More recently, reservists have been helping out in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake. Rennie, a reservist since 2008, says joining the Army “was perfect timing, fitting in nicely around my university summer holidays”.
Rennie says that his title means a lot to him, as it was “a privilege to be representing everyone else in my unit”. He says that his role is “great fun and complements the skills I’m gaining at Victoria”.
Rennie intends to stay on as a reservist after the completion of his degree at the end of next year.