McASLAN, Hugh Richard

Lieutenant Colonel, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

CITATION

New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration

Queen's Birthday Honours List 2012

Lieutenant Colonel McASLAN served in Afghanistan as the Senior Military Advisor with the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team from April to September 2011. During this period, the responsibility for governance and security of Bamyan province was formally handed over to the Afghan authorities. At the same time, the Provincial Reconstruction Team was required to develop strategies to prevent insurgents from disrupting the transition. He also adopted tactics that allowed the Provincial Reconstruction Team to provide a greater presence and level of security in the strategically important north eastern district of Bamyan, without incurring casualties to insurgent attacks on two separate occasions. He also initiated a plan to provide the Provincial government with the means and resources to maintain security in Bamyan when New Zealand forces leave the province. The plan he developed has become the blueprint for how New Zealand will meet the considerable challenges associated with the transition process. The framework has now been set for the New Zealand Defence Force to meet its obligations, in accordance with New Zealand government directives, to train and mentor an Afghan national police force that will eventually assume the responsibility for security in Bamyan.

KNOWN AWARDS

New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration

New Zealand Operational Service Medal

New Zealand General Service Medal Afghanistan (Primary)

NOTES

Born

Died

THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT