PARSONS, Christopher John

M56016, Lieutenant Colonel, The New Zealand Special Air Service

CITATION

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Appointed an Additional Member in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2000

New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration

Queen's Birthday Honours List 2011

Lieutenant Colonel PARSONS served in Afghanistan from August 2010 to January 2011 as the Senior National Officer for Operation Watea, which is

a Special Operations Task Force to protect Kabul from insurgent attacks and to help develop a robust and ethical Afghan Counter Terrorist Police

Force.  He was the third commander to lead the mission, which incorporates some of the most sophisticated support ever deployed by the New

Zealand Defence Force. He built on the solid foundation laid down by his predecessors by expanding the relationship between the senior leadership

of the Afghan Crisis Response Unit, Ministry of Interior and other Afghan government agencies. Through his efforts, the New Zealand Special Air

Service is now a recognised leader in the partnering and mentoring of indigenous forces in a counter-terrorist and counter insurgency framework.

KNOWN AWARDS

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)

New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration

New Zealand Operational Service Medal

New Zealand General Service Medal (Afghan Primary)

NOTES

Born

Died

THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT