THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT
STAMP Gordon
Commander, Royal New Zealand Navy

CITATION
Chief of Defence Commandation
CDR Gordon STAMP enlisted in the RNZN as a Lieutenant Commander in 2002 after a successful career with the RN. He was appointed as JSO2 Maritime Doctrine in the newly formed HQ JFNZ. It was evident that a formal process needed to be put in place to document the lessons learned from current and previous deployments. This would ensure the NZDF moved forward in the planning of operations and exercises, made the most of a limited personnel numbers and ensured that time and effort was not lost relearning previous mistakes. Then LTCDR STAMP identified the requirement for an automated lessons learned database and assumed responsibility for the development of the NZDF Electronic Activity Reporting and Lessons Learned System (EARLLS). He set about his task with vigour and enthusiasm, utilising his keen intellect and superior project management skills, along with his experience, to ensure the successful development and implementation of EARLLS throughout the NZDF. He was able to gain consensus amongst a diverse group of stakeholders to produce a mature system that not only has been fully accepted by the NZDF, but is also being used by the ADF as a benchmark for their own lessons learned architecture. As a consequence of his superior professionalism and work ethic, the NZDF now has a very powerful and useful tool which provides considerable operational benefits and opportunities for the entire organisation.

KNOWN AWARDS
Chief of Defence Commandation