How Our Air Force, Army And Navy Are Forces Of Change

Fleur Mealing meets three Kiwi women who have made a commitment to serve their country and discovers how our Air Force, Army and Navy are forces of change.

- Fleur Mealing

RAVINDER PHAGURA

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE

Not every little girl grows up dreaming of joining the Air Force. But at 14, Pilot Officer Ravinder Phagura knew that was exactly what she was going to do. And she was under no illusions about what the job would involve. “I guess people think that we always go to war,” she laughs. “I think New Zealand has quite a modern military and it’s not all about war. We do a lot of humanitarian aid and I don’t think people see that.”

The Air Force serves to protect New Zealand, including patrolling the waters of our economic exclusion zone, search and rescue operations and responding to natural disasters. They also work alongside the Army and the Navy in peacekeeping missions across the world.

But while her work is rarely conflict-based, Ravinder – who is the first-ever Sikh woman to join the Royal NZ Air Force – knows the commitment she has made to her country if war were ever to arise.

“Right at the beginning you sign the dotted line and a part of that is that you may have to give your life for the country. That’s a decision we have all made here, it’s something I understand and it’s something that I’m absolutely fine with,” she explains. “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”