Robert Gillies

Major Robert Gillies, of Upper Hutt, received the Distinguished Service Decoration for services to the New Zealand Defence Force.  Major Gillies served within the United States Joint Task Force Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell in Afghanistan from October 2007 to April 2008 as the second in command for the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Team (IED).  He was stationed at the forward operating base in Khowst Province near the border with Pakistan.  During his deployment, he recorded 250 incidents involving IED devices and 185 events when the devices were recovered throughout Khowst and neighbouring provinces.  On numerous occasions, his ground convoy was ambushed with rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.  He travelled widely throughout Khowst conducting refresher training for coalition force members and constantly looked for ways to devise and enhance protection measures for coalition forces against a rapidly developing IED threat.  Major Gillies work contributed to the development of counter IED tactics, techniques and procedures, which has reduced casualties from IED incidents among both coalition force members and the local Afghan population.