Squadron Leader Aaron Benton
Squadron Leader Aaron Benton, received the Distinguished Service Decoration, for services to the New Zealand Defence Force. He was serving with No 5 Squadron in September 2010, when a request was received to prepare an aircraft for a winter evacuation of an American citizen from Antarctica for specialist medical care. As an experienced Orion instructor pilot, he was called on to undertake this mission. The Orion left Christchurch to begin the mission on Sunday 12 September, with weather conditions expected to deteriorate about four hours after its departure from Antarctica. However, observations showed increasingly blizzard-like conditions and he made the decision to turn back. Two days later, the weather cleared and a successful landing was made. The outside temperature was minus 47 degrees Celsius at McMurdo Station. Squadron Leader Benton carefully considered both the safety of the crew and patient, as well as planning for refuelling, starting, taxiing and take-off. His attention to detail ensured that the patient, crew and aircraft remained safe at all times, despite the difficult environment and low temperatures.