Shirley Patton
Shirley Patton, of North Shore, pictured with Commodore Bruce Pepperell, Deputy Chief of Navy, received the Distinguished Service Decoration for services to the New Zealand Defence Force. Warrant Officer Patton (then as a Chief Petty Officer) joined HMNZS Te Mana in 2007 as the ship's Naval Policeman, a role she had previously filled on HMNZS Te Kaha during an operational deployment to the Middle East. She was required to take up this new appointment within a short period of time and provided both knowledge and experience to ensure that the new ship's company acquired the necessary operational capabilities needed for deployment to the Arabian Gulf. A combination of the ship's major maintenance period in late 2007, together with significant personnel changes, saw HMNZS Te Mana at a very basic level of aviation capability in early 2008. She played a key role in fully restoring this capability. During the ship's deployment, in addition to her role of maintaining discipline onboard, she acted as a mentor and adviser to the younger members of the ship's company. Warrant Officer Patton also set a personal example for the junior female ratings, particularly with her attitude towards service at sea.