SGT Binney - 6 Hauraki Battalion Group

6 Hauraki Battalion Group soldier of the month is an Army Reserve (ARes) soldier who typifies the hard-working and committed ARes individual that comprise 6 Hauraki Battalion Group personnel.

SGT Binney lives on the North Shore of Auckland and serves with the Waikato Mounted Rifles, a sub-unit of the 6 Hauraki Battalion Group, based in Tauranga.

SGT Binney is not extraordinary for his military or civilian achievements, rather for the fact that he, like many New Zealanders, makes a contribution to our community. A contribution that, in this case, involves two separate and entirely different careers.

SGT Binney originally joined 3 Auck North in 1985 and did three years with Mortar platoon.

He re-enlisted with 3 Auck North in 1995, serving with reconnaissance platoon, until the reconnaissance roll was dropped with the restructuring of the TF SGT Binney then transferred to WaiWec squadron in 1999 to continue in a reconnaissance roll. This move involved a trade change to crewman.

SGT Binney deployed to East Timor with 2/1 RNZIR on "batt 2" during  May to October 2000, during which time he served with the Signals platoon; working in the CP, on retrans sites with the Fijians and as the tracking team signaler.

SGT Binney returned to WaiWec Squadron, now the Waikato Mounted Rifles, where he has held the position of Troop Corporal and Acting Troop Sergeant for the last year.

One of the things that SGT Binney most enjoys about the TF is the broad mix of people in the unit (and in the Army), that he would not have normally have had the opportunity to engage with.

SGT Binney's civilian occupation is as a Project manager running large construction sites. He is also a part time dive instructor, a keen hunter and trail bike rider with a very understanding partner,  as he is seldom at home during the weekends.

SGT Binney was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant. The promotion was awarded by the Commanding Officer of 6 Hauraki Battalion Group, LCOL Julian Sewell, and the Chief of Army, MAJ GEN Rhys Jones. SGT Binney talks of the ARes giving him the opportunity of meeting people that he might seldom meet in the course of his civilian career or other community involvement. Being promoted by a Major-General has to be one of those instances of 'meeting people' that SGT Binney talks of!

It is the ability to operate successfully in two vocational streams that demonstrates this citizens flexibility and determination of purpose. For individuals in full time paid employment, fulfilling the obligations of public service, in this case through part-time service in the ARes, is time hungry and demanding in the stress such duality imposes on domestic life. 

There can be little doubt that the skill and leadership qualities developed by ARes personnel such as SGT Binney, will flow over into their domestic, work and other community activities, to the advantage of all.