NZSAS Corp.Willie Apiata VC voted most trusted again:

NZ SAS Corporal Willie Apiata was awarded the very first Victoria Cross For New Zealand for his bravery under fire in Afghanistan in 2004. His name and achievement were publically released when he was photographed - once more in action - in Kabul Afghanistan in 2010 by a French photojournalist Philip Poupin. - The identity of all members of SAS forces are usually strictly preserved as secret - to protect them from the risk of revenge attacks.

Note: there are 21 New Zealand holders of the Imperial Victoria Cross from earlier conflicts.

Willie Apiata now works teaching outdoor adventure skills to young people and continues as a member of the NZSAS Reserve Forces. He was voted as New Zealands most trusted public figure for the fourth time in the recent 10th Annual NZ Readers Digest Trust Survey.

As a strong supporter of our Armed Forces and Police I whole-heartedly approve and agree with his awards and his selection again as the most trusted well known New Zealander.

I can't help but observe that while the majority of our citizens are said to be strongly anti-gun and distrusting of gun owners - they have voted - for the fourth time - to choose a trained armed warrior as their most trusted fellow citizen.

Cap Badge of the New Zealand Special Air Service.

The NZSAS Regiment has responsibility for undertaking overseas Special Operations missions and domestic Counter-Terrorist operations and was awarded in 2004 the United States Presidential Citation for their activities in Afghanistan.

I really am intrigued that a member of this regiment - whose cap-badge symbol is a banned import double-edged fighting dagger - can maintain such high esteem with general folk.



  2010 Afghanistan Photo by Poupin.

It's good that we still retain some sound judgement of who to trust and who to be proud-of.

 -We should all take note that our New Zealand politicians scored 47th - as being "self-seeking and tiresome" - the same score as sex workers !

 - Is "incongruous" the word I'm that I'm looking for - to describe a currently anti-gun country that so positively endorses one of their famous armed fighters?

Marty K
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