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Get support
The support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.Currently servingWhile serving, the NZDF will take care of your health and wellbeing issues. If you have qualifying service, we may be able to provide you with home help. Register now with Veterans’ Affairs, and when you need some support, we’ll be ready to help you.Ex-servingWe can provide you with health, rehabilitation and financial support if you have a condition related to your service. We can also provide home help assistance and financial support for you to commemorate your service.Family and whānauHow we can support you, your family and whānau.Non-military personnelNon-military personnel can have Qualifying Operational Service in certain circumstances.
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Remembrance
We're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstonesWe help look after Services Cemeteries. We're also able to contribute towards plaques and headstones.Commemorative fundingThere are two types of financial contributions available from the Commemorative Fund.Medals and service recordsThe NZ Defence Force's Personnel Archives and Medals team administer medals and hold most New Zealand military service records.When someone diesWe may be able to provide support when someone who had Qualifying Service dies.Your family's military historyLearning more about your family's military history is a great way to honour their service.Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' PinsThe Certificate of Appreciation and Veteran's Pin recognise operational service.NZ Post StampsThis series of stamps explores the stories of 6 veterans deployed after 1995. You can purchase the stamps on the NZ Post website.
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Eligibility
To be eligible to receive support from us, you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.Check your eligibilityCheck the support, services, or entitlements you may be able to get from us.Qualifying ServiceTo get support from us you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.Living outside NZYou can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.Eligibility criteria for family and dependantsYou may be able to get support if you're the spouse, partner, child or dependant of someone with Qualifying Service.Veterans of foreign militariesVeterans' Affairs New Zealand was established to support New Zealand veterans.
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For clients
We put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.
If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.
How we'll work with youWe'll work with you to help you get the best support available.Your treatment cardYour treatment card helps you get no-cost treatment and medication for your approved conditions.Your rights and responsibilitiesWe want to make sure you have the best possible experience when you deal with us.PaymentsInformation on payment rates and dates.How we make decisionsWe use a number of tools and processes to make decisions. This helps ensure each decision we make is fair and treats our clients consistently.Living outside NZYou can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.Other benefitsYou may be able to access a range of discounts and benefits. Not only that, your family may get access too.Information about claimsInformation on processing times, how to make a claim, and what happens next. -
For providers
Information for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.Treatment cards and lettersTo help you identify our clients, we issue treatment cards and letters.Invoicing usHow to invoice us to ensure we pay you quickly and correctly.Treating our clientsInformation for healthcare professionals providing treatment to our clients.Councils and local authoritiesGuidance for councils and local authorities relating to services cemeteries and memorialsFormsForms for our clients, family and whānau, and our providers.AudiologistsSchedules of fees, invoicing and application instructions, and information for treating hearing needs.How military service affects the health of veteransVeterans can experience physical and mental health conditions disproportionately compared to the general public. Different NZDF 'operations' may be linked to higher rates of specific conditions. Understanding a veteran's service can help you to understand their health.
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Get support
Get supportThe support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.Currently serving Ex-serving Family and whānau Non-military personnel
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Remembrance
RemembranceWe're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstones Commemorative funding Medals and service records When someone dies Your family's military history Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' Pins NZ Post Stamps
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Eligibility
EligibilityTo be eligible to receive support from us, you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.Check your eligibility Qualifying Service Living outside NZ Eligibility criteria for family and dependants Veterans of foreign militaries
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For clients
For clientsWe put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.How we'll work with you Your treatment card Your rights and responsibilities Payments How we make decisions Living outside NZ Other benefits Information about claims
If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.
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For providers
For providersInformation for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.Treatment cards and letters Invoicing us Treating our clients Councils and local authorities Forms Audiologists How military service affects the health of veterans
Air Force veteran and New Zealand’s oldest person passes away
Air Force veteran and New Zealand’s oldest person passes away
It is with sadness that we learnt of the passing of Ron Hermanns earlier this week — a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) veteran of the Second World War and New Zealand's oldest person.
Mr Hermanns passed away on Monday 30 August, just three weeks from his 110th birthday.
Born in Canada on 25 September 1911, he moved with his family to New Zealand in 1914. He joined the New Zealand Territorial Air Force in 1937 as an aircraft rigger, transferring to full-time RNZAF service when war broke out in 1939.
Initially stationed in New Zealand, he had two overseas postings to the Pacific, first to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in 1943, where he spent 12 months servicing the RNZAF’s Kittyhawk fighter aircraft.
This was followed by a second tour to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in 1945 when he spent a further five months maintaining Lockheed Ventura bombers.
After the war, Mr Hermanns gave many years of service to NAC/Air New Zealand, as an aircraft engineer.
He never married and had no children, and despite being legally blind and deaf, still lived in his own home in the Christchurch suburb of Cashmere, supported by a dedicated team of neighbours and carers.
Date
03 September 2021