A new organisation has just launched to advocate for serving military personnel it says are underpaid and living in mouldy unsafe housing.

Mission Homefront is co-founded by Erin Speedy, who lives in Waiouru with her soldier partner, and by recently retired Lieutenant Colonel Hayden Ricketts.

Serving sailors, soldiers and aviators are prohibited by law from unionising.

The new organisation aims to be their voice, saying military families are struggling to pay their bills, living in substandard housing and need representation at the highest level.

Hayden Ricketts spent 26 years in the Army , serving in the Middle East, Asia Egypt and Lebanon as well as 10 years at Defence Headquarters.

He says even as a Senior Officer, his decision to retire was influenced by the low salary of the NZDF and he is determined to improve conditions of service for personnel across the services.