Personnel are leaving our Defence Force in record numbers.
With many being lured away by better pay and conditions, the attrition rate is the highest it's been in decades.
The Chief of the Defence Force told Newshub it could take up to a decade to replace highly-skilled staff and he needs Government help now.
Personnel man the front line to protect our land, sea and skies. Now, the Defence Force is in a battle to keep them.
"The level of attrition is one of the highest we've recorded for many decades," said Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short.
All three armed forces have experienced growing attrition rates, especially over the past year. The major concern is the Army - topping 16 percent in June, double what was forecast.
Driving that are job opportunities and better conditions outside the military offering tens of thousands of dollars more.
"At the moment we aren't competing, that's why we're losing people," Air Marshal Short said.
Some of those include crucial members of our military.
"[We're] losing NCOs, warrant officers, field officers, in those ranks that you can't afford to lose," former Defence Minister Ron Mark warned.
Experience that will take years to rebuild.
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"It's more than three years to even grow back to those numbers," Air Marshal Short said. "Some of those skills we've lost will take five to 10 years to actually renew."
Newshub asked Defence Minister Peeni Henare multiple times to interview for this story. His office declined, instead sending us a statement that highlighted the $90 million in Budget 2022 targeted specifically for remuneration.
Already that's not enough, especially with the increasing cost of living.
"It doesn't address that at the moment so we are falling further behind," Air Marshal Short said.
The toll of Operation Protect also saw more than 600 personnel leave, unhappy with repeated tours of MIQ.
This put pressure on the ability to respond to national emergencies. The West Coast floods of July last year is an example.
In the height of MIQ, a small response team was only deployed from Burnham because they were "fortuitously" available between border cycles.
Briefing documents also show suspension of an Air Force aircraft, Army unit and Navy ship output was considered to meet increasing needs at the border.
"It still didn't mean we couldn't respond, it just mean the options were less," Air Marshal Short said.
Raising questions over our capability to deploy at significant levels.
"It means CDF (Chief of Defence Force) and Chief of Army and Chief of Navy are going to be scrambling to find people if something was to go sour in Bougainville or if the Solomon Islands were to go sour," Mark said.
The Defence Force has an obligation to maintain a trained state.
"Now I need further support to actually keep delivering for the Government," Air Marshal Short said.
Otherwise our defence risks not having enough force.
