On September 9 the Royal New Zealand Navy celebrated the appointment of Rear Admiral Garin Golding as Chief of Navy with a ceremony at Te Taua Moana Marae, Devonport Naval Base.
His appointment was announced at Parliament on 28 August, alongside the appointments for Commander Joint Forces, Chief of Army and Vice Chief of Defence Force. He was promoted to Rear Admiral the following day at Defence House.
As a 17-year-old, he had ambitions to join the NZ Police, but he wasn’t old enough. His father, Warrant Officer (rtd) Reece Golding MNZM, MSM, suggested the teenager try out for Navy officer selection, telling him it would be good experience. RADM Golding joined the Royal New Zealand Navy on 25 January 1988.
Earlier at a Relinquishment of Command ceremony at Te Taua Moana Marae Rear Admiral (RADM) David Proctor handed over his command of the New Zealand Navy to Commodore Andrew Brown, who was Acting Chief of Navy until RADM Golding’s appointment.
The formality included the exchange of the ‘Command pen’ filled with green ink, a colour he has the privilege to use. His handover marks the conclusion of his 37-year Navy career, as he takes up a civilian appointment in Australia.
RADM Proctor was appointed Chief of Navy on 29 November 2018. As with the other service chiefs, his unusually long appointment was a result of maintaining continuity during and after the Covid pandemic.
“What an awesome run I have had, made so by you all. From a dedicated and fiercely loyal personal staff, to Defence colleagues who equally tested and challenged me, alongside providing encouragement and resource commitment, to independent advisors who shared their time and intellect so generously, to shipmates who kept me honest and gave me so many opportunities to laugh, but at myself and alongside you; I thank you once, I thank you twice, I thank you three times.”
