Conaglen\u2019s departure from New Zealand earlier this year while on leave from the unit led NZDF to check whether he was still signed up while working for a private security contractor.<\/p>\n
The checks were to resolve questions about whether he had begun such work before formally leaving. <\/p>\n
An NZDF spokesperson said: \u201cLance Corporal Justin Conaglen went on leave without pay in March this year before releasing from the New Zealand Defence Force in August\u201d.<\/p>\n
It is unknown when he started other work. <\/p>\n
Former NZSAS operator Justin Conaglen was a mountaineer and ultramarathon runner.<\/p>\n
Conaglen is believed to have enlisted with the Royal NZ Air Force before undergoing selection to enter the NZSAS. <\/p>\n
As a pathway into the elite unit, entry from the air force is unusual, with more NZSAS troopers entering through Navy and the majority through Army.<\/p>\n
The Herald has been told there were logistical concerns around returning Conaglen\u2019s body to New Zealand. <\/p>\n
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said: \u201cWe are aware of reports of the death of a New Zealander, but we have not been approached for assistance\u201d.<\/p>\n
Records show Conaglen pushed himself to extremes as an endurance athlete and mountaineer. <\/p>\n
He completed the Taup\u014d 100km ultramarathon in 13 hours 46 minutes in 2020 and another 100km event the following year in 14 hours 52 minutes.<\/p>\n
In 2023, Conaglen undertook a winter expedition to climb the 6920m Tukuche Peak in Nepal, with government records listing him as the only climbing member.<\/p>\n
The move from the NZSAS into high-risk private security work overseas is not unusual.<\/p>\n
The NZSAS has seen a high departure rate in recent years, particularly among experienced NCOs. <\/p>\n
Its traditional feeder units \u2013 NZ Army infantry \u2013 have seen unusually high attrition, leaving fewer soldiers stepping forward to attempt the challenging selection course for the elite unit.<\/p>\n
In 2024, the Herald reported senior military leaders were briefed that the NZSAS was \u201cvulnerable to collapse<\/a>\u201d with a stream of departures cutting deeply into the Regiment\u2019s numbers.<\/p>\n Last year the Herald reported the NZSAS Commando unit \u2013 known as D Squadron<\/a> \u2013 was shelved with police reinforcing its counter-terrorism response. <\/p>\n Instead, NZSAS operators in A Squadron and B Squadron were to be called on for domestic terrorism incidents beyond police capabilities.<\/p>\n Numbers have since fallen further, with the Herald told earlier this year only a handful of special forces operators remained in B Squadron.<\/p>\n With low personnel numbers, relatively inexperienced newcomers and a hollowed-out middle of experienced operators, prospects for significant offshore deployments are limited.<\/p>\n The Herald has been told that contributed to some departing operators seeking private-sector opportunities where they can use their skills and gain operational experience.<\/p>\n At the same time, the private-sector market for highly trained soldiers is growing as conflicts, political instability and attacks on shipping have increased demand for experienced military personnel.<\/p>\n The war in Ukraine has also drawn former soldiers looking to use their skills and gain experience in modern warfare. <\/p>\n The Herald has been told those who have served there are sought after on the wider security \u201ccircuit\u201d for their experience gained on a battlefield at the forefront of drone, electronic warfare and other rapidly evolving military technology.<\/p>\n Africa is also offering significant work opportunities with a range of conflicts and other armed threats.<\/p>\n The Herald is aware of former NZSAS soldiers<\/a> who have worked or are currently working in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in anti-piracy roles along the coast.<\/p>\n The work ranges from protecting executives, mines and energy projects to training local forces, operating drones, guarding ships and, at the sharpest end, supporting military operations. <\/p>\n Former special forces soldiers are particularly sought after, along with people with combat, intelligence, medical, communications and regional experience.<\/p>\n In Africa, foreign contractors have worked<\/a> alongside government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo while security companies operate across West Africa and around mining and energy projects.<\/p>\n Other areas offering more contracts include maritime security around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, while contractors are also sought in Haiti and the Middle East.<\/p>\nD Squadron, the ‘Commando’ unit of the NZSAS, was shelved.<\/p>\n
North Kivu is a province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo which was the scene of much fighting during the Second Congo War and the Kivu conflict.<\/p>\n