Captain Steven Carruthers in the North / South Korea Demilitarised Zone. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Defence Force
A New Zealand Defence Forces captain in South Korea who is away from home for Christmas for the first time in his four-decade career says the sacrifices army families make at this time are humbling.
Captain Steven Carruthers arrived in South Korea in October to join a United Nations security battalion operating in the Korean Demilitarised Zone.
The NZDF has 53 people stationed there until September next year.
Captain Carruthers, who is from Christchurch, said he had worked for the NZDF since 1987 and had been stationed in Afghanistan, Bosnia and East Timor but this was the first Christmas he has worked away from home.
He had two teenage boys and a daughter who had just turned three.
Carruthers said his Christmas message to his family was this: "I really appreciate what you're doing at home, to allow me to do this. I know the sacrifices my family go through to enable me to be here to help others and to help New Zealand do its job is humbling to me. Merry Christmas to everyone, and I'm looking forward to seeing you in the new year sometime."
Carruthers said he couldn't wait to talk to his family on Christmas morning, even if it meant getting up at 5am. The family plan to meet up in the new year for an overseas holiday before he has to return to South Korea.
He said the NZDF personnel stationed in South Korea will have a pot luck dinner on Christmas Day, with Kiwi and Korean food both on the menu.