Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) carpenter Lance Corporal Nick Kaltoua has been working alongside New Zealand Army engineers in the remote northern Cook Islands, where his knowledge of the Tahitian language has proved just as valuable as his carpentry skills.
13 October, 2026
He is part of a larger New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) team improving infrastructure and health services across the island of Penrhyn, nearly 1400kms north of Rarotonga, during Exercise Tropic Twilight.
Running annually since 1999, the NZDF Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise in the South-West Pacific, is supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
From Ifira Village in Vanuatu, Lance Corporal Kaltoua has been getting stuck into the tasks including building a new life-skills classroom at Omoka School, one of only two schools on the island, and constructing bases for a number of water tanks.
In such an isolated location, where supplies may be a six-month barge trip away, if the team find something that isn’t up to standard where they can, they fix it. Materials cannot simply be replaced at short notice, so planning for a worst-case scenario was needed, and additional materials are added as a contingency.
Lance Corporal Kaltoua’s performance over the first half of the year helped earn his selection for Tropic Twilight.
“I was so happy. I was never expecting this.”
Earlier this year, Lance Corporal Kaltoua worked alongside NZDF tradespeople in Vanuatu, which he said helped him feel at ease when he found out he would be joining familiar faces on this exercise.
Lance Corporal Nick Kaltoua, Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) Engineering Squadron, deployed as part of the NZDF team working on construction tasks on Penrhyn
A highlight of Penrhyn had been getting to know the local community after work – heading out fishing, looking for crayfish on the reef at night, and spending time with local families.
The work the contingent has done throughout this year’s exercise will have lasting impacts across the wider Penrhyn population.
More than 50 personnel were deployed, including NZ Army engineers, electricians, medical and dental personnel, and Royal New Zealand Navy hydrography personnel.
They worked on new school facilities as well as maintenance, constructed new water tank and solar still installations to improve water and power supply, provided medical and dental services, and hydrographic surveying for better information about the lagoon and navigational approaches.
Working together regularly helps strengthen relationships between Pacific partners, and Lance Corporal Kaltoua has enjoyed spending the past few weeks working alongside NZDF personnel again.
“Being around them, it’s like we’re just the same.”
Detachment Commander, Major Cam Gurney, said Lance Corporal Kaltoua had been an outstanding member of the contingent, integrating seamlessly into the team.
“His experience and perspective brought significant value to our work in Penrhyn, particularly in the remote environment where adaptability and practical problem-solving were essential.
“His ability to speak Tahitian played an important role in strengthening relationships across the exercise and helped improve collaboration and foster stronger connections between all participants.
“The inclusion of personnel such as Lance Corporal Kaltoua highlights the value of working alongside our Pacific partners.
“These opportunities build trust, improve interoperability, and create enduring professional relationships that strengthen our collective ability to respond to future challenges across the Pacific.”
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