From conducting complex, daring lifesaving search and rescue missions in the stormy seas of Bass Strait, to meeting Sir Edmund Hilary at the 50th anniversary of Scott Base in Antarctica, Joe Tasker’s flying career with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) has taken him all the way around the world!
In his own words, “whilst I don’t have any medals, I’ve been able to do some really cool stuff through my service!”
Joe might no longer wear a uniform, but this proud Kiwi father of two has found a new career at Beca that gives him the flexibility to continue contributing his specialist skillset to the defence force in a civilian capacity, whilst maintaining his cherished role as an RNZAF reservist.
"Being a reservist was a decision I made to help me with my transition to civilian life and continue giving back. I love seeing people grow – ‘make better people’ is my mantra!"
Service snapshot
- Years of service: 2004-2024 (Royal New Zealand Air Force), 2024 - RNZAF Reservist
- Most senior role: Director Operating Airworthiness
- Where you served: Ohakea - New Zealand, Whenuapai - New Zealand, Winnipeg - Canada, Sale - Victoria Australia
What does ANZAC Day mean to you?
It recognises the sacrifice and support that defence gives the country. This includes the amount of time that people are deployed and on call for search and rescue operations. Whenever New Zealand or the Pacific are in their hour of need, they’ve always got the defence force to rely upon.
What’s one thing you’d like others to know about military veterans/reservists?
Your training and expertise in the defence force sets you up to do well in the outside world, no matter what skills you have.
During my flying career, I’ve gone all the way around the world. I’ve been to Antarctica four times, all the Pacific Islands, everywhere in Australia, and across Southeast Asia and the Americas. That’s a good example of how the RNZAF gives you the opportunity to see the world!
I also got to meet Sir Edmund Hilary at the 50th anniversary of Scott Base in Antarctica – he assisted the first South Pole traverse. He signed a $5 note for me, because he was a navigator on No. 5 Squadron after WWII (Joe was a member of No. 5 Squadron during his own service).
I’ve done many maritime search and rescues – including in the Bass Strait after a light plane came down. We were there in 10 minutes, and the passengers were rescued within 20 minutes. A few minutes later, their lilo (air mattress) was eaten by sharks!
Just because you’re working for a company doesn’t mean you’re exclusive – both your civilian role and your active reservist role can go hand-in-hand. Both experiences are complementary, as being a reservist means you can help the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the wider New Zealand community.
What were you looking for in an employer when you transitioned to civilian life?
I wanted a more flexible job to support my kids – my wife is also serving in the defence force as an Air Warfare Specialist with the RNZAF, which is regularly deployed.
What was one of the biggest adjustments you faced moving from military service to civilian life?
The biggest adjustment is the job will never be quite as fun! You don’t have the responsibility of a whole bunch of people working for you, but you also don’t have as much cool operational stuff to do as you do in the air force. But priorities change – BAT (Beca Applied Technologies) is directly supporting defence, and their projects offered me a soft transition. We’re still supporting our friends in uniform and the outputs of defence, but we now have a better work/life balance.
What transferable skills have you harnessed in your civilian career?
Pretty much everything I’ve learnt! I’ve done safety, compliance, operations management, project management, testing evaluation, training. This has all flowed through to the jobs we’ve won at Beca and has proven to be very valuable in my civilian life.
What advice would you give to other veterans/reservists considering a career in professional services?
Making sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into and why you’re going about it. And then getting a role or project that’s aligned with your values/priorities.
As a reservist, how does Beca support you in your continued service?
Armed Forces Leave – what it means is I can weave my RNZAF work (leadership coaching, facilitating training courses and test and evaluation activities) into my everyday work at Beca. A combination of flexible working arrangements and armed forces leave allows me to continue my civilian career whilst still contributing my specialised skillset to the RNZAF.
Being a reservist was a decision I made to help me with my transition to civilian life and continue giving back. I love seeing people grow – “make better people” is my mantra!
What’s the proudest thing you’ve done in your civilian life?
The biggest achievement in my Beca career is we’ve doubled the team we have at Ohakea Air Force Base as part of Beca Applied Technologies. We had only 4 people in 2024 and now in 2026 we have 10, with another 4 about to begin. This shows the work and growth we’ve achieved as a team. It also shows that what we are doing is work the defence force still values, whether we are wearing a uniform or not.
Wing Commander Joe Tasker receiving his Chief of Air Force Commendation from the Chief of Air Force - Air Vice-Marshal Darryn Webb, in 2025.
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