The Slippery Slope of "Normal": NZDF Housing and the Danger of Normalized Deviance Ever heard of the "normalization of deviance"? It's a concept that explains how substandard practices become accepted over time. Let's look at a concerning example close to home: the New Zealand Defence Force's housing and barracks accommodation. The Concept: Normalized deviance occurs when people become so accustomed to a deviant practice that they no longer consider it abnormal. Over time, the substandard becomes the accepted standard. NZDF Housing Example: - Reports have highlighted poor living conditions in some NZDF accommodations. - Issues include mold, inadequate heating, and structural problems. - These conditions have persisted and, in most cases, worsened over years. The Normalization Process: - Initially: Substandard conditions are recognized as problematic. - Over time: Personnel adapt, making do with what they have. - Eventually: Poor conditions become "just how it is." The Dangers: - Health risks for service members and their families - Decreased morale and readiness - Recruitment and retention issues in the force Breaking the Cycle: - Regular, independent audits of NZDF living conditions - Clear, enforced standards for military housing - Empowering personnel to report issues without fear of reprisal It's crucial we recognize and address this normalization of deviance as it has significant risks; not only to the morale of service personnel, which is itself a principle of war (New Zealand Defence Doctrine (NZDDP–D), but combat readiness itself. Our service members deserve better. Let's not let substandard become the new standard. Or in the words of Dave Gawn (MajGen ret) "The standard you walk past is the standard you accept". No Duff Charitable Trust Nos Adepto Fieri Stercore Head on over to Mission Homefront NZ and support their righteous work.
Mark Tulloch
2mo
Ironic given my parents had regular married quarters inspections from their OC back in the 1980s. Those inspections would now be an exercise in pointing out the disregard for government legislation around healthy homes standards. The NZ government have found it acceptable to provide substandard accommodation breaking their own rules that private landlords must follow. Unacceptable. Solution. Reignite the army trades and repair everything over time. .
Helping others find peace in a busy world from my lessons as a Special Operations Team leader
2moWith the amazing work of Erin Speedy and Mission Home Front i would wonder what else the NZDF not doing. How we looking at understanding service related brain injury as is being looked at by the US Senate? If we were to OIA the NZDF around a hazards Register for exposer to things not just on Operations but also in training what would we get back. How was it explained to us all on Operations. Why did Vietnam Veterans have to go to court over agent orange? Dose NZDF understand the noise levels of all its weapons, pyrotechnics and explosives and are they making sure that the hearing protection used is correct to work safe standards. An OIA from last year says no. Hon Judith Collins KC MP Chris Penk MP lots needs to be looked at. We have been left unsafe in training and on Operations and we don't even have a safe home for our families and our selves. Makes it hard to understand why we give so much of ourselves in service to this country.