Commanding Officer - OTAGO P148
Commander David McEwan
Commander David Guy McEwan was born in Hamilton, New Zealand on 9 Sep 65. When still young, his family moved to Auckland’s eastern suburbs where he grew up and was educated.
He joined the Royal New Zealand Navy on 21 May 84 as an Ordinary Seaman, Radar Operator. In 1993, then a Leading Seaman, he took the opportunity to Commission From the Ranks and on completion of Junior Officer Common Training, posted to the Leander Class frigates HMNZS SOUTHLAND and WAIKATO for further training as an Officer Of the Watch. In Aug 95 he was awarded his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate and promoted to Lieutenant.
David posted ashore in May 96 as a member of the staff of the Maritime Commander NZ for duties in the Strategic Personnel Planning cell which oversaw the introduction into service of the RNZN’s first ANZAC class frigate, HMNZS TE KAHA. He then posted to the Dive Tender, HMNZS MANAWANUI, to undertake the dual roles of Executive Officer - Navigating Officer. The highlight of his posting being MANAWANUI’s deployment to Bougainville over the period Dec 97 - May 98 in support of the Bougainville Peace Monitoring Group.
In Nov 98, he posted to Australia to attend the Royal Australian Navy’s Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) course at HMAS WATSON, Sydney. He successfully completed the course in Sep 99 receiving top honours in his specialist field of Above Water Warfare and was presented with the St Barbara’s award for Gunnery Excellence.
After a short period ashore, David deployed as a United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) to the United Nations Transition Authority – East Timor (UNTAET) serving in the border region of the Bobanaro District, Jan - Jul 2000. Following his return to NZ, he posted to TE KAHA as the Gunnery Officer and in Jan 01, was appointed Operations Officer and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Between Aug 02 and Mar 04, David served in the Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand (HQ JFNZ), Trentham, as the JSO2-Maritime Plans. During that time, he led the planning for two RNZN deployments (TE KAHA and TE MANA) to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). His regular duties also included the development of RNZN Fleet Plan together with the planning and execution of national and international exercises.
In Sep 04 he was posted to the RNZN’s last Leander Class frigate, HMNZS CANTERBURY, as the Executive Officer. The posting included not only a comprehensive overseas training deployment but the undertaking of CANTERBURY’s final tour of NZ and decommissioning activities. On completion, David then joined TE MANA again as the Executive Officer.
In Mar 06, David was promoted to his current rank and returned to HQ JFNZ as Military Assistant to the Maritime Component Commander (MA MCC) a role he completed in Feb 08. Following his posting as MA MCC, he then attended the NZDF Command and Staff College in Trentham, successfully completing the course in Dec 08 having gained a Post Graduate Diploma, Arts (Defence and Strategic Studies) through Massey University.
David joined Naval Staff Capability Division in May 09 where he served as the Director Naval Capability Requirements (DNCR) until 1 Oct 10 when all single service Capability Divisions were re-structured as the NZDF Capability Branch. As part of the re-structure, his role was re-titled to Naval Combat Capability Working Group Lead (NC CWGL) a position he held until Mar 11.
Over the period Mar - Jun 11, David deployed as the N5 Future Operations, within the Singapore-led Combined Task Force 151 (CTF151) embarked in the USN destroyer, USS MASON. The focus of the CTF151 mission being that of Counter Piracy operations in the Gulf Of Aden and Southern Red Sea. On return to NZ in early-Jul, CDR McEwan left the NZDF Capability Branch and together with his family, moved to Auckland in preparation for command of HMNZS OTAGO.