"Respect is earned, not demanded. Demanding to be called sir doesn’t mean people respect you. If they know your name and say it with respect, that is far more powerful." - Dan Lynton (class of 2001)

Corporal Dan Lynton served as an Armourer with the New Zealand Army from 2002-2010. Trained at Trade Training School Trentham, he posted to Burnham (3 Workshop Company) and Papakura (Rennie Lines)  and was deployed to East Timor in 2006. 

Q: What is a significant lesson you learned from your time in the armed forces?: 

"Trust, but verify. To some level everyone is making it up as they go along."

Q: What made you decide to enlist?

"Part secure job and trade training. Part opportunity to see the world. Part protection and service to the country."

Q: What impact did your time at WHS have on your military career?

"It gave an intro to wilderness, navigation, carrying a pack, sleeping out, water confidence. Branches is great for an intro to team dynamics, understanding strengths and weaknesses outside the classroom, how people change when they are out of their comfort zone, and these days, when they haven't had their phone for a couple days."

Q: Were there staff or fellow students who taught you important lessons about leadership or service?

"Ken Mac taught me to be prepared but flexible, things change and you need to be able to adapt. To be serious when needed, but you don't need to be serious about everything all the time. When needed, switch on, pay attention and get it sorted, when that moment passes and the day/activity is complete, then take some time to reflect, have a joke, de stress.

Barb Simpson modeled service to the community. She was very involved in SAR. She ran the tramping club at school, reinforced navigation, packing, and planning on tramping trips."

Q: How do you see WHS's values — Excellence, Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Inclusion — reflected in your military service?

"Excellence: Give your best in everything you do, be it fitness, work, courses.

Respect is earned, not demanded. Demanding to be called sir doesn’t mean people respect you. If they know your name and say it with respect, that is far more powerful.

Responsibility goes both ways. Give people space to make decisions and stand by them. Micromanagement isn’t the way forward. State the end goal and the limits and let them get there on their own with support when needed. 

Resilience: Everyone is capable of so much, so set a high bar. Keep in mind the hardest thing you have ever done is only the hardest thing you have ever done. Other people will have done far more, or far less, but to them that is currently the limit. It can be hard
 to quantify other people's levels, experiences and how that affected them. Know when to push and not to push to get the best out of people.

Inclusion: The military has its quirks but is probably a more inclusive space than people realise. There is only the standard, goal or mission. As long as you meet that and do your part to the standard required, nothing else i.e. age, gender or race matters. If you don't
 meet the standard you don't meet the standard. From day one you are working with people from vastly different backgrounds and upbringings. You figure out quickly what strengths everyone brings and you get on with the job."

Q: What advice would you give to current WHS students?

"You are more capable than you know. Pain (of all types) is only temporary. You should get tired, cold, wet and hungry periodically (away from the internet) to gain perspective on things."

Q: What advice would you give to WHS alumni?

"For recent graduates, get out and see the world a little, even if it's just within NZ. You will soon see what you have here isn’t normal. You come from a microclimate of innovation, excellence, boom, bust, and vast outdoor opportunities and skills."