Draft:Charles Lott (New Zealand military officer)

Brigadier General Charles Lott is a former Chief of the Joint Defence Services of New Zealand.

"Brigadier Lott, who served in Somalia with New Zealand Supply Contingent Somalia before becoming Chief, Joint Defence Services, recalls that the drive between the UNOSOM HQ in the university compound in Mogadishu itself and the airport was hair-raising.

"Speed was the main weapon against Somalis who were often under the influence of the hallucinatory herbal drug known as khat and were taking pot shots. It was common practice for the crew of New Zealand vehicles travelling between Mogadishu and the airport to have their Steyr on 'instant', wedged between the front seats ‒ the driver with a Sig Sauer also on 'instant', jammed into the door handle." "Weapon discipline was very important as was a constant wariness of burning tyres, a Somali signal that there is 'bad stuff' about to go down, come and join the fun."

The New Zealanders, he said, worked long hours, often ten hours a day, seven days a week. In one month alone more than 1,000 tonnes of rations were distributed, including live goats."

Joined the New Zealand Defence Force in 2002 and held various positions over the years until he was named Chief Joint Defence Services in March 2015. He remained in that position until November 2019.

Received New Zealand Order Of Merit in January 2011.

Received a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from Deakin University in 2007 and studied at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2013.