Darryn Webb

{{Short description|New Zealand air force officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox military person | name = Darryn Webb | image = Darryn Webb MNZM (cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Webb in 2022 | nickname = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = New Zealand | branch = [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] | service_years = 1990–present | rank = [[Air Vice-Marshal]] | service_number = | unit = | commands = [[Chief of Air Force (New Zealand)|Chief of Air Force]]<br/>[[RNZAF Base Ohakea]]<br/>[[No. 488 Wing RNZAF]]<br/>[[No. 40 Squadron RNZAF]] | battles = [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]]<br/>[[Iraq War]] | awards = [[Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] | relations = | other_work = }} Air Vice-Marshal '''Darryn Robert Webb''', {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=100|MNZM}} is a [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] officer. During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand|COVID-19 pandemic]], he served as head of [[COVID-19 managed isolation in New Zealand|managed isolation and quarantine]] from June to December 2020 as part of the New Zealand government's response to the virus. He was appointed [[Chief of Air Force (New Zealand)|Chief of Air Force]] in October 2023.

==Military career== Webb joined the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] in 1990. Beginning as a transport pilot, he later held other roles including [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|Hercules]] flight commander, and deputy director of strategic commitments. He was appointed senior commander of [[RNZAF Base Ohakea]] in 2014, and in 2016 he became deputy [[Chief of Air Force (New Zealand)|chief of Air Force]].<ref name="Deguara">{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121861913/coronavirus-who-is-new-zealands-new-border-master-darryn-digby-webb |title=Coronavirus: Who is New Zealand's new border master Darryn 'Digby' Webb? |first=Brittney |last=Deguara |date=17 June 2020 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>

Early in the [[COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand|COVID-19 pandemic]], Webb was seconded to the COVID-19 Operational Command Centre and was involved in planning of government repatriation operations from April 2020.<ref name="Deguara"/> In June, the government appointed Webb to head the [[COVID-19 managed isolation in New Zealand|managed isolation and quarantine]] (MIQ) system,<ref name="Deguara"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121855818/coronavirus-border-bungle-an-unacceptable-failure--prime-minister-jacinda-ardern |title=Coronavirus: Border bungle an 'unacceptable failure' – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern |first=Katarina |last=Williams |date=17 June 2020 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref> and he served in that role until December that year, when he was succeeded by Brigadier [[Jim Bliss]].<ref name="RNZ"/> Webb implemented an operational framework for MIQ aimed at setting consistent and safe operations and infection prevention and control standards,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/ny2022-mnzm/ |title=New Year Honours 2022 – citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit |date=31 December 2021 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref> and during his tenure more than 80,000 people entered New Zealand through the MIQ system.<ref name="RNZ">{{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/432225/defence-force-staff-at-covid-facilities-investigated-for-alleged-misconduct |title=Defence Force staff at Covid facilities investigated for alleged misconduct |date=6 December 2020 |work=RNZ News |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>

In the [[2022 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2022 New Year Honours]], Webb was appointed a [[Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] for services to the [[New Zealand Defence Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2022 |title=New Year honours list 2022 |date=31 December 2021 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>

Webb succeeded Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Clark as [[Chief of Air Force (New Zealand)|Chief of Air Force]] on 2 October 2023 and was promoted to air vice-marshal.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|title=Air Vice-Marshal Darryn Webb: Chief of Air Force|url=https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/structure-and-leadership/air-vice-marshal-darryn-webb|publisher=New Zealand Defence Force|access-date=27 March 2024}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, Darryn}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] [[Category:New Zealand military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]] [[Category:Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]