▁War , ▁Ira q ▁and ▁Afghan istan , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁several ▁UN ▁and ▁other ▁peace keep ing ▁miss ions ▁including ▁the ▁Regional ▁Ass istance ▁Mission ▁to ▁Sol omon ▁Islands , ▁the ▁S ina i , ▁South ▁Sud an ▁and ▁Sud an . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Mus ket ▁Wars , ▁settlement ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Wars ▁War ▁had ▁been ▁an ▁integral ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁life ▁and ▁culture ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁people . ▁The ▁Mus ket ▁Wars ▁domin ated ▁the ▁first ▁years ▁of ▁European ▁trade ▁and ▁settlement . ▁The ▁first ▁European ▁sett lers ▁in ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Islands ▁formed ▁a ▁volunte er ▁milit ia ▁from ▁which ▁some ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Army ▁units ▁trace ▁their ▁orig ins . ▁British ▁forces ▁and ▁M ā ori ▁fought ▁in ▁various ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Wars ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁and ▁cul min ating ▁in ▁the ▁In vas ion ▁of ▁the ▁Wa ik ato ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 6 0 s , ▁during ▁which ▁colonial ▁forces ▁were ▁used ▁with ▁great ▁effect . ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁the ▁numbers ▁of ▁Imperial ▁( B rit ish ) ▁troops ▁was ▁reduced , ▁leaving ▁sett ler ▁units ▁to ▁continue ▁the ▁campaign . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁permanent ▁military ▁force ▁was ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Def ence ▁Force , ▁which ▁was ▁active ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁This ▁was ▁replaced ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁by ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Const ab ul ary , ▁which ▁performed ▁both ▁military ▁and ▁polic ing ▁roles .