Dave trained with British Coal in the Wales and Western Group, qualifying as a specialist occupational physician (MFOM) in 1993. Since then, he has been an academic, late of the University of Otago as Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine with 100 peer reviewed papers. His special interest is Military Medicine, commissioned in 1981 in the British Army and in 1995 in the New Zealand Army, and still a Lieutenant Colonel in the latter. His expertise lies in physical agents including noise and vibration, and also chemical agents, but will have a go at most problems.