Can reporters do arithmetic and do they have any knowledge of history?

A leading story on Stuff, sourced from the Brisbane times is headlined: Kiwi war vet in police standoff.

It says

Police have use a remote-controlled device to deliver what is believed to be a mobile phone to a Kiwi man holed up on a boat in a siege in Brisbane's CBD.

The 54-year-old, who remains onboard, is believed to be a former soldier from New Zealand. He contacted police from the site at about 5am today.

So far so good but later in the piece

Jay, a fellow yachtie who claims to be the man's friend, told reporters this afternoon the man was a Vietnam War veteran.

presumably used to generate the headline

But ........

The last combat troops New Zealand had in Vietnam were withdrawn in December 1971 so if the gentleman in question is indeed 54 he was at most 15 years old when he served there.

Color me skeptical.