10,000 uniformed people would have been about the total OF ALL THREE SERVICES. The RNZAF certainly didn't have anything like 10,000 people, 4200 in fact in 1982.
Check out the Official NZ Yearbook's online, eg the 1984 "edition"
www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1984/NZOYB_1984.html#idchapter_1_90861"STRENGTH OF ARMED FORCES—The following table gives the strengths of the regular forces of the 3 services over the last 6 years".
As at 31 March Navy/Army/Air Force/Total
1978 2,825 5,722 4,217 12,764
1979 2,827 5,670 4,242 12,739
1980 2,756 5,666 4,219 12,641
1981 2,811 5,723 4,334 12,868
1982 2,861 5,676 4,271 12,808
1983 2,857 5,590 4,409 12,856
Looking ahead:
www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1988-89/NZOYB_1988-89.html#idsect1_1_15456Table 4.3. NUMBER OF DEFENCE PERSONNEL
As at 31 March Navy/Army/Air Force/Total/Civilians
Source: Ministry of Defence.
1983 2,857 5,590 4,409 12,856 3,284
1984 2,745 5,563 4,296 12,604 3,219
1985 2,687 5,431 4,306 12,424 3,097
1986 2,619 5,814 4,176 12,609 3,073
1987 2,626 5,899 4,195 12,720 2,673
www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1992/NZOYB_1992.html#idsect1_1_9911Table 3.3. NUMBER OF DEFENCE PERSONNEL
As at 31 March Navy /Army/Air Force/Total/Civilians
Source: New Zealand Defence Force.
1987 2626 5899 4195 12720 2673
1988 2572 5872 4083 12527 3272
1989 2547 5718 4183 12448 3326
1990 2531 5193 4155 11879 3165
1991 2605 5249 3823 11677 3020
www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1997/NZOYB_1997.html#idsect1_1_23542Table 4.3. NUMBER OF DEFENCE PERSONNEL
As at 30 June Navy/Army/Air Force/Total/Civilians
Source: New Zealand Defence Force
1992 2475 4688 3617 10780 2546
1993 2340 4542 3440 10322 2532
1994 2188 4516 3368 10072 2443
1995 2152 4510 3296 9958 1954
1996 2074 4349 3188 9611 2033
www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1998/NZOYB_1998.html#idsect1_1_19382Table 4.3. NUMBER OF DEFENCE PERSONNEL
As at 30 June Navy/Army/Air Force/Total/Civilians (NZDF & MOD)
Source: New Zealand Defence Force, Ministry of Defence
1993 2,340 4,542 3,440 10,322 2,595R
1994 2,188 4,516 3,368 10,072 2,513R
1995 2,152 4,510 3,296 9,958 2,024R
1996 2,074 4,349 3,188 9,611 2,103R
1997 2,080 4,391 2,991 9,462 2,243R
Finally a jump ahead to 2008 edition (RNZAF - down to low-mid 2000's)
www.stats.govt.nz/yearbooks?gclid=CN6pq-T-obICFWRKpgodg1oAiwTable 4.04. Defence personnel
At 30 June
Year: Regular force
Navy/Army/Air Force/Total/Civilians (NZDF and Ministry of Defence)
Sources: New Zealand Defence Force, Ministry of Defence
1998 2,104 4,431 2,991 9,526 2,195
1999 2,080 4,417 2,885 9,382 1,912
2000 1,967 4,513 2,786 9,266 1,936
2001 1,893 4,580 2,624 9,097 1,877
2002 1,911 4,492 2,194 8,597 1,879
2003 1,969 4,388 2,245 8,602 1,923
2004 1,953 4,479 2,249 8,681 2,025
2005 1,910 4,438 2,266 8,614 2,092
2006 1,998 4,563 2,388 8,949 2,253
2007 2,034 4,580 2,437 9,051 2,321