Five-year-old autism sufferer Tenyson Macfarlane plays with his new computer as his mother Deanne and 322CSS members Leading Aircraftman Troy Crosgrove, Squadron Leader Chaplain Mark Willis and CO 322CSS Wing Commander Stephen Hart look on.

RAAF Base Tindal's No. 322 Combat Support Squadron has teamed with the Department of Defence and a Melbourne-based PC company to help brighten the life of a young boy in Mataranka, Northern Territory, by supplying a computer to him and his family.

Five-year-old Tenyson Macfarlane, a Mataranka Primary School student, was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.

In the classroom, computing is among Tenyson's favourite activities, and earlier this year his mother Deanne sought and received help from the Melbourne-based PCs for Kids Inc, a group that provides children with pre-loved personal computers.

Due to Mataranka's isolated location, the Department of Defence was contacted to help transport the computer from Melbourne.

The Army took the PC to RAAF Base Richmond then the Air Force was called in to transport it from Richmond to RAAF Base Tindal and on to Mataranka.

Commanding Officer of 322CSS Wing Commander Stephen Hart, accompanied by Chaplain Mark Willis and RAAF Base Tindal's computer whiz, Leading Aircraftman Troy Crosgrove, presented the computer to Tenyson on behalf of the Department of Defence and PCs for Kids.

As soon as the box was opened and Tenyson realised it contained a computer, his face lit up.
This brought a tear to his mum's eye and lumps in the throats of the Air Force personnel present.

"This is very special for Teny, it will help him a lot," Deanne said.

By CHAP Graham Willets
Photo by SGT John Carroll