Worth the 18-year wait

By CPL Sean Burton

Leading Aircraftman Shayne McDowell delivers stores from a chartered IL76.

AFTER 18 years of service, Leading Aircraftman Shayne McDowell, of No. 386 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron, is serving on his first operation as an air mover with the Air Load Team (ALT) at Solomon Islands’ Henderson Airfield.

A supplier by trade, he is attached to No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron, loading and unloading aircraft and delivering cargo to units.

The 386ECSS ALT unloaded more than a million pounds of cargo in the first five days of Operation Helpem Fren.

Flying in on day one, chalk five, LAC McDowell was unsure of what was waiting for him as he touched down at Henderson Airfield.

“Going in on your first deployment you don’t know what to expect for the first couple of days, but now it’s eased up to three Herc flights a day but we’re still very busy,” he said.

“My biggest challenge so far has been getting used to the basic living conditions and the heat.”

“It’s been interesting and a lot of hard work but we’ve got a good support crew from 386ECSS.”

“... I’m really enjoying it, this is really worth it, I’ve looked forward to it and this is what I want to do.”

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