Our People in QLD
Ed Howson - Heading to Afghanistan
Ashmore soldier Trooper Ed Howson is having his 21st birthday out bush – but with a difference.
He and 1500 fellow diggers are up in Townsville’s High Range exercise area rehearsing what life is going to be like in Afghanistan for the next eight months.
Their job will be to help train Afghan soldiers and to restore peace and stability in troubled Uruzgan province.
It will be Ed’s first overseas operation.
“My mum Elizabeth is a mental health trainer and my dad Harold is a carpenter,” said Ed. “But my grandparents were in World War II, so it’s partly family tradition, plus a good way of seeing the world.
“The training is pretty good. Only last night we practiced being attacked by rockets. I’m also a medic and was bandaging up a pretend casualty. But I was only in my boots and camouflage pants. I froze to the bone!
“I’ve specialised as an armoured vehicle gunner,” said Ed. “In Afghanistan my job will be to protect the re-supply runs between our main base at Tarin Kot and our forward bases. If there are any roadside bombs I’m pretty confident our engineers will find them.”
Halfway through the deployment Ed is planning to use his leave to head for Rome, Prague, Berlin and Paris.
Then, when he’s back in Australia he’ll be bringing some jewelry back for his girlfriend Juavelle.
“She wasn’t really keen that I was going,” said Ed, “But she’s known from the start it’s part of my job. She deserves a nice present.”