With generations of family embedded in military forces, Cameron McDonald, always had an admiration for those who serve and protect their nation. Following a 24-year career with the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF), Cameron’s pride in service extends to his current role as a Consolidated Logistic Support Manager with Babcock.
Enlisting in 1988, my primary role was in Supply with the RAF, in particular, the aviation fuel provision. This meant I was a member of the Tactical Supply Wing, which was classified a Combat Service Support Unit. During my career, I held positions as a SERE (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape) instructor, a Drill Instructor on Phase One and served in Influence Operations – Media.
I was deployed on multiple tours of one war and two conflicts, including Afghanistan, where I volunteered as an extra rifle in the company roster in addition to my duties of logistic support.
As easy as it is to centre experience in conflict around negative aspects of deployment, I was fortunate to see first-hand some of the positive impacts of military intervention during my first tour of Afghanistan in 2005.
I was on patrol in Kabul when we found ourselves surrounded by a sea of schoolgirls in light blue hijabs. They were on their way to school. Their very access to education, which had previously been denied to their mothers, was enabled by our presence in Afghanistan at that time. Realising the role we were playing in the education of these young women filled me with an immeasurable sense of pride.
This pride is carried over into my current role where I manage a series of logistics and repair functions for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Knowing that I am keeping the RNZN operational and out contributing to good in the world motivates me every day.
