HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-11-10, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011. PAGE 17.
Continued from page 16
staggering.
“Instead of looking outward, we
should look inward and see what we
can fix in our own lives. The more
problems we look for, the more we
will find. We have to see past them
and realize all the good there is in
the world. If everyone were to live
this way, focus on the good of the
world and be accountable for their
own actions, the world would be a
better place to live,” he says. “Of
course, it’s a long shot, but it’s
something I’m trying to live by.”
If he had lost his life in
Afghanistan, Loder would have
wanted people to get over it quickly
and remember their good times with
him, he says.
“It’s good to be home in a
comfortable setting and focusing on
my future. Life with my family has
become more exciting than ever,” he
says, “but Afghanistan has
implanted itself in my heart and my
work there feels unfinished.”
So what do returning military need
from their friends, family and other
Canadians? Loder says with him, it’s
enough space to help with the
transition of living in Afghanistan to
living back in Canada, despite being
a native Canadian son.
“I’m sure it’s different for every
soldier, but for me it’s space,” says
Loder. “It’s a big transition coming
back and there’s still a lot of
catching up to do in my personal
life. I was so used to being alone
over there. Now that I’m home, it
can be overwhelming at times when
there are too many people around or
too many distractions.
“As dangerous and crazy as war
can be, the lifestyle over there is
extremely simple: no TV, no bills, no
house chores, no grocery shopping,
no telephone, etc. There are a lot of
adjustments to make when coming
back and it can be stressful. But just
knowing that people care and are
there for me is enough.”
What were his most memorable
moments while in Afghanistan? He
felt there were a lot of them, like the
first time he flew in a Chinook
helicopter, the first steps into
unknown territory, the first
engagement with the enemy, the first
sound of bullets whizzing by his ears
and the first explosion, but the most
memorable feeling, he says, was
when he lifted off in the back of a
helicopter, packed in shoulder to
shoulder, homeward bound.
Air Cadet glider flight hooks Blyth native
Major Shane Loder had no idea
how living near the Saugeen
Municipal Airport in Hanover would
impact him later in life.
As a young boy growing up in
Blyth, he was fascinated with
airplanes and would take every
opportunity to watch planes take off
and land. His first flight as a
passenger was in an Air Cadet glider
and he loved it, but it wasn’t until his
last year at Central Huron Secondary
School that he really pursued
aviation as a career.
After several years of living in
Hanover, Keith and Linda Loder,
Shane’s parents, made the move
back to Blyth. They had dated in the
1960s and were married in Blyth,
where Linda was born and raised
and where many of her family
members still live.
Little did Shane know that his
decision to be a pilot would lead him
to Melissa, his beautiful wife whom
he met while studying aviation at
Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie, or
to a posting at Kandahar Airfield in
Afghanistan.
After graduating from college and
joining the Royal Canadian Air
Force, Loder completed his primary
flight training on the CT-114 Tutor
jet in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Upon completion of a multi-
engine course in Portage La Prairie,
Manitoba, Loder received his pilot
wings. He was pleased that his
grandfather, Russell Cook, was
given permission to present him with
his wings.
“My grandpa was my hero,” he
says. “Even though he was the
lowest ranking military person on
the parade square that day, the
highest ranking officers treated him
with utmost respect. Grandpa had
been shot twice while serving in
World War II.”
Loder was posted to CFB Trenton
in the role of Transport and Search
and Rescue, flying the CC130
Hercules on various transport
missions as far as Africa and the
Arctic.
After five years in Trenton, he
served a four-year exchange in
Elizabeth City, North Carolina, with
the U.S. Coast Guard and flew the
C130 Hercules in Search and Rescue
missions, as well as Law
Enforcement missions.
On his return to Canada, he
became an Operational Test Pilotduring the acquisition of the newCC130J Hercules aircraft.
In preparation for his overseas
deployment, Loder learned how to
operate the CC130J Hercules aircraft
in a tactical mission and completed
pre-deployment training, which
included weapons training and a
battle fitness test including activities
like a 10-kilometre march carrying a
50 lb. backpack, war tactics, etc.
Upon his return from Afghanistan,
Loder was promoted to Major and is
now the officer in charge of Training
and Standardization for the new fleet
of CC130J aircraft based in CFB 8
Wing Trenton.
Other than flying through rain on
their approach into Kabul, there was
absolutely no rain in the four months
while Loder was stationed there. For
the first four nights, the crew of five
shared a tent eventually ending up
two to a room in re-constructed sea
containers. The rooms were just
large enough to fit their beds and
locker units, while they shared
bathrooms and showers. There were
five different mess halls serving
meals, consisting mostly of rice.
“Living in close quarters and
working with the same people for
four months in a hot combat
environment was a challenge,” says
Loder. “Being responsible for the
well-being of my crew and for the
successful completion of our
missions was stressful at times,
however it was the most rewarding
experience of my career.
“We bonded together and the crew
worked hard to get the job done
without complaint. We have
developed close friendships that will
last for the rest of our lives.”
When asked about the skills a pilot
needs in a combat environment,
Loder joked, saying the ability to
take off and land were paramount.
“Seriously,” he continued, “a pilot’s
job is demanding, particularly
during bad weather, while fatigued,
or when dealing with mechanical
issues. In addition, they need good
hands and feet and they must remain
calm under pressure if an emergency
arises.
“Good judgment is a necessity and
knowing what the limits of the plane
and the crew are, with respect to
flying under adverse conditions, isimperative.”While in Afghanistan, Loder was
an Aircraft Commander of the
CC130J and conducted the Tactical
Airlift of troops and cargo among
several different airports, as well as
airdrops to more remote locations.
Canadians were amongst the first
to deploy the Hercules aircraft to
Afghanistan. Hercules airlift
missions have prevented many
deaths from suicide bombers or
improvised explosive devices
(IEDs).
During airdrop missions, packed
crates of food, water, fuel and other
supplies are stored in the cargo hold
of the Hercules and are parachuted
to the troops on the ground below.
Loder had to try to hit the target
dead-on and at a precise moment.
“The airdrop missions we did were
the most memorable,” he says. “It
requires a high level of preparation,
skill and training to do it accurately.
It felt good to be supplying troops by
air so that they could avoid having to
transport it via convoy on the ground
as so many people have been killed
or injured by IEDs during convoy
missions.”
But the airdrops by the Tactical
Airlift Unit out of Kandahar Airfield
are not without their risks. They
must be done smoothly and quickly
to avoid enemy fire.
“We changed our flight patterns on
each trip to avoid being predictable,”
he says. “We didn’t want the Taliban
to know what we were going to do.”
During his deployment, Loder and
his crew transported over 3,000
troops, as well as several passengers
from other countries who were in the
International Security Assistance
Force and more than one million
pounds of cargo, consisting of food,
water, vehicles, ammunition and
other supplies needed by allied
forces.
“Luckily, I didn’t lose any friends
while I was there, but I knew the
pilots of the Chinook (helicopter)
that crashed this past May as they
were attempting to land on a dry
river bed in Panjwaii district. It made
us more aware of the dangers
associated with flying in the desert
environment,” he said. “I did have a
Soldier makes transition
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All done
Major Shane Loder, right, was all smiles after completing his first successful operational
airdrop mission for Canada’s new fleet of CC130J aircraft. Loder and the rest of his crew, from
left: Captain Brad Beauchamp, Sergeant Les Page, MCpl. Andy Orr, Sergeant David Burrill
and Loder, were back safe to the Kandahar Airfield after the drop with their CC130J Hercules.
(Photo submitted)
Continued on page 18
By Shari Simpson
Special to The Citizen