We arrived at the airfield at 0730 which, we were told, was when the aircraft was supposed to land. The aircraft touched down about 0810. A C-17 Globemaster is a big airplane. The aircraft taxied up to where we had our equipment position and we began loading. Or I should say, the equipment got loaded. We didn’t have a whole lot to do with it. Civilian load vehicle drivers showed up and drove all the equipment. It was mostly the Air Force personnel directing the civilians. The exception being our own Load Masters.
They are the ones who plan out how the equipment will be loaded into the aircraft. It is actually quite difficult. Unlike when we, or at least I, load the car to go on vacation, everything must be balanced in the aircraft. Load Master School is one of the more difficult and demanding schools that we get sent to.
While getting ready to go this morning I put on some music. The second or third song to play was musical tribute to someone who had passed away. The song talked about how much the person would be missed and what not. Half way into the first verse I just started sobbing. Realising that I’d probably been burying this for a while I just let it all go and cried pretty hard for about 10 minutes or so. I haven’t cried like that since my mother died some 16 years ago. I’m really going to miss my wife and kids. I was talking with Yoshi on the phone on Friday. I told him that we would be leaving on Saturday. Yoshi said, “that sucks. That means I won’t see you for a long time.” He’s right. It does suck. As I was standing on the flight line waiting to board the aircraft I thought about the fact that the next time I set foot on that ground I will likely be running to embrace my wife and kids. That won’t suck at all.
Aloha