CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Tech. Sgt. Aaron Avery is a member of the 16th Airlift Squadron and has been stationed at Charleston AFB for about two-and-a-half years.
He is currently deployed to Southwest Asia as a C-17 evaluator loadmaster for the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. Sergeant Avery's responsibilities include performing flight evaluations on the loadmasters in his squadron. He verifies the standards are being followed and completed in a safe manner. Sergeant Avery is also a joint airdrop inspector, which entails inspecting the airdrop loads prior to the mission. He verifies the load is in good order, identifying and correcting any discrepancies.
As an evaluator, Sergeant Avery is the tip of the spear in global mobility. He helps certify a loadmaster is fully qualified to fly the missions they are tasked so combatant commands and other Department of Defense customers can rest assured they are getting some of Team Charleston's best Airmen.
According to Sergeant Avery, what he likes best about his job is having the opportunity to travel the world. The Air Force has allowed him to visit 111 countries so far and he is still going to new places.
This "warrior of the week" hails from Charleston, and enlisted in the Air Force almost 17 years ago to travel around the world and follow in his father's footsteps, who spent 32 years in the Air Force.
Sergeant Avery has been deployed twice since returning to Charleston AFB after cross training into the loadmaster field. He recently got married in November, which has made this deployment a little more challenging. Sergeant Avery said, his wife's support from home and the sacrifices she has made while he has been deployed will make coming home to her so special.
According to Sergeant Avery, he's had the opportunity to be part of the ongoing conflict conducting front line combat operations. This has given him a real world perspective and appreciation for what we as Airmen contribute to our nation.