Veterans’ 2009 ALM Reunion
By (ALM Rtd) Jim Beaton
Airloadmaster’s 2009 Reunion
The 2009 Air Loadmaster (ALM) reunion was hosted last year by No 40 Squadron at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Auckland.
ALM colleagues—past and present—discussed how remarkable it was hearing about the many different things their contemporaries and colleagues had gone on to do after completing their flying careers and leaving the RNZAF.
Subsequent careers—including a Magistrate, Industry Executives, School Teachers, and Hospital Logistics Managers—reflects not only the character and the considerable personal capabilities of ALMs, but also the ethos, self-discipline, work ethic, integrity, teamwork and professional development we were imbued with in the service life of the RNZAF.
It is all these attributes that, I think, contribute so much to our ALMs being consistently successful in their later careers—both here in New Zealand and overseas. And I might mention that when we eventually do retire, we still can’t stop! We go on being typical Kiwis—travelling overseas, buying lifestyle blocks, restoring classic cars and motorcycles, staying engaged with the ex-Service organisations, and talking to each other about life as often as we can.