PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI -- When you’re a 317th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, there’s always something exciting happening. Most of the time, it’s from traveling the world on missions.
For one Airman, the pressure added during a recent humanitarian aid mission to Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, when she wasn’t just performing her duties as a loadmaster but also going through her first evaluation.
Staff Sgt. Christine Roberts, 317th AS loadmaster, admits she was nervous during the performance evaluation, but was confident at the end of the day she'd be successful.
“I had to trust myself and not allow my nerves to take over,” said Roberts.
The performance evaluations are conducted every 15 months on aircrew members to ensure they’re performing their job efficiently, safely and by the books.
However, the books can sometimes go out the window when you’re put against an unexpected variable and that’s the moments Roberts’ instincts as a loadmaster kicks in.
“You have to think on your feet in this career field,” said Roberts. “It’s not an evaluation that could be done with just books, because you’ll be faced with challenges as a loadmaster that may not even be in the books yet and that’s when you’re really tested.”
Roberts admits she enjoys the adrenaline rush because it lets her step up to a challenge, but finds many aspects of her career equally rewarding.
“When you’re doing combat missions, it’s great to be a part of the aircrew that’s bringing troops home to their families,” said Roberts. “Or, when we’re delivering humanitarian goods to needing countries, just to see the smiles on their faces and know I was part of that is why I do this job.”
During her evaluation, the 317th AS flew more than 65,000 pounds of food to Haiti as well as bicycles, medical and school supplies to Saint Kitts and Nevis.
During that mission, Master Sgt. Logan Cathcart, 317th AS loadmaster, conducted the evaluation.
“Everyone gets nervous during evaluations,” said Cathcart. “But the point isn’t to bust the individual, it’s to observe them. It’s good to put the nerves aside and just do the job the same way you did it during your last mission.”
Cathcart added the importance of every loadmaster, regardless of their duty station, to know the job thoroughly because you never know when you’ll be called on the mission as the only loadmaster.
Nerves aside, Roberts found herself overcoming unforeseen obstacles at all stops, but trusted her instincts and successfully took on all challenges. Roberts passed her evaluation and looks forward to whatever adventure awaits.