Community & Business
21 July, 2024
Veteran reunited with Chinook
Afghanistan veteran Kevin Humphreys DSC was re-united with the Oakey Army Aviation Museum’s Chinook exhibit, the aircraft he flew into combat in 2009.
CONTENT WARNING
This story contains descriptions of mental health problems and suicide ideation*
The appearance of this decorated war hero came at a celebration of 50 Years of the Chinook at Oakey Army Aviation Museum.
Kevin Humphreys had the keys to a Black Hawk at 21 and had what would be a bright career ahead of him.
He was deployed in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, eventually being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his command and courageous leadership.
It was in Afghanistan that he flew the Chinook which is now an exhibit at the Oakey Army Aviation Museum.
Humphreys spoke of landing the aircraft on the side of a clifftop, allowing soldiers to deploy while still hovering in the air.
Initially too modest to mention his DSC award, it was only the prompting of a colleague, that led to the Oakey Champion discovering this honour.
Since leaving the Army, Humphreys has become an advocate for those suffering with Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), depression and anxiety.
“Before I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, I told my wife, this is the reason I was put on the planet,” he says in one of his keynote addresses available online.
“I absolutely believe that to be true today.
“But in 2008, when I was contemplating suicide and then fell and had a breakdown I really thought I’d got that wrong.
“I started the ‘Boy’s Own Adventure’, flying helicopters all over Australia and into Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We landed in our horseshoe, and all hell erupted all the way around.
“There was tracer and heavy machine gun fire, going down between the aircraft across the front of the aircraft, the sides of the aircraft.
“Just absolute mayhem erupted.
“Not a bullet hole to the aircraft, not a scratch, which was just amazing.
“Rocket attacks at the compound in Kandar was a pretty common event,” he said.
“At one occasion there in 2007, I’d just finished in my bedroom donga, walking across the compound and the whistle came overhead and the rocket landed about five metres from my bedroom donga and shredded my bedroom with shrapnel.
“It wasn’t until I got home and indeed, when I fell in a heap, had my breakdown, that it was pointed out just how void of emotion I was.
“My youngest son, who was 11 at the time, looked at me with absolute innocence and said, ‘Dad, why didn’t you kill yourself?’
Since his recovery, Humphreys has become a Flight Instructor and Examiner, and has held positions of Chief Pilot and Director of Operations in Search and Rescue helicopter organisations.
