SouthShoreNow.ca

John Cunningham
Lighthouse staff

 OAKHILL - It's with a sense of duty and pride that Cpl. David Hymers, of Oakhill, awaits a six-month posting in the war-torn former Yugoslavia.

 "It's for a good cause," he said." What's happening over there is very sad. I'm pleased that Canada is taking part in assisting them as much as we can."

 Cpl. Hymers, 23, is scheduled to board a military aircraft May 27 for the overseas deployment. Initially, he is to be stationed in Macedonia and then move on to Kosovo, when and if peace is restored to that war-ravaged province.

 An electrical generating systems technician by trade, Cpl. Hymers will be working to set up electrical power in facilities that will be used to house Canadian Air Force personnel who are in the field in the former Yugoslavia or who may be posted there later on.

 At first, the personnel will likely be housed in tents although buildings might follow in the future.

 Cpl. Hymers, a reservist, from the 143 Airfield Engineering Flight (AEF) Lunenburg County, will be serving with regular force Air Force personnel from 141 AEF from 14 Wing Greenwood. He'll be one of five reservists.

Cpl. David Hymers

 This is not unusual, said Capt. Linda Thompson, of the Lunenburg County Airfield Engineering Flight. "A considerable number, that started their military career here, have transferred to the regular force.

 "It speaks well for training that they receive here," said Capt. Thompson.

 In preparation for service in Macedonia and possibly Kosovo, Cpl. Hymers took a month's training at Greenwood and in Edmonton to prepare him for "what to expect."

 There was training in how to detect and avoid land mines "a big threat over there," he said. There was weapons training and training on "how to deal with hostage taking" as well as "first aid and how to deal with mass casualties."

 Capt. Thompson said this training is standard for a military deployment.

 Cpl. Hymers has been associated with the AEF for three years. He took basic training at boot camp at CFB Borden in the summer of 1996. He has taken further trade training at the Lunenburg Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College.

 Cpl. Hymers has strong family ties to the Lunenburg County AEF. His mother, Mary Anne Custance, also a corporal, has been associated with the airflight almost since the day it moved a unit into Oakhill, five years ago.

 Cpl. Hymers said his posting could be "a dangerous situation. Nobody likes to go into a situation where their lives are at stake."

 But "I'm glad to go over and be able to assist in a country that certainly needs our help," he said. "I don't know what it's going to be like. It's going to be an eye-opener."