WANGANUI'S Rob Cato is preparing to leave for Timor Leste for his fifth overseas tour with the New Zealand Defence Force.
The 30-year-old former Wanganui High School student is one of six Royal New Zealand Air Force pilots and 26 support personnel leaving for the South East Asian country next week with two RNZAF Iroquois helicopters.
The RNZAF personnel from the Ohakea-based 3 Squadron and Iroquois helicopters, will be the first three-month rotation of what will be a 12-month deployment.
"The tropical flying experience will be a new challenge," Flight Lieutenant Cato said.
"I've deployed to Timor twice previously to work as ground crew and I served in Afghanistan's Bamyan province last year on another ground deployment."
"This tour will be my first flying deployment since I was in the Solomon Islands with 3 Squadron in 2004."
The Air Force contingent will support the Australian-led combined joint task force by assisting with insertion and extraction of patrols, the provision of aero-medical evacuation and air logistic support.
The first Iroquois and support crew will leave for Timor Leste on Monday on board a RNZAF C-130 Hercules.
Local man's tour of duty in Timor
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