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Rock Solid Warrior is Staff Sgt. Matthew Covault

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jared Marquis
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST, ASIA --  This week's Rock Solid Warrior is Staff Sgt. Matthew Cocault. He is an air transportation craftsman with the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. The Rowlett, Texas native is deployed from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.


Q: What is your family’s military heritage (anyone else in your family who was/is in the military?):
A: My grandfather served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War.

Q: What is your mission here (in general terms)?
A: I provide logistical support for the warfighters downrange, whether it is moving supplies, cargo or personnel.

Q: What are some of the best parts of your mission?
A: The best part of my mission is the opportunity to work with allied forces and knowing that the mission I worked here is providing sustainment for forces downrange.

Q: What are some of the challenges you face while conducting your mission, and how do you overcome them?
A: Low manning is the largest challenge here. To overcome this, as an aerial port expeditor, I am able to go out to a C-17 and download the cargo even if the crew is gone. So time management is a key factor for me in my job.

Q: How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base?
A: There is no difference between being deployed and being at home station. Either way, I am still providing support for our forces downrange.

Q: How many times have you deployed?
A: This will make my fifth deployment; I have deployed twice to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, and once to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq.

Q: What makes this deployment unique?
A: This deployment is unique due to the fact that we are working with a variety of other nations. We are writing history here. Every person on the base will be able to look back at what we are doing and see their impact on the mission.

Q: Why did you join the Air Force?
A: I joined the Air Force back in 2008 because I wanted the opportunity to go to college and make something of my life. I wanted to be the first person in my family to graduate college and give my family something I never had. What better place to accomplish this than through the Air Force, where I can go to school and have it paid for?