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Army Officer Kandahar Bound
11 September 2007
As is the lot of Army families, Bronwyn Shaw-Downey and her teenage daughters are accustomed to seeing husband and Dad, Tony, off to sundry courses, tours of duty and operational deployments.
Earlier this month the tables were turned, as Major Tony Downey and daughters Sara (18) and Portia (16) farewelled Bronwyn, a lieutenant in the Royal NZ Nursing Corps, as she flew out for Kandahar, Afghanistan. Along with radiographer Captain Darryl Newsome, she is on a six-month deployment at a Canadian Armed forces hospital at Kandahar Airfield, a hot spot in southern Afghanistan, as the first rotation for Task Group Manaaki. Both are the first Kiwi medics to serve there.
MAJ Downey, Second in Command of 2nd Logistics Battalion, is no stranger to overseas deployments during his 26 -year career, which began as a Regular Force Cadet in 1981. He has served in Angola, East Timor, and in Syria and Lebanon during 12 months attached to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation.
LT Shaw-Downey is a comparative newcomer to the Army, joining in April last year.
Her switch from Army wife and mother to military officer began when she graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Nursing degree four years ago. From there she worked for three years in Wairarapa Hospital.
Following her Specialist Officers’ Induction training course at Waiouru last year, she was posted on a tour of duty back to Wairarapa, where she was able to complete her training as a theatre nurse. Since January she has been serving with 2nd Health Support Battalion at Linton Camp.
Prior to departing, LT Shaw-Downey said she was delighted to have been selected for the deployment, particularly going in a specialist role. “It has really helped having such great support and encouragement from Tony and the girls,” she added.
This page was last reviewed on 14 September 2007 and is current.
