Taking experience into the volunteering sphere

Leading Aircraftwoman Chantelle Bradford always had a desire to fly while growing up in Queensland and her formative work years were spent as cabin crew with Qantas, travelling Australia and the world.

CAPTION: Leading Aircraftwoman Chantelle Bradford is an air surveillance operator at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Photo by Corporal Brenton Kwaterski.

She is now an air surveillance operator at RAAF Base Edinburgh, having decided to join the ADF to pursue her passion for aviation.

“My day-to-day roles utilise over-the-horizon radar and other sophisticated systems to detect and maintain surface and air surveillance within the area of Australia’s northern approaches,” Leading Aircraftwoman Bradford said.

“My Air Force journey to date is short and sweet. I enlisted in June 2019, completed initial military training in Wagga Wagga and received the Airmanship Award for my graduating course.

“I am currently posted to RAAF Base Edinburgh in the Battlespace Surveillance Centre.”

Leading Aircraftwoman Bradford has a busy and vital volunteering role when not at work with the Air Force.

“I volunteer with ADF veterans and first responders coordinating disaster relief operations following natural disasters such as the recent bushfires, floods, tropical cyclones and droughts to name a few,” she said.

“The organisation is called Disaster Relief Australia and I was fortunate enough to be a part of their start up in Australia in February 2017.

“I have many roles such as public relations, operations officer, logistics, incident management team and mentor.

“To help me in my Disaster Relief Australia role, I am currently studying a bachelor of emergency management.”

Leading Aircraftwoman Bradford’s passion for aviation is best described by her with the quote from United States World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker, “Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible”.

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