Lance Corporal McDowell met Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, the Colonel in Chief of the Royal Logistic Corps, who presented him with a medal to mark his six-month tour in Afghanistan. He attended the event with his wife Milene daughter Helena (10), mum Sarah and brother Frank.
The 38-year-old dad returned home to Carnmoney in September and told the Times he was delighted to receive his medal and get back to family life.
"Receiving my medal for my time in Afghanistan was a real honour but I am delighted to be back home with my family and back to normality."
He added: "I joined the TA at 32 and it has been a real experience for me. I've had the opportunity to go to places like Canada, Gibraltar and Afghanistan. The TA is something I would recommend to any young person who is thinking about life in the army."
He served in Helmand Province, working alongside their regular Army counterparts as an integral part of 'Operation Herrick 10' where their role was to 'keep the military show on the road'.
Deployed in the most hostile parts of Helmand, the Territorials from '152', as their home unit is known, helped to achieve some hugely notable milestones, during which they travelled some 12,000 kilometres by road at a time when every outing was highly dangerous.
The Royal Logistic Corps delivers everything needed by combat troops who are at the front line and heavily engaged in combat with a determined enemy who is often strongly focused on destroying re-supply convoys and logistic assets. Despite that continuing backdrop to their work, during their tour of duty the team delivered ammunition, rations, safe drinking water, fuel, medical supplies and 150,000+ tonnes of infrastructure equipment for local Afghan communities. They also seized or put beyond use £1 billion+ of illegal drugs.
The Commanding Officer of the unit, Lieutenant Colonel Adrian Thurgood, said: "It is a great honour for the troops to receive their medals from Her Royal Highness.
"These are 'ordinary' people who have done extraordinary deeds in the service of their country and the people of Afghanistan. As a unit we welcome their safe return and look forward to deploying further troops to enable the vital work in Afghanistan to continue."