2010 Paulatim Magazine - RAAMC Association

Unlike conventional Mission Rehearsal Exercises (MRE), SOCOMD
medical personnel have considerable involvement in the overall
strategic outcomes of SOTG MREs. This can be attributed to SOTG
commanders at all levels embracing the force enhancement capabilities
of the medical element not only on the battlefield but also in the force
preservation space. Apart from the provision of general health care that
keeps the operator in the fight, during the exercise, medical elements
form an integral embedded component of the assault teams in the
conduct of operational full mission profiles.
PAULATIM
During the deployment, SOCOMD medical personnel are exposed to a
unique operating tempo and culture. Some of the key lessons we have
learned on a posting to SOCOMD have been:
Garrison patient work includes shoulder dislocations, ATV rollovers,
suturing, suspected viral meningitis and facial fragmentation injuries to
name a few. Due to the large amount of musculoskeletal injuries, SOTG
has its own physiotherapist. These presentations result from the nature
of employment of the Field Elements we support.
Whilst the primary role of the medic is to provide emergency and
primary health support to the fighting force, they are also commonly
called upon to conduct ‘med caps’. A med cap is a ‘sick parade’ for local
nationals and allows ADF personnel to build rapport with local villagers.
The common methods of insertion are vehicle and helicopter operations,
followed by foot mounted patrolling.
Medics often deploy on vehicle or helicopter mounted operations.
We use the Bushmaster vehicle. Whilst on vehicle operations, medics
man guns and are employed as vehicle commanders. The use of
airframes for patrols usually involves landing at a secure landing zone
(LZ), followed by a few kilometre patrol to the target area. After the air
insertion, the walk over some of the harshest country, carrying your life
and medical life support tools on your back for a period of hours to
weeks is no easy feet.
One of the most professionally rewarding tasks allocated to SOTG
medics is Operation VOODOO. These missions are arranged by the SOTG
to allow medics the opportunity to work on the American Aero Medical
Evacuation (AME) birds. Some of the missions we deploy on include
responding to point of injury (POI) casualties, mass casualties, coalition
FOB’s and patient transfers to and from Kandahar.
For those who are not aware of the term forward surgical team, it is a
US term for a level 2 health facility that offers resuscitation (4 tables),
imagery (x-ray & fast scans), surgery (2 tables), intensive care (2
beds) and a small holding capability (8 beds). The facility which we
worked in at TK was run by both US Air Force and Navy. The clinical
work we undertook included but was not limited to anaesthetics in
surgery, working in the resuscitation bays and treating local nationals
during local clinics. Honestly, one of the most clinical hands-on areas
the majority of us have worked.
Deploying on operations as part of an SOTG is the highlight for all
RAAMC personnel employed within SOCOMD. For us it culminates years
of military and medical training in an operational environment, pushing
them to the end of their physical, mental and medical limits. RAAMC
personnel are currently on their 13th rotation with the SOTG of which
no two have been the same. The lessons are passed on to each member,
resulting in RAAMC personnel have been awarded Nursing Service
Crosses (NSC), the Medal of Gallantry (MG), Commanders Citations and
a range of other Australian Defence Force Commendations for their
service.
Little by Little
Outdated but still followed
The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps comes from a long and proud
history with linkages dating as far back as the First Fleet in 1788 to the
New South Wales Medical Staff Corp in 1854 and to the birth, as we
know it, of the RAAMC in 1901. Along with the formation of the RAAMC
came the RAAMC Badge with a well-known Latin phrase Paulatim ‘Little
by Little’. This appropriate Latin phrase was a modest expression of the
RAAMC’s slowly developing skills and capabilities. I propose that
Military Medicine especially, has progressed a long way, yet the RAAMC
is still only progressing ‘Little by Little’.
The RAAMC does not have a centralised collation of all medical lessons
learnt on operations and back home. Many of us ‘re-invent the wheel’
developing new medical equipment, medical SOP’s (Standard Operating
Procedures) or training and development ideas when the equipment
has already been built and trailed. I believe there are many lessons
that are interchangeable from unit to unit, man to man and even from
the ADF Tri-services. I propose a controlled and organised medical
database managed by the Army Logistical Training Centre (ALTC) Health
Service Wing (HSW) and accessed via DRN would provide the repository
of knowledge required providing easy access for all RAAMC and RAANC
personnel to up-to-date medical advice and support from Subject Matter
Experts. The data base would also assist Training and Development Cells
in obtaining insight, feedback and advice on medical equipment,
medical SOP’s and lessons learnt on operations and back home. A web
page orientated medical database would stop ‘re-inventing the wheel”.
PA U L AT I M – M A GAZINE O F T HE R OYA L A U S T R A L I A N A R M Y M E DICAL C O R P S – 2 0 1 0 9 7