NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2011


15


DON’T worry. It’s not a real casualty. But the mangled lower leg, fake blood – and a bit of (over)acting – make it seem very real. An


medi this


Chivenor in January, where the medics were joined by musicians from the Royal Marine Band Service who’ll serve as ambulance drivers and casualty handlers (the modern term for stretcher bearers) and amputees to play the parts of the injured. Also thrown into the mix were personnel from RNAS Yeovilton, commandos from CTCRM in Lympstone, 42 and 45 Commandos, 29 Commando Regiment RA, sailors from Portsmouth and Devonport, and medical staff from Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham. Oh, and the Crabs turned up too, in the form of Chinook helicopters... as MA Morwenna Nichols discovered. Covered in mud from crawling over the sodden North Devon


comm 29 C


stret Als


am m


m C


The surgeons and medical assistants have spent the past six months preparing for their latest tour of duty in Helmand, forming the Close Support Medical Regiment, drawn from Royal Naval and Army units across the UK. That training neared its climax in icy conditions at RM


values


And in a couple of months it will be very real for 200-plus naval medics when they deploy with 3 Commando Brigade to Afghanistan this spring.


terrain, impeded by her SA80 rifl e, the young medic from MDHU Derriford struggled to communicate with comrades and a ‘casualty’ as a Wocka Wocka rumbled overhead carrying a Medical Emergency Response Team. “There’s only so much you can learn in a hospital,” says MA Nichols for whom this will be her fi rst deployment. “I am looking forward to going to Afghanistan – this is exactly


what we have trained for as medical assistants. “I am keen to go to use my full skills, but I know it will be


tough.” Beyond the very immediate task of trauma treatment, training for


the latest Operation Herrick roulement has also involved paediatrics – the medical teams provide health care and advice to Helmand’s civilian populace – and drawing up fi tness and nutritional advice for the troops on the ground to improve their general health. Each person in the medical regiment will spend two weeks training which reaches a climax with an intensive 40-hour fi nal exercise.


“The medics will be going out on patrol on the front line in the arduous and dangerous conditions where they may have to defend themselves and their patients from the Taleban, so training has included learning basic infantry as well as medical skills,” explained Lt Cdr Mark Middleton, Offi cer Commanding A Squadron. “The training’s peaking with them putting it all together – they


have been practising their existing trauma skills in a stressful environment where we make it as realistic as possible. “Ultimately their presence will give the combat troops the


confi dence to do their job properly knowing they will be looked after by skilled medics. In turn, the troops will look after the medics and ensure they are safe.”


 Realistic training for 45 Commando in Norfolk, see overleaf


Picture: LA(Phot) Nicki Wilson, FRPU West


redundancy? INDEXATION CHANGE REDUCES ARMED FORCES PENSIONS


TAX ALLOWANCE CUT!!  what pension can you expect on


Protecting your interests has never been more challenging


National newspapers, television and radio have reported the Forces Pension Society’s campaign in its fi ght for fairness for the Armed Forces, serving and retired; in particular those who will be hardest hit by the Government’s changes to Armed Forces pension schemes.


Forces Pension Society is a not-for-profi t organisation and is the only independent, authoritative source of occupational pension advice. Through our Pension Helpline we deal with hundreds of queries every month; many of them complex, many from widows and those with young families. And increasingly we deal with queries about when to exit (and when not to) and what future pension entitlements may be expected.


In addition to our advisory service we also offer our Members a wide range of discounted goods and services, from holidays to healthcare, currency exchange to home insurance.


Membership for you and your partner is just £30 a year and if you join us online now, we will send you this holiday voucher worth £150 (conditions apply). Just quote promo code NAV2011.


Forces Pension Society represents the interests of all ranks in all three Services. On behalf of the whole military community we promote the Unique Nature of Military Service and adherence to the Military Covenant. Every new Member of the Forces Pension Society strengthens our collective voice (now well over 40,000 Members).


Join us online at www.forcespensionsociety.org/promo (quote promo NAV2011) and at:


Forces Pension Society is an independent not-for-profi t organisation and is a member of the Confederation of British Service and Ex-Service Organisations FORCES PENSION SOCIETY,


68 South Lambeth Road, London, SW8 1RL. Tel: 020 7820 9988 email: memsec@forpen.co.uk www.forcespensionsociety.org


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44