For fighting fit
Certificate of Merit for work in East Timor

Lt Genevieve Liebich, back at her home base – 2HSB. Photo by WO2 Graham McBean, 7 Bde.

Leut Aaron Matzkow

HEALTH and safety awareness and quick, effective recovery from injury are vital to a force in the field.

Well versed with these rules is 2HSB physiotherapist Lt Genevieve Liebich ... after all, she wrote some of them.

As part of the Health Supplementation Team stationed in Moleana, East Timor, Lt Liebich was the only physiotherapist for a contingent of 900 Australians during her five-and-a-half months in the field.

She quickly found many injuries arose from accidents occuring in Moleana’s gym, so to prevent injury, hasten recovery and speed a member’s return to duty she wrote effective rules for the use of the facility, designed warning signs, made posters, instructed in correct exercise techniques and designed gym programs.

The number of injuries declined so dramatically that Lt Liebich was named winner of a Certificate of Merit in the 2004 Safety Awards for excellence, innovation and exceptional leadership in occupational health and safety and rehabilitation.

On her arrival in Moleana no physiotherapy facilities were in place, so she established a local clinic, treating members of the Australian contingent at their Forward Operating Bases instead of them having to travel to the UN military hospital in Dili.

This alone saved between three and seven days in the case of the average injury, improving individual and battalion performance.

She instructed at a Sports Trainers’ Course, giving lessons on injury prevention, stretching, warm-up and cool-down and on strapping injuries, and established communications with other health professionals to allow for the most effective management of patients in her area.

Lt Liebich, 22 at the time, even built a miniature hydrotherapy pool to treat patients with lower limb injuries, again hastening their return to normal duties.

Until Lt Liebich’s presence became known, it was quiet enough for her to establish her clinic.

“But they all came out of the woodwork when the guys found out I was there,” she said.

“I had to treat a lot of lower limb injuries when they returned from patrols ... rolling their ankles on rocks and the like.

“And a lot of upper limb injuries, shoulders particularly, from carrying heavy packs and boxes.”

She travelled to outposts to treat sufferers who could not be released to make the trip in to Moleana.

Her commander Maj Roger Holmes, said that throughout her tour of East Timor, Lt Liebich remained focussed and dedicated despite having to work with minimal equipment and facilities.

Lt Liebich even found the time to become a regular contributor to Army.