FIRST AID: The medical team from 1HSB in action during a medical emergency simulation at Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Picture: Cpl Michael Davis

DURING its deployment on Exercise Talisman Sabre at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), 1HSB’s readiness and interoperability with US forces were put to the test.

Most of the unit arrived at SWBTA on June 2, before most combat units arrived. 1HSB CO Lt-Col Richard Mallet said getting the 250 personnel to the area was the easy aspect of the deployment.

“The interesting part was putting the unit’s components together when we got there,” he said.

“We had fantastic support from a number of attached force elements under the command and control of 1HSB; health personnel from 2HSB, 3HSB and 2FSB, 130 Sig Sqn from 17 Signals Regiment and 2 Fd Supply Coy from 10FSB. Elements not geographically located within the Force Maintenance Area (FMA) location such as the bulk fuel installation and field supply area were located down the road due to environmental constraints.”

When the unit began to establish itself in the SWBTA, Lt-Col Mallet said after he had gained visibility of US military health assets, he hatched a plan for collocation.

“US Marine Corps and Navy assets from Okinawa were on the ground at SWBTA.

After discussions we managed to brief back to our chains of command to convince them for us to collocate,” he said.

For the duration of the exercise the combined US and Australian deployed health facility provided a significant health capability for forces deployed in the SWBTA.

“We bought to the exercise a 32-bed, level 3 combat health support unit, with the capacity to manage 15 casualties requiring surgery in a 72-hour period in our operating theatre. We could also manage one critically ill, ventilated patient for about 24 hours and two high dependency patients for about 36 to 48 hours prior to evacuation,” Lt-Col Mallet said.

“We also deployed with a 10-bed medium dependency and 20-bed low dependency units. This was supported by a number of clinical support elements, including pathology, imaging, psych support team, dental, primary health care, environmental health and rehabilitation team. The FMA site was built largely by the efforts of the HSB’s Op Spt Company, all of which combined to provide a tangible level-three health capability.”

The US forces added to the already significant Australian health presence by providing another surgical team and intensive care capabilities.

“They effectively allowed us to have greater medical capacity, therefore a greater ability to respond to casualties,” Lt-Col Mallet said.

Even though the primary role of the hospital during the exercise was to provide combat health support and to refine such activities as simulated casualty evacuations with Army Aviation assets, he said 1HSB personnel continued life as they would when based in their Sydney hospital barracks.

“Soldiers and officers prepared to go on courses; we had soldiers preparing to leave the exercise area and to go on operations, so all of those activities needed to continue,” he said.

“Plus all of my sub-unit commanders had ongoing responsibilities back in Sydney, the XO and Adjutant were there continuing to run a busy fourth-line hospital. We also rotated personnel from Sydney and other units in and out of the exercise area.”

After returning from the exercise 1HSB’s work tempo will not lighten.

“Exercise Talisman Sabre was a test of our readiness, capability, and capacity to do our job at all levels of combat health support,” Lt-Col Mallet said.

“It also was a real demonstration of 17 Brigade health capabilities and a very real test of our readiness to deploy and to demonstrate that we do have the capacity to be interoperable with our allies.”