By
CPL Simone Liebelt
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CAF
AIRMSHL Angus Houston watches on as WGCDR Michael Paterson
congratulates his medical team for their efforts in Iraq
at the official welcome home ceremony.
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Photo
by CPL Errol Jones
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A
SMALL team of Air Force medics have been welcomed home after recently
returning from Iraq, where they treated significant trauma from
the battlefield.
CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston commended the 11 members of the
Australian Medical detachment for their valuable contribution
at an official function at RAAF Base Amberley on May 20.
The team of permanent and reservist doctors, nurses and medical
assistants formed part of a 20-strong tri-Service contingent,
known as Med Det Balad.
They returned in March after working up to six months alongside
coalition forces in a US level 3 trauma hospital, located at the
Balad Air Base, north of Baghdad.
Commanding Officer of No. 1 Air Transportable Hospital Squadron,
Wing Commander Michael Paterson, was the officer in charge of
the first rotation.
“We were absorbed into the USAF hospital capability and treated
coalition soldiers, and interestingly, had the opportunity to
treat many Iraqi nationals as well,” WGCDR Paterson said.
“Most of us had deployed before, in some cases several times,
but the acuity and volume of the trauma was generally a lot greater
than that experienced on those previous operations.
“It was probably the first time ADF health elements had done
this degree of work on battle casualties since Vietnam.
“We went in there wondering whether we’d be able to
match it with the Americans in that environment, and we found
that we could. We worked for a very professional group and were
able to provide a small but meaningful contribution to the coalition
health system.”
