23 January 2006
CDF visits Operation Pakistan Assist personnel

An Australian Defence Force medical team is working in Pakistan and Kashmir as part of a humanitarian mission to provide vital health care assistance to people affected by the 8 October 2005 South Asia earthquakes. The team has established a medical centre at the remote town of Dhanni, about 20km north-east of Muzaffarabad, on the Pakistan side of the Kashmir Line Of Control.

The team, of about 140 personnel, includes medical personnel, a command element, an aviation detachment and logistics and communication personnel. Four Black Hawk helicopters are deployed to provide essential transport and support tasks.

The helicopters give the ADF team the mobility to extend medical care from the central hub at Dhanni to assist a large number of people in the harsh terrain of the surrounding region who need medical attention as a result of the earthquake.

The Black Hawk detachment is primarily from the Australian Army 5th Aviation Regiment based in Townsville. The health and support personnel comprise members of the Army's logistic support force based at Randwick Barracks, Sydney; a Royal Australian Air Force primary health care team from Richmond, New South Wales; and personnel drawn from a range of units across Australia, including Reserves.

20060112adf8195319_010 The Australian Defence Force logistics element at Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. Back row (L-R) LCPL Tanya Sayers, CPL Greg Milne, PTE Conor Gray, ACM "Angus" Houston, WO2 Jonathon Blaik, Captain Matthew Patching, SGT Alison Timmers. Front (L-R) CPL Angela Jennison, PTE Matthew Peirce and CPL Scott Lobegeiger. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_014 Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston talks to members of the Australian Army 5 Aviation Regiment deployed to Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, as part of Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_017 Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston poses for a group photo with members of the Australian Army 5 Aviation Regiment deployed to Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, as part of Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_019 Task Force Eagle Commander Colonel Robert L. Johnson, US Army (right), greets the Chief of the Australian Defence Force Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston and welcomes him to the task force element based at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_022 Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left) is greeted by detachment Commander Major Stephen Jobson (centre) and Warrant Officer Class Two Theresa Phillips (right) during his vist to Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_033 Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston looks out from a Black Hawk helicopter at the devastation caused by the 8 October 2005 earthquake during his visit to Camp Bradman, near Dhanni in Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_037 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston, meets Private Kyle Potter during his visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_041 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston, congratulates Squadron Leader Tim Strickland on his promotion, during his visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_043 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force (CDF), Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (right) and Wing Commander Karen Leshinskas (left) promote Flight Lieutenant Tim Strickland to the rank of Squadron Leader at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_048 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (right) and Warrant Officer Class One Michelle Wyatt (left) promote Corporal Symon Yeates (centre) to the rank of Sergeant during CDF's visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_049 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston, congratulates Sergeant Symon Yeates on her promotion, during his visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_051 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left) chats with (L-R) Flight Lieutenant Audrey Tan, Sergeant Maria Brown, Sergeant Symon Yeates and Corporal Amy Babbage during his visit to Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_056 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (right) chats with Major Raffaele Scicchitano (left) and Sergeant Stephen Davidson (centre) during his visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_057 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left) chats with a local villager and his daughter during a visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_067 (Left to right) Captain Jada Bendall, Flight Lieutenant Andrew Hoffman, Wing Commander Karen Leshinskas and Major Tanya Bennett talk with the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston, during his visit to Camp Bradman, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_069 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston, addresses troops, as Captain Jada Bendall (left) and Captain Mathew Carroll (right) look on, during his visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Camp Bradman, near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_073 Colonel Andrew Sims (right), commander of the Australian Joint Task Force for Operation Pakistan Assist, gives the Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left, a tour of Camp Bradman in Kashmir during his recent visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_080 Troops of the aviation element of Operation Pakistan Assist listen to the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston, during his visit to Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_081g The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left), addresses troops during his recent visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_082 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left) addresses troops in front of a Black Hawk helicopter during his visit in January 2006 to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken:12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_083 The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston addresses troops during his recent visit to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist at Qasim Aviation Base in Pakistan. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060112adf8195319_088 Colonel Andrew Sims (left) and the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (right), observe humanitarian relief operations under Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060112adf8195319_090 Colonel Andrew Sims (right), commander of the Australian Joint Task Force for Operation Pakistan Assist, gives the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal "Angus" Houston (left), a tour of Camp Bradman during his visit in January 2006 to the men and women deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist. (Date taken: 12 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res