PREPARED AND MISSION-READY IN ORUZGAN

Being in an unfamiliar surrounding is never an easy thing to cope with. For the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) troops who were on a medical aid mission in Afghanistan, this was especially so as they faced a harsh and volatile environment in the Oruzgan province.

Comprising of 39 servicemen who went through two rotations from November 2008 last year to May this year, the team provided primary health care and ward capabilities in a field hospital at Camp Holland, a base run by the Netherlands Armed Forces.

Describing the volatile security situation in the region, team leader Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Kevin Chin explained that the greatest threats faced by International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in the region stem from insurgent rocket attacks and the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

In addition to stringent security searches on all visitors and vehicles entering the base, troops were housed in armoured containers with overhead shelters, which are able to withstand indirect fire like rocket attacks. Other structures such as the hospital, dining area and some recreational facilities, are similarly fortified.

An additional measure which the SAF team adopted was to restrict their movements in open areas during periods when the threat level is perceived to be higher, such as near the end of the day - when most of the previous rocket attacks occured.

"In an operation such as this, such inherent risks are expected, but the the team was well-prepared, both in terms of what to expect and also what to do in order to take care of ourselves," LTC Chin shared with cyberpioneer.

"During the six months we were there, there were probably about nine instances of rocket attacks, with two to three rockets each time."

The most serious of these rocket attacks occurred in April, resulting in one fatality and several Dutch soldiers injured.

Recalling the incident, medical officer Major (MAJ) (Dr) Lo Hong Yee said: "I was in the hospital when we heard a very loud explosion. Within a few minutes, casualties started coming in, and one of the fears I had was whether the next casualty coming in might be one of our own men."

But as ward nurse, First Sergeant (1SG) Brian Benitez, put it: "All the training we went through had became second nature to us and it just snapped into place. Everyone knew what to do and we just focused on the task at hand to save the casualties' lives."

This training ranged from an attachment to the emergency department and wards at Tan Tock Seng Hospital to gain greater experience in the management of trauma casualties and nursing procedures, to a three-week integration training programme in the Netherlands with their Dutch counterparts.

When asked how he felt about his first overseas mission, 1SG Brian replied: "The experience was very meaningful. I'm very happy to to be able to do what we've been trained for, apply it to a real-life operational situation, and help the people of Afghanistan."

Sharing similar sentiments was nursing officer, Second Warrant Officer (2WO) Mazlan bin Mohd Khalid, who commented: "As a soldier in the medical vocation, we are trained to operate in dynamic environments like Afghanistan. Something meaningful about my vocation is that we can save lives and help people in need."

"I've been on other missions before, but the learning journey never ends. The team performed well, and I feel that this mission has validated the effectiveness of our safety protocols and our medical training in treating combat wounds like blast injuries and gun shot wounds."

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