NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2007 15
● Not Flanders fi elds... A Royal Marines Viking crew take a break on the edge of poppy fi elds in full
bloom during operations near the town of Babaji Pictures: Cpl Jon Bevan, RLC
sand and poppies
the next you’re being inserted
into enemy territory as part of a
helicopter airborne assault...”
Lt Walker, who has also
conducted CIMIC duties in
Iraq, survived a radio-controlled
roadside bomb attack in which across
one soldier died and a number of six southern provinces:
others suffered grave injuries. Kandahar, Uruzgan, Daykondi,
“It’s at times like that when it
particularly
Zabul, Nimruz and Helmand.
doesn’t matter what service, cap
i n rural areas, are never seen by
Away from the south, in the
badge or rank you are, everyone
a health professional during their
heart of Afghanistan’s capital
gets stuck in, teamwork is vital.”
pregnancy and childbirth.
city of Kabul, the Senior Service
Reservist Lt Rebecca Parnell, a
“Many health problems are
Shaun
performs a vital role in pretty much
former warfare offi cer, was on her
caused by unsafe drinking water
Rick, playing a crucial role as
the last place you’d expect to fi nd
way to visit a school one day when
and poor sanitation.”
a diagnostic radiographer.
members of the UK Amphibious
the patrol came under rocket-
While the sailors of CIMIC
Usually based at the Ministry
Maritime Force.
propelled grenade and small arms
engage with the population, two
of Defence Hospital Unit in
Eight amphibious experts
fi re from Taleban forces in Lashkar
RN warrant offi cers are helping
Portsmouth, CPO Rick is
are attached to the 1,000-
Gar.
the government of Afghanistan
responsible for the state-of-the-art
strong headquarters staff of
“Luckily, no one was hurt on
to promote governance and social
mobile X-Ray equipment.
the International Security
that occasion except the Taleban
development.
“The highlight of the tour is
Assistance Force, which leads
fi ghters who came off much
WOs Scott Harvey and
being part of the medical team
the peacekeeping mission in
worse,” said Lt Parnell.
Stephen Price are advisors to the
that delivers casualties from the
Afghanistan.
“It’s not a pretty picture with
British Provincial Development
battlefi eld to the theatre within
Across Kabul at the British
the continuous battles, explosive
Committee in the Helmand capital
the ‘golden hour’ – critical for
Embassy, Cdre Steve Jermyn
devices and suicide bombings, but
of Lashkar Gah.
patient survival in extreme cases,”
leads the military staff as the
against all the odds and with fresh
Having been impressed by
he said.
Strategic Director of the British
enthusiasm there has been progress
the many improvements in
Government’s Strategy Unit,
and we are getting there – we have
recent months, WO Price – a
established excellent relationships
weapons engineer – said that the
with many of the key players in
most rewarding aspect of his
T
he past three months have ensuring that the contribution
thrown up many obstacles, of this country’s armed forces
one of which is the sober- is in line with the input of
Helmand and are helping them to
deployment was “working with a
ing reality of dealing with every other peacekeeping forces and
make improvements to the daily
different culture, where most of
Task Force Helmand casualty Afghanistan’s government.
lives of ordinary Afghan people.”
the local people are more than and fatality.
And where there are British
One of the CIMIC team’s
happy for you to help them in “Despite being housed in tents
forces and Taleban attacks, there is
main efforts is the liaison whatever form.” in the middle of the desert, the media interest.
between the military and other He continued: “Pretty soon cutting-edge equipment and There is a sizeable media
areas of government such as the you start to build up a network work of the Joint Medical team team in Afghanistan to meet the
Department for International of Afghan contacts that become demonstrates how the future of demands not just of the British
Development and the Foreign and friends.” medicine in the Armed Forces is and international press corps, but
Commonwealth Offi ce. WO Harvey added: “As shaping up.” also the growing number of local
“Progress may be frustratingly matelots, it is unusual to work on As a proud matelot, CPO Rick reporting teams.
slow at times,” explained medical the land – and especially in a land- has been raising the profi le of The development of the
liaison offi cer Lt Rachael Morgan. locked country. the Royal Navy by naming the Afghan media – and the military’s
“Things we take for granted in “Despite the challenges faced, Radiographic Department HMS engagement with them – has to
the UK take much longer here the deployment has been fi rst class X-Ray and organising alcohol-free be one of the success stories in The personal touch is crucial. for much longer.
since the local government is in and a great opportunity to work ‘sundowners’. Helmand, allowing Afghans to tell Four out of fi ve Afghans cannot Defence Secretary Des Browne
its infancy. alongside fi rstly the Royal Marines In neighbouring Kandahar the story of progress themselves – read or write, so word of mouth has ordered an extra Viking troop
“Afghanistan has some of the and now the Army.” province, 18 sailors and four Royal often at signifi cant personal danger and radio are the key means of to deploy to Helmand and, as
world’s worst health indicators – Deep in the desert at Task Force Marine Commandos are deployed of intimidation from the Taleban. communication. part of the roulement of British
the average life expectancy is just Helmand’s main base of Camp at the sprawling Kandahar Air Spreading the word is not left “This war will not be won by forces in theatre, arriving in
46 years, more than 15 years lower Bastion, RN medics handle a vari- Base. solely to the media. bombs and bullets alone, but by Afghanistan from late next month
than in neighbouring countries. ety of casualties – including British The transfer of authority from There is also an Information winning the hearts and minds of will be the Sea Kings of 846 NAS,
“One child in four does not and Coalition soldiers, Afghan the Dutch to the British in May Operation, whose number includes the locals,” said Lt Savage. the Harriers of the Naval Strike
survive beyond its fi fth birthday National Army and Police. heralded the arrival of a British Lt Alex Savage, which engages And as for the 224 of his RN Wing, and the green berets of 40
and a large majority of women, Among the medics is CPO(MT) Staff which directs operations with tribal leaders and locals. colleagues, they won’t be lonely Commando.
0014-015_NN_Aug.indd 214-015_NN_Aug.indd 2 225/7/07 15:57:425/7/07 15:57:42
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