Female Engineers in Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan)

The Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) or JHF(A), is a deployed Tri-Service unit from the Joint Helicopter Command. JHF(A) operates five helicopter types and the engineering detachments for each are currently all managed by female officers from all three services. Heading up approximately 250 personnel in the engineering teams of such a crucial part of the support to British forces is vital and was most recently witnessed in Operation TOR SHEZADA in the Sayedebad area of Helmand province.

The five female officers are:

Lieutenant Nicki Wallace, Royal Navy, is the Officer Commanding of the combined engineering detachment of 846 and 848 Royal Naval Air Squadrons operating the Sea King Mk4.

Captain Kate Redfern of 9 Regt, Army Air Corps, Dishforth Airfield is the Officer Commanding on the engineering detachment of the Lynx Mk9A helicopter.

Captain Charlotte Joyce, 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps, Wattisham Airfield, is the Officer Commanding of the Apache attack helicopter engineering detachment.

Flight Lieutenant Laura Morfee is a Junior Engineering Officer on the 1310 Flight Chinook detachment leading personnel from 18/27 (Engineering) Squadron, RAF Benson.

Flight Lieutenant Katie Muldoon is a Junior Engineering Officer on 78 Sqn, RAF Benson and is currently leading the men of the engineering detachment of 1419 Flight operating the Merlin helicopter.

From left to right: Lt Wallace RN, Capt Redfern, Flt Lt Morfee, Capt Joyce, Flt Lt Muldoon
Photo: Sgt Martin Downs (RAF)

The primary purpose of JHF(A) is to facilitate tactical mobility, reconnaissance and overwatch support to the UK task force in Helmand Province and to the multi-national force of Regional Command (South West). The unit provides Immediate Response Teams, armed escort, situational awareness and fire support to troops engaged in combat with the enemy on the ground. JHF(A) operates Chinook from RAF Odiham, Merlin from RAF Benson, Royal Navy Sea Kings from RNAS Yeovilton along with Army Lynx from 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, Dishforth Airfield and Apache from 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, Wattisham Airfield. JHF(A) also has its own integral engineering, logistic and signals support personnel to ensure that aircraft availability can be maintained to mount operations 24 hours a day.

JHF(A)’s primary mission is to support Commander UK task force and Commander Regional Command (South West) as they seek to set the security conditions to permit vital reconstruction work in Helmand. Aviation support in the harsh terrain and high threat environment is key to success. The United Kingdom has a significant rotary commitment in Afghanistan and other than the United States is the largest provider of helicopter capability in Afghanistan.
The officers themselves and the crews that fly them are extremely praiseworthy of the teams that keep the helicopters flying and directly support the frontline. The climatic conditions are challenging and Flt Lt Morfee describes the rewarding work “the team move heaven and earth to maintain the serviceability of the Chinooks in extremely excessive temperatures, however, they know their work is directly supporting the troops on the ground.”



The Chinook and Merlin aircraft are also used in the Medical Emergency Response Team role which sees a mobile airborne operating theatre deploy to collect coalition casualties. Flight Lieutenant Muldoon adds that “team spirit and morale is high throughout the entire JHF detachment as such missions are saving the lives of British and coalition troops.” Despite this, there is still a fair degree of banter and rivalry between the different services. Unsurprisingly they all think their own Service and helicopter type are the best. The various fleets have been subject to various upgrades for service in Afghanistan and Captain Redfern has relished the challenge of bringing the new Lynx into operational service which she has described as “immensely challenging but hugely rewarding as it has brought significant extra capability.”

The diversity of the helicopter fleet is evident as Lieutenant Wallace has preferred the hands on traditional engineering of the venerable Sea King whilst Captain Joyce is at home in the digital environment of the Apache attack helicopter.

Commander In Chief Flies In To Visit RAF Personnel in Afghanistan

Air Chief Marshal Simon Bryant made his first visit to Afghanistan this week as the newly appointed Commander in Chief Air (CINCAIR).

Air Chief Marshal Bryant flew in to Afghanistan to visit Royal Air Force personnel who are playing a key role on operations. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal Mike Lloyd, acting Deputy Commander in Chief Personnel.

CINCAIR talks to RAF personnel on the Flight Line at Camp Bastion
Photo: Sqn Ldr Nic Wood/MOD 2010

This was a return visit for the Air Chief Marshal, but his first visit in his new role as CINCAIR and while the visit focussed on operations, he placed a strong emphasis on personnel issues. Air Chief Marshal Bryant was keen to stress how important it was for him to meet RAF personnel in Afghanistan.

Air Chief Marshall Bryant said: “It is important that I meet RAF personnel on operations so I understand fully the contribution that the RAF is making. I have been extremely impressed by the professionalism and commitment of our people in Afghanistan, they are providing a vital contribution in a range of roles both on the ground and in the air.”

He explained that RAF Personnel carry out a range of roles, from Air Transport, Support Helicopter, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and reconnaissance and Combat ISTAR to the RAF Regiment Force Protection experts and the RAF Medical Emergency Response teams who provide live saving care in the air.”

He continued: “My visit provides an opportunity to hear personal experiences associated with individuals’ deployments with a view to improving that experience and contributing more effectively to operations. These conversations provide me with the evidence I need to enhance the vital contribution that air power is making in Afghanistan and to keep personnel abreast of what is happening back in the UK”.

CINCAIR began his visit in Kabul, before flying first to Kandahar Airfield and then on to Camp Bastion. The final stop of his visit was Lashkar Gah where visited Task Force Helmand Headquarters.

Sergeant Ross Pinches, 904 Tactical Imagery Wing said: “It was great to meet CINCAIR, he was really interested in hearing about my job in the Tactical Imagery Wing and he took time to listen to our views and answer a number of questions that personnel raised about the uncertainties of the SDSR.”

Camp Bastion Hospital gains “Gold Standard” new facilities

Britain’s largest base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, yesterday officially opened two state of the art CT scanners. They were launched by the Director General Army Medical Services, Major General Michael von Bertele QHS OBE L/RAMC, who said: “These scanners are the gold standard in trauma care. They allow the staff to accurately identify the injuries a patient has and then give them the right care as quickly as possible.”

The two new scanners and the new building which houses them form a contract worth £2.8m which was awarded to the contractors KBR in February as part of an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR). The buildings are built to stringent NHS standards, including backup power, air conditioning and lighting. To have two of these machines dedicated to trauma care would be the envy of many NHS Hospitals.

The new 64-slice CT scanners in Camp Bastion Field Hosital


The scanners are General Electric 64-slice scanners, capable of over 10 times more detail than the existing equipment in only a fraction of the time. This means that casualties can be treated much faster. In addition, because there are two scanners, there is a natural redundancy should one go unserviceable due to the hostile environment that Afghanistan presents. The new scanners provide a more resilient capability that is more modern, reliable and better supported than that currently in service.

The scanners are used in a number of ways, from scans following head injuries to full vascular reviews following IED blasts. This allows the doctors to see any internal injuries prior to surgery. The greater definition provided by the new equipment will allow a much better and faster diagnosis of a patient than exists currently.

Surgeon Commander Richard Graham, a consultant radiologist, examines images from the new scanners

The hospital has two consultant radiologists who diagnose patients once the scans have taken place and five radiographers who run the machines. Surgeon Commander Richard Graham, a Royal Naval Reservist who usually works in Bath, is one of the radiologists. He explained the importance behind the new scanners: “These machines are a very important addition to the hospital which allow us to carry out much faster scans and reduce the time that a patient must wait before potentially life saving surgery. These scanners give us a much higher definition to work with and we can have a rough diagnosis within two minutes. Because this is the next generation of equipment the patient also receives a lower dose of radiation than previously and is therefore even safer to all involved.”

Photos: L/Cpl Bray USMC

How soldier survived Afghan ambush and roadside bomb

from BBC Newsbeat

A sergeant major in the British army says he was "lucky" after surviving a roadside bomb and an ambush while on patrol in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Major Dean Fraser was first caught up in an IED explosion before being shot at

Sgt Maj Dean Fraser was on an 11-day operation in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province when his unit came under attack.

He was on foot patrol with soldiers from The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 Scots) and Afghan National Army (ANA) troops when an improvised explosive device (IED) at the side of the road went off.

Troops from 1 Scots carry out joint operations and daily patrols in the area with the ANA

Sgt Maj Fraser, 35, from Edinburgh, says he was thrown through the air by the force of the blast.

He said: "One minute I am on my feet and the next thing I know I am flying through the air then on the ground.

"I got up and we came under small arms fire. We had two casualties and we had to evacuate to a helicopter landing site."

The patrol was on a track around four miles south of their base Check Point Kamyab when they were hit by the IED.

The father-of-two says he and his men then came under attack from insurgents as they were trying to evacuate soldiers injured by the IED.

He says his first thought was to get his men out of the area by helicopter.

As they waited for transport to arrive, Sgt Maj Fraser says his patrol was then attacked for a second time.

"As we were pushing forward to the landing site we came under attack again from at least three or four firing positions," he said.

"I think they had been aiming for the helicopter."

The British troops managed to escape and Sgt Maj Fraser was back on patrol the next day.

Two ANA soldiers received shrapnel wounds and were flown to the medical facility at Camp Bastion for treatment.

To read the whole article, click here

On the road with the CLP

Keeping the forward operating bases supplied in Afghanistan is no easy task, but one that is crucial to the success of the mission. Sharon Kean reports on how combat logistic patrols (CLPs) do their work.

A supply convoy makes its way cautiously through the Afghan desert

A convoy of military vehicles stuck in the middle of the Afghan desert is a sitting duck - an easy target for the Taliban. So, the lorries and armoured support vehicles that take supplies to soldiers on the front line don't stop, unless it's absolutely necessary:

"Troops eat on the go, they pee on the go," said Captain Julie Booton, a reservist attached to 12 Logistic Support Regiment during its current stint in Helmand.

She monitors the convoys and tracks their progress from an operations tent in Camp Bastion:

"Even the girls are issued with bottles and 'she-wees' [cardboard funnels]," said Captain Booton.

"Some of the female drivers were concerned at first, but we try to put them in cabs together. It's harsh but they get on with it and get used to it."

Private Jessica Cheek is a communications specialist who travels in a Mastiff armoured vehicle as part of the force protection team that guards convoys on their long haul journeys:

"There's quite a few of us in there," she said, pointing to the Mastiff's forward cab and compact rear compartment.

"Driver, vehicle commander, force protection commander up on the top, an interpreter, someone monitoring updates from other patrols, and myself."

Convoy loads are not limited to ammunition, fuel, food and water, although these must take priority. Just as often the trucks will carry earth-moving vehicles used to build and develop smaller bases across Helmand.

Combat logistic patrols, generally of 50 or more vehicles, leave the main British and US base at Camp Bastion every week or so. They may be gone for a week, and must be self-reliant.

Major Joe Chestnutt is a regular convoy commander:

"They can be very long trips - more than 40 hours," he said. "We travel slowly because there are threats all along the routes. We carry out checks, which add time, as do any incidents along the way."

The vehicles tend to begin their trips under cover of darkness, minimising any immediate Taliban threat. However, travelling by night poses its own risk. It is much harder to spot signs on the ground that might indicate an improvised explosive device (IED):

"Adrenalin and some good banter with the boys keeps you awake," said Major Chestnutt.

He led one of the biggest convoys ever to leave Camp Bastion, a 217-vehicle patrol with over a 60-hour outbound journey. That combined UK-US operation saw 609 soldiers travel 90km north of Bastion to Musa Qal'ah.

The convoy took earth-moving machinery and power-generating plants to the American Marines who were moving into the area, and brought back British equipment. The round-trip took more than a week:

"We can't just use the easiest routes, because that would make us an obvious target," said troop commander Lieutenant Dave Webster.

This means drivers and their vehicles must battle with the harshest aspects of the Afghan landscape - dried-up river beds and up to 90-degree ascents and descents over rock-strewn tracks.

Desert sand brings its own problems, said Lieutenant Webster. Drivers have to deal with sand being blown up by the wind, making visibility very poor:

"The soft desert sand makes manoeuvring very difficult," said Lieutenant Webster. "It makes it hard to see the vehicle in front, and also makes it hard to spot booby traps, even in daylight."

A convoy prepares to leave Bastion under cover of darkness

Excitement and even enthusiasm are almost palpable as the soldiers get ready for their night-time departure. The padre blesses every vehicle and hands out sweets. Sometimes (but not tonight) there's a piper at the gates. It all adds to the buzz of anticipation and the vital sense of cameraderie.

A soldier, brandishing two glow sticks, marshalls the enormous armoured trucks out of the camp's main gates. One by one, they leave to a chorus of horns and cheers from those left behind.

Those remaining in camp hone driving skills, maintain vehicles and generally prepare for the next time they must dodge the bullets and IEDs:

"The insurgents' home-made bombs have had a massive effect on the way the regiment works," said Captain Booton.

"Understanding the threat and learning how to counter it is a huge part of our training. The threat dominates everything we do, from the metal-detecting drills to the way we drive."

"It's not uncommon for a convoy to be hit by three or four IEDs during a patrol, and to come under small arms attack between ten and 15 times. Generally, it is the vehicles that are damaged rather than the crews inside," said Captain Guy Mason, one of the officers who helps plan the combat logistic patrols.

"Although last time two casualties had to be evacuated by helicopter and flown back to Camp Bastion."

Clearly, the insurgents' objective is to stop such convoys leaving camp at all, isolating the forward operating bases and making it impossible for civilian and military teams to bring development aid to local civilians.

That the juggernauts continue rumbling through the gates and into the Afghan desert is evidence that, so far at least, the insurgency has failed.

This article is taken from the July 2010 edition of Defence Focus - the magazine for everyone in Defence.

Pictures: Sergeant Anthony Boocock RLC & Corporal Lynny Cash RAF

'At Camp Bastion, politeness prevails. When lives are at stake, where’s the sense in petty squabbles?'

There is an orthodoxy and a sense of order about Camp Bastion that you don't expect. Not on a military base in the middle of a war zone, not in this part of Helmand anyway. Efficiency is implicit, and among the rush and the push there is a feeling of genuine calm. Here in Helmand, rigour is de rigueur, and you immediately feel that everyone around you knows exactly what they're meant to be doing at every minute of the day. No one "bimbles about", no one dawdles, everyone appears to be a self-contained self-starter.


Politeness prevails, too. When lives are at stake, where's the sense in petty squabbles? For the visitor the atmosphere is strangely seductive, as you begin to think this is what society actually ought to be like, a community of dedicated, courteous people who are too busy worrying about the macro to busy themselves with the micro (note: there is no litter in Bastion, as litter suggests carelessness and disrespect).

But as in any civilisation there is a longing to rebel, if only sartorially, and only as a distraction from the important things in life (namely survival). Many of soldiers here enjoy looking "alley", which describes the way they alter and customise their uniforms and accessorise their kit. They try to push it as far as they can, and this might mean trimming their khaki hats, tailoring their combat pants, ever so carefully rolling up their shirtsleeves or sewing strips of colour into the lapels of their jackets. They even experiment with facial hair. And while they don't make light of having occasionally been denied the protective clothing they've needed, many young soldiers – and let's face it, most of them are heart-breakingly young – take an obsessive interest in making sure that they have the latest uniforms, with the most up-to-date desert camouflage pattern. Civility may be paramount, but peer pressure is still very much in evidence (if you have the wrong pair of suede walking boots you'll be ripped mercilessly).

"That's the 'badger'," said a young Squadron Leader, using the word like the Irish use "Yoke" (anything you like), and referring to his mate's new kit.

As a diversionary tactic, looking alley is as good as any I suppose.

By Dylan Jones, editor of 'GQ'

RAF help provide medical care for Afghan villagers

RAF personnel, alongside other ISAF troops, have recently treated several Afghan nationals at the most successful village medical outreach event held to date for the local community near Camp Bastion.

The visit was led by the 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, United States Marine Corps (USMC), but also comprised RAF Police and RAF Regiment personnel and elements of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Danish medical personnel.

Members of 1 Squadron RAF Regiment, normally based at RAF Honington, provided the inner security cordon for the event whilst the United States Marine Corps provided the outer cordon.

The ANA also provided a medic and search capability under the mentorship of the Danish Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team.

Female RAF Police personnel were used to supplement the Female Engagement Team (FET) that aims to engage direct with local female nationals.

Corporals Faye Stinton (left) and Becky Lockhead, Royal Air Force Police, accompany local females to the village medical outreach clinic

Having previously engaged with local elders at a shura, permission was granted by the elders to enter the compounds and treat women and children.

A United States Marine Corps doctor accompanied the FET and treated 13 females, two males and 23 children within their compounds.

The male engagement was also highly successful, with 33 males and ten children being treated. A key aspect of the village medical outreach programme is providing direct medical aid to the local population.

Flight Lieutenant Steve Carroll met with local elders and chatted through some of the problems facing them. He said:

"These types of outreach programmes are crucial in gaining the trust and respect of the local population. The key to success is undertaking them on their terms and we work hard to improve our relationship with them.

"Whilst we talked to them about security in their area as well as health and hygiene, we even found time to talk about the World Cup!"

Medication was provided and ancillary items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste were given out. In addition, training in preventative medicine and hygiene was also provided whilst the local nationals waited to be seen by the doctor.

Corporals Faye Stinton (left) and Becky Lockhead chat to local children waiting for medical attention at the village medical outreach clinic

Corporals Faye Stinton and Becky Lockhead of the Tactical Provost Wing, RAF Henlow, are relatively new arrivals to Bastion and normally work at the main entry point. This was their first trip into the local community and they were both slightly nervous prior to 'travelling outside the wire'.

Corporal Stinton said:

"Our role was to escort and search women and children before they saw the medical staff. The children certainly were characters and it was great to meet the local nationals."


Lieutenant Snipes, United States Marine Corps, and Flight Lieutenant Steve Carroll, Royal Air Force Police, hold a mini-shura prior to the commencement of the village medical outreach clinic

Corporal Lockhead added:

"Ultimately we are here to support the local population, and to meet them today and provide medical attention was very rewarding work.

"The reality of the life of the people here is very different to what I was expecting; they were courteous, friendly and glad to receive the medical support that was offered.

"I found the conversations [through the interpreter] amazing but I hope that one young boy was joking when he gave me the chance to be one of his future wives!"

Building on the success of the day, Flight Lieutenant Carroll and his RAF Regiment and RAF Police colleagues will be participating in similar ventures in other parts of the local community soon.

He said the event truly highlighted the ISAF partnership:

"The outreach programme requires co-operation and partnership from numerous organisations.

"This operation was led by the USMC; however, Afghan National Army, Danish and Royal Air Force personnel were vital to achieving the results on the day and highlights the true international approach to supporting the local population."

Pictures: Squadron Leader Neville Clayton RAF

Portraits of bravery: the helicopter pilot

It is not just Taliban forces that pose a threat to British soldiers in Afghanistan. The forces of nature can prove just as deadly.

By Paul Kendall, Daily Telegraph

Shortly after dusk one evening in April this year, Captain Mal Bradford, the pilot of a Royal Marine Sea King helicopter, was returning to Camp Bastion, Britain's largest military base in Afghanistan.

Captain Mal Bradford, 845 Squadron is attached to the Joint Helicopter Force Afghanistan

He and his crew – a co-pilot, a door gunner and an air crewman – had been on duty in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, carrying out a fairly routine task: to transport troops and equipment into the field and bring four men back to base.

Capt Bradford, a 30-year-old from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, was looking forward to a workout in the gym, a cup of tea with his crew and an early night.

Then, 10 miles from Bastion, the door gunner suddenly spotted something.

"Blimey guys," he yelled into his headset, "have you seen that massive dust cloud that's creeping up to Bastion on the left?"

The captain and the rest of the crew turned to their left and looked out of the helicopter. Moving at about 30mph was a vast dust cloud five or six miles wide and 4,000ft high. It looked like a solid mass.

Everything ahead of the cloud – the lights of Bastion, the jagged outline of the desert mountains – was clearly visible. Everything else had disappeared.

A Sea King safely back in Bastion undergoing routine servicing

"Where the dust cloud was, you couldn't see a thing," recalls Capt Bradford.

Sea King pilots are trained to fly "blind", using just their instruments to navigate, but, if he got caught in the cloud, Capt Bradford knew he wouldn't be able to land. It would simply be too dangerous. To make matters worse, they were low on fuel.

"We decided to race to Bastion and beat the cloud," he says. "We increased to our maximum speed – just over 100mph – and kept on tracking towards [the camp]. But with about one mile to go we lost all references. You couldn't see the lights on the runway, or the lights in people's tents or anything."

There was nothing else to do: he aborted the landing and turned the Sea King 90 degrees to the right.

"We'll have to go to FOB Price," he shouted.

Twenty-five miles to the east, Price, a Forward Operating Base, was the nearest safe place to land. But they weren't out of the woods yet.

Having enveloped Bastion, the dust cloud was moving at right angles to the helicopter and bearing down on them fast.

"All the way to Price, the dust cloud remained 200 metres behind us," says Capt Bradford. "We were racing against it."

The Sea King won, just. Thirty seconds after landing and shutting down the engines, Capt Bradford, his crew and passengers were hit by the cloud.

"You couldn't see the bloke standing three metres away from you. We took cover in a Portakabin.

"It all worked out OK in the end, but if we'd returned to Bastion slightly later or the dust cloud had been quicker or the door gunner had not spotted it in time, we would've flown into the cloud.

"We would have been,' says Capt Bradford, with the understatement typical of a British soldier, "in a very sticky situation."

Photo: Corporal Gary Kendall RLC

World Cup Optimism Turns to Despair for England Fans in Afghanistan

WORLD Cup fever continued as troops at Camp Bastion watched England take on Algeria in their second group match.

SAC Graeme Simmonds (left) and SAC Ryan Hall (right) from the Camp Bastion Fire Section get ready to cheer for England

Service personnel from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force gathered around screens throughout British Camp Bastion to watch England continue with their world cup dream.

Fans were optimistic prior to the match with most predicting a straightforward win following the disappointment of the opening match against the USA, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Corporal Scott Gilson, a flight operations assistant with 903 Expeditionary Air Wing Air Operations at Bastion and a Nottingham Forest fan, predicted a 3-0 win for England and said: “this one will be easy”.

Warrant Officer Mark Walsh, a flight operations manager from air traffic control at Bastion and an avid Manchester City fan, predicted a 3-1 win for England and said: “Barry will score 2 and Wright Phillips 1”.

England fans gather at the RAF Fire Section at Camp Bastion while live interviews go on to the BBC with Cpl James Johnson (left) and Cpl Craig Butterworth (right) both from the Royal Air Force Police Section

Corporal Natalie Williams, from the Royal Air Force Fire and Rescue Team at Bastion, predicted a 3-1 win and said: “this will be a tough game and we’ve got to play better than we did against the USA, but I think that Rooney will score tonight. Also I’m a Portsmouth fan so I’m delighted that James is playing in goal”.

SAC Lee Cuthbertson from 2MT (left) Cpl Nat Williams from the Fire Section (middle) and SAC Andy Houston from 2MT (right) get ready to support England in their Second, world Cup Match against Algeria.

At half time, with the score at a disappointing 0-0, the mood around Bastion was one of frustration, but with the expectation that things could only get better.

The majority of fans were still confident that England would win. Lance Corporal Aaron Hegarty from 1 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Regiment and a Coventry City fan, predicted a 2-1 win and said: “I expect Gerrard to have a massive second half and to score a goal”.

Senior Aircraftsman Joel Bull, a member of the Royal Auxilary Air Force but assigned to 1 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Regiment and a Tottenham Hotspur fan, agreed that England would win 2-1, but said: “I expect Algeria to score first, just to make the game more painful to watch”.

Sergeant Talib Sample, from the United States Crash Fire Rescue attached to the Royal Air Force Fire and Rescue Team at Bastion, said: “Before the match I predicted a 2-0 win for England and I still believe that will be the outcome. I look forward to a great second half, although I prefer watching the Atlanta Falcons play ‘real football’”.

England fans feeling the pain as they miss another shot on goal. England Fans watching the England v Algeria match at the RAF Fire Section, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan

The second half got underway and unfortunately followed the same pattern as the first, with the fans getting increasingly frustrated as the game petered out into a 0-0 draw. Few decent chances were made by either side and the fans earlier optimism had turned into despair, as England appeared to be on the brink of leaving the competition. That said, a win against Slovenia on 23 June will mean that England progress to the second round.

Troops throughout Afghanistan watched the game where possible. 300 television sets had been sent to Afghanistan in order for the off duty troops to watch the games and DVDs will be sent out to the forward operating bases and patrol bases to allow the front line soldiers to see the much anticipated game.

Pictures: Cpl Ashley Keates RAF

Frustrated England troops are confused after England’s first World Cup game.

Hundreds of British and US troops watched the opening match of England's World Cup campaign all over Camp Bastion last night.

The final score of 1-1 left England supporters deflated as they left the Bastion coffee shop at 1 am and the American troops left happier than they imagined they would.


Specialist Norman Stoddard from the US Navy said: “That was a great game for us but England deserved to have won really, I am not sure how they didn’t.”

Cpl Steve Clark from Royal Dragoon Guards said: “I can’t believe that we gave it away. We deserved to win. Roll on the next game when we can show what we are really made of.”

British and American soldiers watched the game in front of television sets located all around Camp Bastion.


Major Will Turner from the Counter IED Team said: “England have a great chance of going all the way if they have a confident start. Unfortunately we didn’t win this one.”

Regimental Sergeant Major Yorkie Wilson from Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) said "It is massively important that the troops have a certain amount of welfare facilities available especially when they are coming back in from out on the ground. Being able to watch the England game is just an added bonus.”

Craftsman Sean Alsop and Michael Pearce from 1 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), painted their faces and donned flags like they would back home

“It is fantastic being able to watch this whilst we are out here. The US goal was disappointing in the first half but it has been fun watching it together in the same place.”

300 television sets had been sent to Afghanistan in order for the off duty troops to watch the games in their own units. Recording facilities have also been set up to produce DVDs of the match which can then be sent out to the forward operating bases and patrol bases for the front line soldiers to keep up to date with progress.

Whilst operations continue to take priority, the soldiers are very grateful to have the ability to catch the games that they can.


Royal Marine Dan Moxham, an ex professional player himself, said: “We are all here for operations first but there are loads of patriotic people out here, so being able to watch the game is fantastic. We are not going to get too excited but England really can go all the way!”

Staff Sergeant Teresa Jarnagin from the US Army said: “We are so lucky to be able to enjoy this freedom when our lads are out on the front line right now.”

Pictures: Cpl Gary Kendall RLC

US Marines commend bravery of Royal Air Force firefighters

“It was absolute carnage, the flames, the smoke - the smoke was that dense that you could hardly see the American firefighters who were actually in there dealing with it. We got our guys in to breathing apparatus and got our guys to the front.”


The words of Corporal James McInally, from Glasgow, who was the first Brit on the scene when US forces called for back-up.

RAF fire crews, based at Camp Bastion, raced to help their US colleagues when a fire at neighbouring Camp Leatherneck threatened to get out of control. The blaze started at dusk in a storage compound that held gas cylinders, adding to the danger the crews faced. Strong winds fanned the flames which could be seen from Camp Bastion, a mile away.

And they earned lavish praise and a commendation from a United States Marine Corps General for what he described as their "bravery, courage, skill and professionalism".


Fighting fire for 16 hours

Throughout the operation, the strong winds continued to cause problems, reducing visibility to such an extent that at one point the men had to withdraw for their own safety. Sergeant Steve Pickston, from Oldham, said:

“We tried to hit the fire from three sides initially, trying to create a fire break. However, when the sandstorm hit we just had to withdraw because the conditions were unbelievable and we just had to evacuate everyone that was in our area for safety really.”

55 RAF and US firefighters battled the blaze through the night for 16 hours, fighting their way through the storage area container by container to ensure that the last of the flames were extinguished. An area the size of 2 football pitches was totally destroyed. No-one was injured and the base continued to operate normally throughout the drama.


"We could have had catastrophic loss of life"

Presenting the commendations Major General Richard Mills, Commander of the US 1st Marine Division said, “This is just a tiny, tiny token of appreciation but it is symbolic perhaps of the bravery, courage, skill and professionalism that each and every one of you exhibited that evening. I think that the highest thing that we can say is that in a situation where we could have had catastrophic loss of life because of the way you fought that fire we lost nobody. I can buy new things but I cannot buy new people.”

After the presentation Corporal James McInally said: “It was amazing that General Mills came down here today; it was something that we weren’t expecting. I think everybody can say that their heart was in their mouth, especially giving out the certificates. At the end of the day we were just doing our job and for someone to come down and appreciate that…actually coming here and saying thanks, it means a lot.”

Afghan Rehearsal Extends to Front Line

A wealth of refinements to the Operational Training and Advisory Group (OPTAG) package has been paying dividends as troops limber up for demanding deployments in Afghanistan, the new Commander of the organisation has said.

In an exclusive interview with MoDOracle.com, Col Rob Thomson revealed that soldiers heading to theatre are being continually prepared – and are honing their skills in Camp Bastion just days before they head out for duty.

And before they arrive, they are receiving up-to-the-minute briefs on developments in Afghanistan, including evolving threats and changes to the mission dynamic, as well as taking part in manoeuvres in ultra-realistic environments.

“Over the last couple of years we have taken a quantum step forward in what we do,” said Thomson. “We have excellent support from the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police in training so soldiers have never been better prepared.

“Our exercise serials also now take place in some very life-like areas, where we have recreated the look of compounds and forward operating bases the soldiers are going to encounter while they are in theatre,” he added. “In particular, the STANTA training area in Norfolk is very well equipped.”

A veteran infantryman Thomson, who recently replaced Col Richard Westley as Commander OPTAG, certainly has the credentials to lead the organisation. A former CO of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, he commanded the NATO Operational Reserve Force in Kosovo in 2008 and last year led troops on one of most ferocious Op Herrick tours yet seen.

For Thomson, however, the learning curve in theatre over the last few years has ultimately led to an OPTAG process that has been instrumental in saving lives. And continuing the training process as troops acclimatise to active theatre conditions is now firmly embedded as part of the initiative.

“When you arrive in Afghanistan, you go through the Camp Bastion Training Centre which really gives you the full fat package before you head out,” he said. “You are given the opportunity to go through your skills and drills one more time and you’re assisted by people who have operational experience.

“This is a key part of the training we have introduced and, in a very short space of time, the centre has grown in terms of the numbers of people working there as well as facilities. Whereas it started out as a package that only lasted between two and five days, we are now running it out to nine where required.”

With the IED a proven killer of British troops, there is significant focus on awareness and detection drills, as well as lanes where troops can rehearse the disciplines. The package builds on drills already honed in training in the UK.


In addition to the growth of the training facilities at Bastion, Thomson pointed out that OPTAG was also continuing to expand in operational acumen and manpower. Those selected for service with the group need a mix of experience in theatre and the ability to impart their knowledge to others.

“We also need to be finely tuned to any changes in theatre because, if there are, we need to be able to replicate them accurately in the training world,” said Thomson. “Out in Afghanistan we are adjusting our tactics, technology and equipment all the time and it is important we maintain our agility.”

Keeping one step ahead of the enemy is certainly vital to success. With the Taliban continuing to deploy reckless tactics that target soldiers and civilians, soldiers must be equipped to fight the insurgents on their own territory.

The OPTAG package provides the means to remain flexible. By keeping incoming brigades aware of what is going on in theatre before they deploy, and finishing off training in a live environment, lives are undoubtedly being saved.

Pictures: Cpl Barry Lloyd RLC

Camp Bastion Water Bottling Plant Saving Lives

The temperatures are now creepy up massively here at Camp Bastion; it is averaging 35 degrees at the moment. It is predicted that by the height of the summer the thermometer will soar past 50 degrees. So it is recommended that soldiers drink upto 10 litres of water if they are in body armour and helmet out in those conditions.


Given there is a huge demand for water, it is fortunate that the camp can provide its own supplies. Two and a half years ago, army engineers bored down 150 metres to tap into water that naturally springs under the desert. Over 22 million litres have been extracted and yet levels are naturally renewed with water that runs off from the imposing mountains surrounding the area.

The man in charge of extracting and processing the water is Mr Colin Howell, the Camp Bastion Bottling Plant Manager.


“We have to be scrupulously clean here. If the water gets contaminated then it affects every single person in camp. Our quality control is second to none and we sample and test the water every 20 minutes”.


So hair covers, beard covers, white coats and plastic overboots are de rigeur within the plant.


Even plastic bottles are manufactured on site. So instead of having to transport water by land, Bastion’s DIY water process saves transportation tenfold and more importantly, lives.


Colin noted, “If we had transported 22 million bottles of water, we would have needed 3,500 container lorries to bring in supplies. Imagine the risks by doing that; we are very proud that we are reducing the carbon footprint and reducing the chances of people getting killed too”.



Picture credit: Corporal Lynny Cash, RAF
Story credit: Squadron Leader Dee Taylor, RAF

PICTURE of the day: Village Medical Engagement, Naw-abad

Today, a medical engagement took place at Naw-abad, a village just a couple of kilometres from Camp Bastion. It was the second such clinic and was viewed as a big success by the local population. Over 30 men, 13 women and lots of children were treated with conditions such as joint pain, sore skin and upset stomachs. A minor operation which involved a tumour being removed from a local man's face was also conducted by the Afghan National Army (ANA) doctor, Colonel Durr Muhammad.

The ANA at Sharabak had been instrumental in advertising the Medical Engagement. During shuras, out on patrol and through the radio they had let locals know about the event.

The message had got out. Well over 20 people were assembled before the medical team and security forces arrived. People came by all mode of transport to the clinic...

Security was provided by Afghan National Army, Danish, US Marine and UK Forces. Here the RAF Regiment and RAF Police establish a search area.

Colonel Durr Muhammad checks with local elders that they are content for the female US doctor to visit the compounds to treat local women. The elders are content.

Doctor Michelle Lynch, from the US Marine Corps meets women and children at a compound. She treats local women for a variety of complaints, providing them with lots of multivitamins as well as other medication.

Some of the women visited were pregnant or had just given birth. Dr Lynch provided advice on antenatal care and breastfeeding.

A solar-powered water-purifier has recently been installed in the village. Sgt Jesper Neumann, the Danish medical clinician noted that this had resulted in a dramatic drop in kidney complaints.

Local children were given preventative medicine advice. A little girl was taught how to wash her hands.

Pictures: Sqn Ldr Dee Taylor

General McChrystal visits Camp Bastion

Today, General Stanley McChrystal undertook a whirlwind tour of Camp Bastion. He linked up with senior US Commanders, briefed coalition troops and met staff at the Field Hospital. It was a real bang for your bucks visit that allowed military staffs to have an extensive insight into Commander ISAF’s current thinking.



He told the mixed audience of British, US, Danish, Estonian and French troops that the most important thing that they can do is “to put yourself in the position of the local Afghans”. He outlined that he spent 75% of his time understanding the people and argued that by doing this, it significantly reduced the need to deploy soldiering skills. Only by understanding the Afghan people can you enhance credibility.

He then talked of Operation Moshtarak. “2009”, he said, “was all about condition setting. We knew that we had to take a different approach to the operations in Marjah and Nad-e-Ali. We were keen to let locals and the taleban know three things: firstly, we are going to stay, secondly, we are going in as a partnership and thirdly, Afghan forces are making the decisions”.

A member of the audience questioned him on rules of engagement and the fact that taleban fighters were using civilians as human shields. On the subject of civilian casualties his message was very clear.

“The rules are not fair. If we go after the fly with a sledgehammer we lose. The taleban are goading the coalition forces to over-react.” He said this was a feature of counter insurgency conflicts. The trick according to General McChrystal was to continue to develop our maturity in these matters.

“You almost have to be superhuman. Whilst being shot at you need to see the big picture, ask yourself what is the consequence of retaliation? This is a tough ask for our junior people”

He concluded his time by thanking each and everyone in the room. “Everyone here could be somewhere else probably making more money and being closer to family; instead you are doing something really hard for someone else – that makes you a pretty extraordinary group of people”.

Picture credit: Squadron Leader Dee Taylor

Ten miles from the Taliban, one of the world’s best hospitals

Ross Lydall - Evening Standard

It may be in the middle of the Afghan desert but it is one of the best hospitals in the world.

With British soldiers in active combat against Taliban insurgents barely 10 miles away, and the threat of hidden improvised explosive devices (IEDs) yards from the perimeter fence, that is exactly what Camp Bastion field hospital needs to be.

Two days ago, all 10 of its surgical beds were occupied when simultaneous IED attacks resulted in serious injuries to American and Danish soldiers.

It is a place where lives are saved seemingly against all odds.

Yesterday, its operating theatre again saw a sudden but intensely disciplined burst of activity when a US Black Hawk touched down on the landing pad outside —appropriately named Nightingale — with another seriously injured soldier.

The hospital is run by 70 US Navy medics and 135 experts from the UK, 75 of them the cream of the NHS who volunteered to serve in Afghanistan.

They are drawn from the 256 City of London squadron, one of 10 Territorial Army medical regiments.

They serve for three months, with Colonel Peter Gilbert, a Rochester GP, in charge.

Such are their skills they kept alive a British soldier who was so seriously injured that he required 274 units of blood in under 24 hours.

By comparison, a civilian hospital considers it exceptional to use 10 blood bags on a patient.

“Undoubtedly a couple of years ago he would have died,” said Col Gilbert. “In the end he wasn't even an amputee.”

Col Gilbert's team is also responsible for the Chinook helicopter evacuation of casualties from the battlefield.

“At this moment the hospital is one of the world's leading trauma centres,” he said.

“People who just a couple of years ago would have been expected to die on the battlefield now survive. We have unexpected survivors because we have focused treatment on the ground.

“We used to talk about the golden hour' in trauma. Now we talk about the platinum 10 minutes'. It's about saving these guys' lives in the first 10 minutes. Otherwise you can't do anything.”

The use of IEDs by the Taliban has meant many leg injuries for British soldiers, but also for Afghan locals and their children who step on the devices. Camp Bastion treats them all — and enemy combatants as well.

The key is often being able to swiftly apply a tourniquet to the wound. Soldiers now go out equipped with one or two tourniquets each.

Together with a substance that helps blood congeal and can be applied by troops on the battlefield, this halts almost certain loss of life and gives the medics a chance to save the soldier.

Once serious casualties are stabilised they are flown to Selly Oak military hospital in Birmingham.

The demands on Col Gilbert's team skills have been increasing, but 256 Squadron is due back in the UK soon, as its tour comes to an end.

It has been a bloody year for British troops in Afghanistan, with 108 losing their life in 2009.

Ministry of Defence figures show there were 1,169 field hospital admissions between January 1 and December 15 last year, more than 150 more than the previous year. Of those, 480 were wounded in action — more than double the number in 2008.

The squadron had only three days' overlap with the outgoing medics on arrival at Bastion and had to fit in seamlessly.

In the last few weeks, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron have flown in to see their work.

One key difference with their jobs in the NHS is the greater time they can spend on each patient, with consultants and anaesthetists waiting at the hospital door for injured soldiers to be ferried from the Chinook.

“The NHS will never be able to do that,” Col Gilbert said. “While we are out here our whole lives are focused on giving the best care to these guys as they come off the back of the ambulance.”

'It feels like I'm making a difference'

Nurse Danielle Mackie (pictured above) normally works in the casualty unit of St Thomas' Hospital in Lambeth.

But since qualifying as a Territorial Army soldier, the 28-year-old, pictured right, is also able to save soldiers' lives at Camp Bastion.

“This is my first deployment,” she said. “I have really enjoyed it. Hospex [the training facility] prepared us really well.

Seeing some of the injuries they mocked up for us really helped. When we did see them for real it wasn't such a shock.”

During training, soldiers who had lost limbs in conflict acted the part of casualties.

At Bastion, one of her most upsetting cases was when a British soldier died after being run over by a vehicle he was repairing.

“That was heartbreaking, unnecessary,” she said.
Asked whether the suffering and the war could be considered futile, she added: “These guys come in. If they're that badly injured, they know they have done a good job. Because it means that much to them, it doesn't seem that futile to me.

“I prefer it out here. I feel like I'm making a difference. At home in England there are not that many times you have been able to say you have saved a life.”