Page 16 - QARANC Vol 14 No 10 2015

14 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Ex ASKARI SERPENT 14_1 April/May 14
During April and May 2014 5 Medical Regiment deployed Force Support Squadron (FS Sqn) on Exercise to Kenya for the first of 2 annual Exercise Askari Serpents. In addition to the 5 Med Regt team, individual augmentees were trawled to provide the vital support necessary to make an exercise such as this, function most effectively. Ex ASKARI SERPENT, formerly Ex SHARP POINT has been running biannually for the past 15 years plus and no two exercises are quite the same. Kenya provides vast training opportunity for the British Army and due to many reasons the Kenyan Ministry of Health ask for healthcare support from the Army Medical Services in the form of (usually) Primary Healthcare. Ex ASKARI SERPENT saw nine QARANC nurses and HCA’s deploy in different roles for this exercise. We would like to share our roles and some of our experiences during this exercise.
The Troop Commander
Following the return of 5 Medical Regiment from Op HERRICK 18 I was assigned to Force Support Sqn as Tp Comd of MRS 1. One of the first tasking’s I received was to prepare my Troop for deployment on Ex ASKARI SERPENT. Due to my limited military experience this seemed like a daunting task but thanks to the support of my Chain of Command and SNCOs the exercise proved invaluable, teaching me some key lessons in leadership and command.
We had only a short timeframe to prepare a newly formed troop for what was going to be physically, clinically and logistically challenging exercise in Kenya. It was due to the hard work and dedication of the troops that led to us deploying a fully functioning Medical Treatment Facility to a number of different locations in Nanyuki and Maralal. It is perhaps a cliché to say that this exercise was a learning curve but it is the only phrase that truly fits my experience. I quickly had to develop an in depth knowledge about a wealth of subjects including but not restricted to drivers hours, equipment care, bridge crossings and the intricacies of Key Leader Engagement. Luckily I was assisted by Subject Matter Experts who were more than happy to help and provide me with hints and tips from their own experiences.
On our arrival to Kenya the troops were given a little respite in the form of Adventure Training while it was time for us troop commanders to start earning our pennies. So began the planning process, this involved copious cup’s of coffee, frantic thumbing through TAMs searching for mission verbs and one times helicopter trip/safari to recce a potential location. When it came time to delivering Orders suddenly everything that I been taught at Sandhurst came flooding back. I had my troop taking a knee, in a hollow square with notebooks out. Luckily my plan was a little more substantial than left flanking bags of smoke!
Obeying strictly to the one third, two thirds rule my troop had a few days to prep their kit in order to deploy into location in the urban centre of Nanyuki. This time also allowed us to integrate with the Kenyan Defence Medical Services (KDFMS) who were partnering us to provide us with their wealth of experience and enable us to deliver more clinically appropriate healthcare to the Kenyan population. The KDFMS were a calming influence but are definitely a robust force, their trek up Mt Kenya as an entry fitness requirement certainly makes our AFT seem like a bit of a walk in the park. In our first two locations we were also supported by the Kenyan Red Cross who provided translation services and a lot of morale. It was my role to command the troop and ensure that there was an appropriate level of clinical activity taking place. We proved extremely popular and once word of our facility got out we were inundated, this required sensitive management as we only had limited resources and manpower. I had to effectively manage expectation and calculate how many patients we could see each day. Thankfully we employed a ticket system that meant we could manage the crowds and ensure that resources were fairly distributed. During our time in Nanyuki we paired with PSI Kenya and Femplan, which are two NGOs who delivered health promotion alongside our facility. Even the non-medical personnel got involved and assisted in the handing out of mosquito nets and water purification liquid. These concurrent activities not only enabled us reach a greater number of the population but also helped to gel the Troop, forming a robust Unit that worked hard as a team.
Following eight days of treatment in Nanyuki we returned to the firm base at Laikipia Air Base to rebomb and prepare for the next phase of the exercise. It was this stage that really tested my military skills, as I was required to navigate our convoy 170 kms North to our next location situated in Maralal. It seems to be a long running joke that a Nursing Officer in charge of a compass will get lost. I am happy to report that due to the lessons and patience of our Unit navigation expert, a fellow QA I might add, I successfully led my troop to the location, even more impressive as this location did not appear on any mapping! Our new locations in Maralal were a lot more rural and led to a number of different challenges in terms of accessing local services but proved to be incredibly rewarding. Bedding down under the African skies will be forever embedded in my memory as one of the high points of my Army career.
Completing a Troop Commander role has provided me with a unique opportunity and insight in the AMS and the intricate workings of the wider Army as a whole. Commanding my own troop has been a privilege and one that will undoubtedly shape my future career. I would advocate for anybody to jump at this opportunity, as this is the true essence of what it means to be an Army Officer.
Capt HA Sloss QARANC