25 January 2006
Australia Day on Operation Pakistan Assist

An Australian Defence Force medical team travelled to the remote village of Kanur to provide humanitarian medical aid to the people of the village affected by the 8 October Earthquake that took some 250 local villagers lives.

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.

 

20060125adf8195319_003 The flag, Vegemite and the zinc cream and hats all add to the flavour of Australia Day at Camp Bradman as (Left to right) Sergeant Darren O'Connell, Lieutenant James Keam, Signaller Sharon Roberts, Major Raffaele Scicchitano, and Private Sheyna Veal get into the traditional ways of Australia Day   (Date taken: 19 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res