The Backstage Crew
By
Flight Lieutenant Trevor Grant
We have all seen it on the news and read about
it in the papers: Operation Pakistan Assist, our humanitarian aid to
the people of the earthquake devastated area in the Himalayan mountains
on the Pakistan side of the Kashmir Line Of Control.
News
coverage understandably marvels at the work of the Australian Defence
Force medical staff at Camp Bradman, at how many people they have seen
and how many vaccinations they have given.
The
most visible roles in such a humanitarian mission tend to overshadow
the vital contribution of the backstage crew who enable achievement
of mission goals.
Where
do the medical team get their supplies? Who keeps the area climate controlled
and illuminated for them? Who keeps them in contact with everybody back
home?
These
are among the responsibilities of the men and women of the support element.
Just like any other operation, the support element are the backstage
crew who keep the show going.
Here
at Camp Bradman, near the village of Dhanni, we have around 30 support
staff providing a range of support functions. They include electricians,
cooks, logisticians, communicators, military police and administrators.
All do vital work in sustaining the operation.
In
Qasim Aviation Base, Pakistan, where the Black Hawk helicopter element
is based, we have another 20 support staff working in support of the
operation while assisting Task Force Eagle and the contingent deployed
from 5 Aviation Regiment.
They
are dedicated and efficient at what they do. They all work extremely
hard, at all hours of the day and night, maintaining equipment, organising
re-supply, ensuring security and making sure that everything runs smoothly.
These are difficult tasks at the best of times.
Like
the medical people, they all take it in their stride and do the best
job they can because they have pride in the knowledge that they are
helping to make this operation a success.
So
when reading about Operation Pakistan Assist or seeing an item on TV,
think about the whole team doing the job. Without the skills and hard
work of support personnel, missions such as Operation Pakistan Assist
could not exist.
Associated
Imagery: Backstage
crew of Operation Pakistan Assist
Flight
Lieutenant Trevor Grant is a Royal Australian Air Force public affairs
officer with the 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit. He has been attached since
December 2005 to the Australian Joint Task Force for Operation Pakistan
Assist. Trevor Grant shot many of the photographs of humanitarian relief
operations in Pakistan and Kashmir published on this website.
