Medical teams on HMAS Choules ready for TS15

Medical personnel on the Royal Australian Navy’s landing ship dock HMAS Choules undertook a period of intensive training as Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 moved into full swing off the coast of the Northern Territory.

Should an accident occur during TS15, the Choules medical team will be called upon to work in conjunction with US Navy Medicos, aboard the nearby American amphibious ship USS Bonhomme Richard. For the eight personnel of Choules Maritime Operational Health Unit (MOHU), the ability to work alongside the United States Navy isn’t just desirable, it’s essential.

Each exercise and activity is as realistic as it can be. Choules' Commanding Officer CMDR Chris Aulmann says the team is using TS15 to focus on a broad range of medical emergencies, from handling and triaging combat casualties to medical situations which could occur on Humanitarian Operations.

"In an amphibious environment like this one, we have to be ready for anything and we have to be ready to work alongside our American allies. This means we need to be across each other's medical procedures,' CMDR Aulmann said.

The Australian team consists of a Medical Officer, Nursing Officers and medics, including Reservists—who all brought with them the irreplaceable experience of working on clinical placements in some of Australia’s largest tertiary hospitals and ambulance services.

The Officer in charge of the MOHU, LCDR Deirdre Smith said the RAN's medical capability and its ability to work with the US and other nations has been put to the test regularly over the years from East Timor to the Solomon Islands.

"The MOHU is proof of how Navy is able to provide high level medical care should any accidents or injuries occur during TS15," LCDR Deidre said.

This is the sixth time Talisman Sabre has been conducted. It involves over 30,000 military personnel from Australia and the United States with smaller contingents also attending from New Zealand and Japan.