Rachel is back from Afghanistan

Rachel is back from Afghanistan

8 May 2013

A KILLINCHY medical reservist has returned home after three months serving with the army at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.

Lieutenant Rachel McAuley was among a group of reservists from Northern Ireland serving with the medics of 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital, running the acute care in the camp.

As well with looking after services personnel, Rachel and the other reservists provided support for the Afghan national forces and on a number of occasions Afghan nationals.

Rachel’s mum, Norma Magowan, said she can’t help thinking of her as her little girl.

“But when the time comes when you have to let your children do what they want to do and you can’t go on protecting them for ever,” she said.

“I am genuinely amazed and very proud indeed of everything Rachel has achieved in Afghanistan and very, very happy that she’s home safe with me again,” she said.

During their time in Afghanistan the reservists worked alongside regulars and other UK reservists, US army medical staff, US Marine Corps and Danish armed forces dealing with a spectrum of care that ranged from life-changing injuries to even fatalities.

The hospital in Camp Bastion lies in a large and relatively secure complex but is not without dangers, with a ground attack on the base in September followed by a rocket attack in February.

The reservists come from all walks of life throughout the Province, such as medical and IT backgrounds, and they all took a range of skills to Afghanistan.

Their Commanding Officer, Alan Black, said they deserved the time at home with their families and should be proud of their achievements during their time in Afghanistan.

Alan Black said: “I am sometimes asked what the differences are between regular and reserve personnel on operations. The answer is simple, there are none, it is just not an issue given that the only consideration is whether the individual can do their job or not.

“I have never been asked by a patient whether the doctor or nurse treating them is regular or reserve.

“From the perspective of the seriously ill patient with the heart attack in the emergency department, or the soldier brought in from the battlefield with severe blast injuries from an improvised explosive device, their principle concern is that they should get the best possible care.

“This is exactly what they get and I have no doubt that many people were saved in Bastion who would simply not have survived elsewhere and I even include here my own home town of Belfast.”