Post by aghart on Nov 5, 2015 11:29:47 GMT
16 members present, again a good turnout with a number working and some unwell. The main topic of discussion was the annual Ladies Lunch in January, The amount from branch funds to subsidise the raffle has been increased further. Those present voted on which of the two menu's on show they preferred. Also due to a healthy balance sheet it was confirmed that for this year, branch members will not have to pay, partners and private guests however will have to pay. Official guests are of course covered by branch funds.
The guest speaker for November was S/Sgt Kate Avis RAMC. If the name is familier to any ex 1 RTR folk, it should be. Kate is the daughter of Jimmy Avis who served in the Regiment.
Kate gave us an insight to life as a female medic, she gave a fascinating mini lecture dealing mainly with her operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She explained that the medics had to get rid of the "old style" red cross and other symbols of "medical" identification because the enemy knew to target these people first. The idea was "take out the medic" and you take out the whole section. Dodgy stuff. It was amazing to hear how the medics perform trauma procedures and save lives out in the field, procedures that in the 1970's would have been done only by doctors and then only in an operating theatre. Things change and time certainly moves on. The female medics lived with the troops in their bases but of course had seperate tents and had a rota system for ablutions. The presence of female's on patrol helped with the "hearts and minds" campaign as the muslim women would of course not even look at the male soldiers. Seeing western women fulfilling"important roles" also had the side affect of bringing many civilians over to our side of thinking and allowing women to do more in life, something the Taliban are totally against. The girls face all the dangers the men did, with 6 killed in Iraq and 3 in Afghanistan and 800 with various injuries of all kinds over the two campaigns. Kate also deployed to West Africa to help with the recent Ebola outbreak. She is currently based at the Garrison Medical Centre at Bovington.
Now then, she also told us that it seems that in March 2016 there are plans review the ban to allow females into both the RAC and Infantry! As none of us had heard about this I double checked that I had not misheard, I hadn't, and asked if i could put this in my report or was it still secret? She said it is common knowledge and was suprised that we knew nothing about it. So folks another scoop at Bournemouth & Poole.
Kate received a well deserved round of applause from the veterans present.
Fear Naught.
The guest speaker for November was S/Sgt Kate Avis RAMC. If the name is familier to any ex 1 RTR folk, it should be. Kate is the daughter of Jimmy Avis who served in the Regiment.
Kate gave us an insight to life as a female medic, she gave a fascinating mini lecture dealing mainly with her operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She explained that the medics had to get rid of the "old style" red cross and other symbols of "medical" identification because the enemy knew to target these people first. The idea was "take out the medic" and you take out the whole section. Dodgy stuff. It was amazing to hear how the medics perform trauma procedures and save lives out in the field, procedures that in the 1970's would have been done only by doctors and then only in an operating theatre. Things change and time certainly moves on. The female medics lived with the troops in their bases but of course had seperate tents and had a rota system for ablutions. The presence of female's on patrol helped with the "hearts and minds" campaign as the muslim women would of course not even look at the male soldiers. Seeing western women fulfilling"important roles" also had the side affect of bringing many civilians over to our side of thinking and allowing women to do more in life, something the Taliban are totally against. The girls face all the dangers the men did, with 6 killed in Iraq and 3 in Afghanistan and 800 with various injuries of all kinds over the two campaigns. Kate also deployed to West Africa to help with the recent Ebola outbreak. She is currently based at the Garrison Medical Centre at Bovington.
Now then, she also told us that it seems that in March 2016 there are plans review the ban to allow females into both the RAC and Infantry! As none of us had heard about this I double checked that I had not misheard, I hadn't, and asked if i could put this in my report or was it still secret? She said it is common knowledge and was suprised that we knew nothing about it. So folks another scoop at Bournemouth & Poole.
Kate received a well deserved round of applause from the veterans present.
Fear Naught.