Indepth from the Toronto Star

[BernDawg]

Very good reading!

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1142118641253&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154

I was totally impressed by the reporters sense of his place in the "big picture".  Most detailed reporting of recent incidents I've seen in the popular media yet.

My apologies if this has been posted already but I couldn't find it here.

 

[Hunter]

You beat me to it Bern.  I think it's a very good piece for sure. 

I always had the impression that the Star was a lefty paper but lately I've been impressed with the way they are reporting on things in Afghanistan.  Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like a change for them.

Edit - There's a podcast of the radio transmissions related to the axe attack on Capt. Greene that i found in the related links, I assume it's from a reporter's tape recorder:

http://podcast.thestar.com/audio/thestar-2006-03-09-66321.mp3

Definitely worth checking out.  I think it's a great example of the high level of professionalism of the guys over there. 

 

[Pte. Bloggins]

From the same link:

Audio: 'The nature of the wound is an axe to the head'
Soldiers working in a radio command post ('one-one') speak to a platoon in Gumbad, a village 70 kilometres north of Kandahar ('one-one-Charlie'), reacting to reports of the savage axe attack on Capt. Trevor Greene and arranging for him to be rushed to hospital by helicopter. This 4 1/2-minute audio clip has been edited down from 30 minutes.
Hear it now (.mp3)

Wow. Just...wow.

 

[Jack O.]

I just read it in my Star, a very good read.

 

[tomahawk6]

" Afghan National Army (ANA) recruits and their special-forces trainers, who work under the flag of a country that can't be named at the request of Canadian Forces."

Interesting excerpt.

 

[BernDawg]

OMG! I missed the audio clip the first time round.  That's absolutely frickin' amazing and yes the boys are very professional to say the least.  Any one else get shivers from that?

 

[Armymedic]

" Afghan National Army (ANA) recruits and their special-forces trainers, who work under the flag of a country that can't be named at the request of Canadian Forces."

Interesting excerpt.

Yes indeed. I had the opportunity to assist some of those trainers. That ANA Kandak is really top notch thanks to them.

Lets leave it at that.

 

[Armymedic]

Listening thru the audio, you notice the 9 line medevac request at the beginning: 1x urgent, no special equipment required, nature of wound, condition of LZ, asking wheels up time, etc.

I don't know why anyone is worrying about a zap number as early as they are.  But hey, others have different priorities then I do.

Most importantly, good calm and clear communications. Its all good.

 

[Thompson_JM]

I just read it about 10 minutes ago. Very well done.

It was nice to see a well reasoned pro military, pro Afghan article in a Toronto Newspaper.

 

[Glorified Ape]

Excellent piece by the Star. I was just about to post it.  ;D

 

[Cpl.Banks]

Very interesting to be able to read what our guys are going through in Afghanistan, the audio clip is impressive calm collected and frankly its kinda creepy listening to a medevac for someone.

UBIQUE!!!

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I don't know why anyone is worrying about a zap number as early as they are.  But hey, others have different priorities then I do.

The zap number begins the race to inform families as soon as possible that something has gone amiss.  It is very difficult to get inside the OODA loop of the media, and it is imperative that NOK notification occur as quickly as possible, and in the appropriate manner.

Dave

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Mitch Potter has been doing some spectacular work - he is an insightful and objective reporter whose prose is sparse and evocative.  He is a definite keeper.

Dave

 

[Armymedic]

The zap number begins the race to inform families as soon as possible that something has gone amiss.  It is very difficult to get inside the OODA loop of the media, and it is imperative that NOK notification occur as quickly as possible, and in the appropriate manner.

Dave, Ack, I understand.

As you have some experience at the opposite end of this as I do, why would they (you) want the zap before the cas is even out of the point of injury? Wouldn't the first 10-20 mins be more critical for MED/CASEVAC, before worrying about intiating notification of NOK?
Is it due to the media being there, or is it part of the SIR SOP?

 

[George Wallace]

It is SOP.  In a VEHCASREP you list the C/S and CFR.  It is the same thing with a PERSCASREP.  You will list the Zap no.  The Comd now has another part of the picture as to what is happening on the ground.  Did he loose a Pl Comd, a Sec Comd, a rifleman, or what?  What steps will he have to take to keep that unit effective, at the same time, what  plans need to be made to evacuate the injured?  Who will be there to implement those plans?  Will he leave the unit as it is?  Will he send in replacements for pers, or replace the whole unit?

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Armymedic,

I am not suggesting for a minute that getting the ZAP should take precedence over provision of care / CASEVAC - rather that it is a concurrent process.  The embedded media usually plays ball, so that is not the issue - it really is about NOK notification - with a small side serving of feeding higher headquarters with all pertinent info (I call it feeding the monkey a banana...).

 

[Armymedic]

(I call it feeding the monkey a banana...).

Did you ever get your hand bit? 

Did he loose a Pl Comd, a Sec Comd, a rifleman, or what?  What steps will he have to take to keep that unit effective, at the same time, what  plans need to be made to evacuate the injured?  Who will be there to implement those plans?  Will he leave the unit as it is?  Will he send in replacements for pers, or replace the whole unit?

What I am saying is there is no hurry (hurry being within the first 1-2 hrs) for that info to be known. There is NO pers id info for causalties in either the 9 Line MEDEVAC nor CASEVAC Req.
Even when the mission comes first, the CoC has no really good need to know the identification of the injured party except for NOK notification. As for finding replacement, is it not why we train our subordinates to do be able to step into our jobs?

Even with Dave's point above, there still is no good reason that the zap needs to be transmitted whist the cas is still at the POI awaiting CASEVAC.

PS George: there is no such thing as a PERSCASREP. I just confirmed in the FSOP (Vol 1 Ch 7) I just happen to have sitting on my desk. 

 

[AFireinside13]

I just caught this at work today, I found myself unable to put it down, I forgot to eat during my lunch break..... :dontpanic:

 

[silentbutdeadly]

it was a great article and told the true story of the soldiers out in the field doing some very hard and long work. They became quick friends to the whole platoon and showed us in a great light. They bridged a gap between media and military , well the Toronto Star did anyways!

 

[Jantor]

Howdy,

I thought that the Star article was the best piece of journalism to come out of Afghanistan so far. I was really impressed by the tone and professionalism in that article. So many articles come off like they were written by a generic reporter filling a slot for the editors. That one didn't. Embedded reporters tend to act like its all about them, the only thing that matters is what they think.

I think the article also showed the CF in a very professional light as well. I hope many people feel the same.