Operational Medical Orderly

Operational Medical Orderly (Ops Medic)
Issued by: South African Military Health Service
Type
Specialty	Medical

The Operational Medical Orderly better known as the Ops Medic is the collective name for the South African Defence Forces Medics. The Ops refers to the Operational area and was used to indicate that the medical orderly were deployed to the Operational area or theatre of operations of the then South African Defence Force (SADF). The Operational area referred to the border or cutline between Namibia and Angola where the Angolan Bush War conflict or border war were taking place from the 1970s to 1989.

The Ops medics were distinctly different to the Sick Bay and Hospital medics of the time because they were trained in infantry fighting doctrines and other doctrines as necessary to deploy with the armed forces of South Africa.

Until the early 1990s the Surgeon General authorised Ops Medics by the trained and qualified SADF/South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to work within their scope of practice while treating SADF/SANDF personnel. In the late 1990s the Health Professions Council required all practicing Ops medics to register with the council to practice in South Africa and on South African Military operations worldwide.

Ops Medics were dually registered as an Ambulance Emergency Assistants (Intermediate Life Support, Civilian Qualification ) and as Operational Emergency Medical Orderlies. As of 2003 the Operational Medical Orderly curriculum is no longer taught and the would-be "Ops" Medics is now trained as per the South African Health Professionals Council curriculum of the Emergency Care Technician (ECT); it remains unclear how this qualification (ECT)will be used to replace the Ops Medics.^[1]

History

In 1975 the South African Defence Force launched Operation Savannah; Warrant Officer II Rowley Medlin of the South African Military Health Service (SAMS) was ordered to prepare a National Service intake for medical operational duty.

“

"In about July 1975 I was called in and I was told to take over the training of the RMOs. At that stage we were starting to call them [unofficially] Ops Medics because they were going into the Operational Area. At that stage it was all south of the South West African border. I was briefed that these chaps had to be highly trained. They had to be able to go out with the infantry, the artillery, the armour. They had to be familiar with their tactics [sic] and be able to function as medical orderlies. I had to devise my own training programme at that stage. I was given a three-month training period which I was quite happy with. I divided it into six weeks of medical work and six weeks of field training. I started with my first batch [July 1975] and it went quite well. Just before the end of the three months I was given orders to dispatch them immediately to the border, which I did. I got in another batch; we started training. At that stage I did not have a company commander, the officer commanding … was … Brigadier Daantjie Brink. This [the nascent 'Ops Medic' course] was totally my baby." Warrant Officer II Rowley Medlin [2]

”

In 1979 The SAMS started structuring of the medical battalion group concepts instead of the Field Ambulance system of the World War II-Korean War era. It is here with the formation of the medical battalion group concept that the Operational medical orderly came into play, "To be deployed operationally with the fighting forces at platoon level." Commandant Gerhard (Vonk) Beukes SAMS ^[2]

Training cycle

Aspiring Operational Medical Orderlies had to pass the Basic life support course with 70% to be allowed on the Ops Course, they were then transferred to what was known as OPS Company for training. The Training Cycle consisted of the following.

Medical phase

Medical Phase are divided in two phases a theoretical part and a hospital phase.

The Ops Medics are fortunate to do a practical phase in some of the worst Hospitals in South Africa namely Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Leratong and Kalafong. At these hospitals the aspirant health practitioner could easily witness and treat horrific injuries not unlike to be expected on military operations. These Hospitals service some of the worst Township (South Africa) in the country where faction in fighting are common. The aspirant medic will during this phase deliver babies , treat emergencies like Intracostal drains , severe burns , gunshot wounds , stabbings etc. After completion of the hospital phase the Ops medic would have inserted countless drips , suitered countless wounds and delivered a lot of babies he would be ready to go into the Operational area and do hearts and minds operations by treating the local population in remote areas where the nearest hospital could be hundreds of kilometers. He would also be able to handle anything expected in war. In later years the Ops Medcis were also allowed on the emergency response vehicles where they were even more exposed to emergency care on the streets of Johannesburg

During the theoretical phase the candidates were taught everything they were likely to encounter they were also taught a very comprehensive pharmacological course in order to operate and dispense medicine in remote areas. Subjects covered were:

• Anatomy & Physiology
• Pharmacology (Emergency and Primary Health Care Drugs)
• Emergency Care
• Primary Health Care
• Environmental & Personal Hygiene

Driving and maintenance

Mfezi Ambulance

Driving and Maintenance of military vehicles including the Casspir, Rinkhals and the Mfezi Armoured Ambulances.

COIN

Bush Phase during this phase the Ops Medic were taught Infantry fighting skills as required for deployment with the armed forces.

Detached duty and the Medical Battalion Groups

After completion of Ops Company the Ops Medics were detached to a Medical Command or Medical Battalion Group under the Command of the Parent unit the Ops Medic would be attached to the Infantry and other units during operations and exercises to return to the unit after completion of detached duty.

Ops Medics also supported the South African Police and Koevoet during operations. The SAMHS were structured with 8 Medical Battalion Groups.

References

1. ^ HPCSA Professional Boards: Emergency care regulations
2. ^ ^{a b} Whittle, Marius (2006). "OPS Medic - operational medical orderlies during the Border War". Joernaal vir Eietydse Geskiedenis 31 (3): 326-248. ISSN 02852422. http://www.sabinet.co.za/abstracts/contemp/contemp_v31_n3_a17.html.