Chantelle Taylor - Battleworn: The Memoir of a Combat Medic in Afghanistan

BATTLEWORN

THE MEMOIR OF
A COMBAT MEDIC
IN AFGHANISTAN

CHANTELLE TAYLOR

iUniverse LLC

Bloomington

BATTLEWORN

THE MEMOIR OFA COMBAT MEDICIN AFGHANISTAN

Copyright 2014 Chantelle Taylor.

Cover artwork: Medics in Afghanistan by Edward Waite www.edwardwaite.com

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-2528-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-2529-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-2530-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014902837

iUniverse rev. date: 4/14/2014

CONTENTS

For my brother David

(1970 2002)

The following account is based on my experience as the lead trauma medic within an infantry fighting company. I have endeavoured to report events accurately and truthfully; insult or injury to any of the parties described or quoted herein, or to their families, is unintent ional.

After putting my thoughts on paper over a period of six weeks in the late summer of 2009, I decided to send the raw text to my mum, trying to explain what I had experienced in Afghanistan as a serving soldier. It wasnt polished, and it only touched the surface of my time with B Company 5 Scots (5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland) during their mission to hold Nad-e Ali. She wrote back, commenting that my writing was developing into a good story and that she enjoyed reading about the characters, particularly young Duffy.

I would never have contemplated writing this book if it hadnt been for Mums encouragement. I have enjoyed a lifetime of her wisdom: You can stoop down and pick up anything, Channy; try reaching for it ins tead.

In Battleworn, I tell the story of B Company, a beleaguered group of individuals who fought relentlessly and against all odds to hold Nad-e Ali, a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, in 2008.

It is difficult for soldiers to express feelings whilst engaged in combat, as training rightly teaches suppression of emotion in order to survive the battlefield. I wrote the following poem for Cpl Stu Pearson QGM (3 PARA) and Cpl Mark Wright GC (3 PARA). I share it here in honour of all our f allen.

KEEP ME AWAKE KAJAKI

Lying still, like the Tommy did befo re me,

My trench is in a land far from her heart;

A purple horizon has become my solace, my peace.

Dont fall asleep, soldier, for you may not wake again.

Body broken, I still br eathe.

Who is that, who lies besi de me?

I am your brother; you are my k eeper.

Dont fall asleep, soldier, for you may not wake again.

What is your name?

I am a fallen soldier; keep me awake, let me see her face once more.

I will, I will

Dont fall asleep, soldier, for you will not wake again.

2IC: second in c ommand

2Lt: second lieu tenant

2 PARA/3 PARA: 2nd/3rd Battalion, the Parachute Re giment

ABTF: Airborne Task Force

ANA: Afghan National ANP: Afghan National Police

AO: area of opera tions

ASM: air to surface m issile

ATV: all-terrain v ehicle

Brig.: bri gadier

CAP: company ai d post

Capt.: c aptain

CAS: close air s upport

casevac: casualty evac uation

cat-A: category A (wound classific ation)

cat-B: category B (wound classific ation)

cat-C: category C (wound classific ation)

CCP: casualty collection point

CLP: combat logistic patrol

CMT: combat medical tech nician

CP: comman d post

Cpl: co rporal

CSAR: combat search and rescue

CSgt: colour se rgeant

DEFAC: dining fa cility

DOS: Department of State

evac: evac uation

FCO: Foreign and Commonwealth Office

FOB: forward operatin g base

FSG: fire support group

Fus: fu silier

GC: George Cross

GM: George Medal

GPMG: general purpose machi ne gun

HE: high exp losive

HLZ: helicopter landin g zone

HQ: headqu arters

ICOM: interim communications operations method

ID: intra dermal

IDF: indirec t fire

IED: improvised explosive device

IM: intramu scular

intel: intell igence

ITC: infantry training centre

IV: intra venous

JTAC: joint tactical air cont roller

KAF: Kandahar Air Forc e Base

KAIA: Kabul International A irport

KIA: killed in action

LCpl: lance co rporal

LKG: Lashk ar Gah

LOCSTAT: location with grid ref erence

Lt: lieu tenant

Lt Col: lieutenant c olonel

Maj.: major

MARCH-P: acronym for emergency medical assessment ( see text for de tails)

MERT: medical emergency respons e team

MOB: main operatin g base

MOD: Ministry of D efence

MREs: meals ready to eat

NHS: National Health S ervice

NVG: night vision g oggles

OC: officer comm anding

OMLT: operational mentor and liaiso n team

ops: oper ations

PB: patro l base

PEF: poppy eradication force

PF: Path finder

PK/PKM: Polemyot Kalashnikov machi ne gun

PMT: police mentorin g team

POW: prisoner of war

PRT: provincial reconstructio n team

PSD: personal security detail

Pte: p rivate

PTSD: post-traumatic stress di sorder

PX: post ex change

QGM : Queens Gallantry Medal

QRF: quick reaction force

RAF: Royal Air Force

RAP: regimental ai d post

recce: reconnai ssance

reorg: reorgani sation

resupp: re supply

RI: Royal Irish

RIP: relief in place

RLC: Royal Logistic s Corp

RPG: rocket propelled g renade

RRF: Royal Regiment of Fus iliers

SAM: surface to air m issile

SC: subcut aneous

Sgt: se rgeant

Sgt Maj.: sergeant major

sitrep: situation report

SME: subject matter expert

SNCO: senior non-commissioned o fficer

SUSAT: sight unit small arms trilux

TA: territoria l army

TAB: tactical advance to battle

UAV: unmanned aerial v ehicle

VP: vulnerable point

WMIK: weapons mounted installati on kit

THE MAN IN THE ARENA

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor d efeat.

Theodore Roo sevelt

[AUTHORS NOTE: The Man in the Arena is an excerpt from Theodore Roosevelts Citizenship in a Republic speech given at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, on 23 April 1910. These are the words carried by my grandfather whilst serving in Korea in 1951 as a 41 Commando Royal Ma rine.]