Australian Digger wounded in Afghanistan

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has taken a role of transparency when it releases reports on wounded and fallen soldiers.....

The soldier has become the second wounded in Afghanistan since the start of this year.

This is something that I hope that the Canadian Forces can model itself after.

Other Examples of true transparency....

AN Australian soldier has been wounded in Afghanistan after his patrol was hit by an improvised explosive device.

A local interpreter died and an Afghan soldier was also wounded in the blast that occurred in the Chorah Valley region of Uruzgan Province on Saturday.

The Australian soldier, a member of Mentoring Task Force Two, was evacuated to the ISAF medical facility at the multi-national base Tarin Kowt, a statement from the defence force said.

He had surgery there before being flown to the ISAF medical facility at Kandahar for further treatment.

Joint Task Force 633 Commander, Major General Angus Campbell, said although the soldier's wounds were considered serious; he was now in a satisfactory condition.

"Our soldiers and their Afghan partners show great courage in facing the threat of improvised explosive devices on a daily basis," Maj Gen Campbell said.  Two Australian soldiers have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2011, while a total of 166 soldiers have been wounded since Australia commenced operations in Afghanistan in 2001, defence said.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/australian-soldier-wounded-in-afghanistan-blast/story-e6frfkvr-1225988996305#ixzz1CpnLkGdV

AN Australian soldier seriously wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan has been flown to Germany for specialist treatment.

The unnamed soldier was one of two members of the Mentoring Task Force (MTF-2) hurt in separate improvised explosive device blasts in the Baluchi Valley region of Oruzgan province on Sunday.

MTF-2 commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Darren Huxley said one of the soldiers received superficial wounds.

However, the other suffered serious blast and fragmentation wounds when the IED exploded near an Afghan National Army foot patrol accompanied by Australian soldiers.

“He is still in a serious condition. He has been flown to Germany to the major NATO hospital there,” Lieutenant Colonel Huxley said from the Australian base at Tarin Kowt.

“He has got some serious wounds but none of them are life-threatening.

“His mother has been flown out to be with him as well.”

The soldier was initially treated at the medical facility at Tarin Kowt before being transported to the medical facility in Kandahar for further treatment.

These were the first casualties experienced by MTF-2, which replaced MTF-1 in Oruzgan from September. They brought the number of Australian wounded this year to 62, most from IEDs.

Since Australia started operations in Afghanistan, 162 soldiers have been wounded. In that time, 21 have been killed, 10 this year.

AAP

ANA and ADF prep for a combined patrol

AN AUSTRALIAN soldier who was wounded in Afghanistan last month has been flown home.

The soldier was injured on December 19 when he was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on foot patrol in the Baluchi Valley region of Uruzgan Province.

Defence says the digger is focused on recovering from his wounds and being with his family.

It said he suffered serious blast and fragmentation wounds when his joint Afghan National Army and MTF-2 patrol struck the IED.

He had previously been flown to Germany for treatment at a NATO hospital.

TWO Australian soldiers have been shot and wounded in Afghanistan while troops were trying to secure an area around a roadside bomb.

The Australian Defence Force said the first Digger was wounded yesterday by “a single shot fired from an unknown location and direction”.

The second was shot a short time later while securing a landing zone for an aircraft to carry out a medical evacuation.

Defence said both soldiers were flown to the Australian base at Tarin Kowt, while one was subsequently moved to Kandahar for further treatment.

Both soldiers were in a satisfactory condition in separate hospitals.

“Medical staff will continue to monitor the soldiers' condition,” said Acting Chief of Joint Operations, Rear Admiral Ray Griggs.

Defence would not release any further details because operations were continuing.

Early last week an Australian soldier seriously wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan was flown to Germany for specialist treatment.Sixty-four Australian soldiers have been wounded in Afghanistan this year, most by improvised explosive devices.

The unnamed soldier was one of two members of the Mentoring Task Force (MTF-2) hurt in separate improvised explosive device blasts in the Baluchi Valley region of Oruzgan province on December 20.

One of the soldiers received superficial wounds, but the other suffered serious blast and fragmentation wounds when the improvised explosive device exploded near an Afghan National Army foot patrol accompanied by Australian soldiers.

AAP

ADF LAV