Navy medic looks after Royal Marines in Helmand

Medical Assistant Tanya Wilson, Royal Navy
[Picture: Sergeant Ben Perkins RM, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

A People In Defence news article

17 Aug 11

Military medic Tanya Wilson has swapped the wards of the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth for the front line in Afghanistan where, for the past five months, she has been accompanying Royal Marines on patrol.

Medical Assistant (MA) Wilson is currently serving in Helmand province as the medic for J Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines.

Having joined the Royal Navy in 2008, MA Wilson was last year offered the chance to attach to the Royal Marines for their six-month tour of Afghanistan, and she jumped at it.

Since arriving in Nad 'Ali back in April, MA Wilson has been busy taking part in regular patrols and operations with the men of J Company. She says it's been quite challenging:

"The work out here is so different to what I do at the hospital. I see a lot more primary healthcare and constantly feel on standby, waiting for something to happen. It means it's quite stressful because you can never properly relax or be off duty."

Much more here.