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10-06
03
Australian soldiers set to 'decompress' in luxury
Author:admin PostTime:2010-06-03
AUSTRALIAN soldiers leaving Afghanistan could soon spend a relaxing four days in a luxury resort under a new program to ease transition from war zone back to peaceful Australia.
Known as "third location decompression", this has been employed by the UK and Canada whose troops spend most of a week at resorts on Cyprus.
Defence said a trial of third location decompression was planned, with troops spending up to four days at an unspecified venue.
Defence is exploring location options for the trial, a spokesman said.
Currently troops leaving Afghanistan go via the main Australian base in the United Arab Emirates.
A defence spokesman said the transition process included medal parades, handing back of equipment, customs clearance, health screens, education, and the formal return to Australia psychological screening.
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"A decompression program would enhance this transition process by providing a more structured format and organisation of readjustment activities," he said.
"These activities would enable members to reflect upon their deployment experience in their teams and consider ways of incorporating that experience as a part of their return home."
Youtube video of Canadian troops undergoing their decompression program show soldiers undergoing lectures, playing golf, racing go-karts and relaxing by the beach at the Cyprus resort - conditions far more agreeable than Australia's dusty base in Dubai.
Decompression aims to provide soldiers with a period of rest, relaxation and education before they return to their families.
Despite the absence of any deep understanding of the psychological consequences of combat, World War I and II soldiers effectively decompressed during long weeks sailing home aboard slow troopships.
But soldiers exiting Vietnam could go from warzone to suburbia in less than a day.
The defence spokesman said the proposed $1.8 million decompression trial would likely feature rest and health screening activities, discussion groups, social activities and education on matters such mental health and driving safely back in Australia.
"More specific support such as counselling will also continue to be available to ADF members as part of our health support system," he said.
The decompression trial is one of a series of measures to improve troop health as part of the $1.1 billion Afghanistan force protection package launched in the budget.
That also includes two proposals in apparent recognition of the potential for soldiers to suffer hearing damage from prolonged exposure to gunfire and explosions during combat.
Troops will now undergo additional post-deployment hearing tests.
Defence is also seeking to make weapons quieter, which has the additional combat benefit of not giving away the firer's position to the enemy.
"Army is looking at a range of options to reduce this hearing impact by both hearing protection measures and potential use of attachments to some current small arms weapons to reduce the noise signature when firing," the spokesman said.
Known as "third location decompression", this has been employed by the UK and Canada whose troops spend most of a week at resorts on Cyprus.
Defence said a trial of third location decompression was planned, with troops spending up to four days at an unspecified venue.
Defence is exploring location options for the trial, a spokesman said.
Currently troops leaving Afghanistan go via the main Australian base in the United Arab Emirates.
A defence spokesman said the transition process included medal parades, handing back of equipment, customs clearance, health screens, education, and the formal return to Australia psychological screening.
http://www.kingstoneglass.com
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
"A decompression program would enhance this transition process by providing a more structured format and organisation of readjustment activities," he said.
"These activities would enable members to reflect upon their deployment experience in their teams and consider ways of incorporating that experience as a part of their return home."
Youtube video of Canadian troops undergoing their decompression program show soldiers undergoing lectures, playing golf, racing go-karts and relaxing by the beach at the Cyprus resort - conditions far more agreeable than Australia's dusty base in Dubai.
Decompression aims to provide soldiers with a period of rest, relaxation and education before they return to their families.
Despite the absence of any deep understanding of the psychological consequences of combat, World War I and II soldiers effectively decompressed during long weeks sailing home aboard slow troopships.
But soldiers exiting Vietnam could go from warzone to suburbia in less than a day.
The defence spokesman said the proposed $1.8 million decompression trial would likely feature rest and health screening activities, discussion groups, social activities and education on matters such mental health and driving safely back in Australia.
"More specific support such as counselling will also continue to be available to ADF members as part of our health support system," he said.
The decompression trial is one of a series of measures to improve troop health as part of the $1.1 billion Afghanistan force protection package launched in the budget.
That also includes two proposals in apparent recognition of the potential for soldiers to suffer hearing damage from prolonged exposure to gunfire and explosions during combat.
Troops will now undergo additional post-deployment hearing tests.
Defence is also seeking to make weapons quieter, which has the additional combat benefit of not giving away the firer's position to the enemy.
"Army is looking at a range of options to reduce this hearing impact by both hearing protection measures and potential use of attachments to some current small arms weapons to reduce the noise signature when firing," the spokesman said.
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