Flight Sergeant Judith Mcleod PMRAFNS

PMRAFNS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER September 2006 Flight Sergeant Judith McLeod PMRAFNS, Deputy Membership Secretary PMRAFNS Association, Nimrod Block, HQ PTC, RAF High Wycombe, Bucks, P14 4UE

personnel deployed on Operation Welcome to the 2006 Princess Membership numbers are at Telic were able to commemorate Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing an all time high. The Association the occasion, holding a special Service Association newsletter. has 423 members as of 30 Aug. Thanksgiving Day celebration in There have been several Basra, in Southern Iraq. It is he 2006 AGM and Reunion significant changes to the T anticipated that the 2007 Committee this year. Gp Capt took place on 6 May 2006 at RAF PMRAFNS Thanksgiving Day Wendy Williams has recently Lyneham. As usual, the AGM will be celebrated on 3 June taken up a new post as Defence preceded the Reunion function 2007; however, full details of Nurse Advisor / AD Nursing so and the minutes from this year’s next year’s celebrations will be has stepped down from her role AGM will be distributed shortly. circulated to all Association as President of the PMRAFNS 120 Association members members once confirmed. Association Committee. Gp Capt attended the reunion and n last year’s newsletter, it was Jackie Gross has been appointed luncheon. Gp Capt (Rtd) Annie I to the DNS(RAF) and Matron-in Reid and Sqn Ldr (Rtd) Geoff reported that an annual direct -Chief post and has replaced Gp Holliday gave an interesting debit subscription payment option Capt Williams as Committee presentation about RAF was being investigated to replace President. Wg Cdr (Rtd) Scofield aeromedical evacuation during the current system of standing retired as Chair of the Committee the Falklands Campaign. This order payments. Unfortunately, at the AGM and Reunion earlier was followed by an informative Sqn Ldr Phil Harper, as this year and has been replaced presentation about the role of the Association Treasurer, was by Wg Cdr (Rtd) Maureen White. Critical Care Air Support Teams unable to identify a cost effective On behalf of the Committee and who provide aeromedical method of instigating direct debit Association members, I would evacuation for the critically ill or payments. As a result, the like to thank both Gp Capt injured. This was presented by committee has decided to Williams and Wg Cdr (Rtd) Sqn Ldr Mike Harris and Flt Lt continue with the current system Scofield for their hard work and Janet Scott. The Committee of payment by standing order or commitment to the Association offers it’s thanks both to Sqn Ldr cheque, according to individual during their time in post and also Di Lamb, Reunion Co-ordinator, members’ preferences. Renewal to welcome Gp Capt Gross and for arranging the event and to all forms will be sent out by the Wg Cdr (Rtd) White to the those who presented throughout Membership Secretary later this Committee. I would also like to the day. year. thank Sqn Ldr Phil Harper, Sqn he inaugural PMRAFNS he PMRAFNS Association Ldr Sonia Phythian and Flt Lt T T Sarah Ducker for all their hard Thanksgiving Day was celebrated has been invited to participate in work as the Association on 2 April 2006. A number of the 2006 Remembrance Parade at Treasurer, Deputy Reunion Co- regional events were held to mark the Cenotaph in London in ordinator and Deputy Secretary the day; retired and serving November. Unfortunately, this respectively. Sqn Ldr Harper is personnel attended church opportunity is only open to replaced by Sqn Ldr Mike services and luncheons at RAF retired members of the Priestley, Sqn Ldr Phythian is Lyneham, RAF Cosford, RAF Association, who will be replaced by Sqn Ldr (Rtd) Geoff Leuchars, RAF Akrotiri, RAF contacted shortly to invite them Holliday and Flt Lt Ducker is Wittering and the Royal Hospital to take part in this poignant event. replaced by Sgt Dave Wilcock. Haslar. Even PMRAFNS PMRAFNS personnel are It has been decided that the next deployed overseas in support of edition of the Association current operations. 12 Nursing Magazine will feature a ‘Where Officers and 26 Other Ranks are are they now?’ section. Each deployed on Operation Telic in year, the Association Committee Iraq and 6 Nursing Officers and receives a number of requests for 10 Other Ranks are deployed on information about the location of Operation Herrick in individuals. Often, with some Afghanistan. Additionally, research, these queries can be PMRAFNS personnel continue to answered, but it has been decided be deployed in support of that these requests for operations in other countries, information will be featured in such as the Falkland Islands, the newsletter and the magazine Kosovo, Bosnia and Ascension to reduce the number of times Island. Our thoughts are with that Committee Members have to them, wherever they may be and contact individual members. we wish them a safe return home. Anyone who has any ‘Where are they now?’ questions should The Committee is always keen forward them to FS Andy to hear from its members, so if Williams at the above address for you have a suggestion or publication in this year’s comment to make about the magazine. FS Williams is also Association, please feel free to looking for more articles for the forward your thoughts to the magazine; any contributions address given above. would be welcome at the above Additionally, if you are interested address. in serving on the PMRAFNS Association Committee, then Flt Lt Heather Arroyo, please contact us; several Membership Secretary, will positions will shortly become shortly be distributing forms to vacant as a result of the increased request additional information operational tempo and new from Association members. Each Committee members are urgently year, the Committee receives needed. Finally, the Committee various invitations to reunions or would like to take this events which are only open to opportunity to wish you all well personnel who have served in for the remainder of 2006. specific theatres or locations, or those who are in receipt of a war pension. At present, it is difficult for us to offer these invitations to those who meet the criteria as we do not know who served where and when. By requesting additional information from members, we hope to overcome this issue; however, the request for additional information will be purely voluntary. 2006 has been another busy year for PMRAFNS personnel. Currently, a number of