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The fourth rotation (ROT 4) of Australia’s Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Detachment in Kandahar, Afghanistan, has set a unit record for monthly flying hours. Commanding Officer Heron RPA Detachment – ROT 4 Wing Commander Greg Wells said his personnel had achieved 475 hours during April.

“This exceeds the efforts of previous Heron rotations and means we have reached a point where we are able to achieve a significant amount of time on station providing an all-important ‘eye in the sky’ for our troops,” Wing Commander Wells said.

One of the advantages of Heron is it can stay airborne for a very long time. We deliver enhanced situational awareness to our soldiers, which is vital in helping them achieve their mission on the ground. The success of Heron is a combination of both smart technology and people. A typical Heron mission involves a lot of work from a very small team of specialists, ranging from engineers to intelligence officers, imagery analysts and pilots.”

The Heron team comprises 28 Australian Defence Force personnel drawn from the Air Force, Navy and Army, and New Zealand Defence Force personnel operating from Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.  The tri-service unit has logged more than 4,600 total flight hours since beginning operations in January last year.

Dubbed ‘Bluey’ by the Australians, the Heron can fly for up to 24 hours and is a key asset in the conduct of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in the Afghanistan theatre of operations. It helps to protect Australian and Coalition forces, as well as Afghan civilians, from insurgent activity, including the laying of improvised explosive devices.

Information collected by the Heron is analysed and processed in real time. This means the commander has the benefit of having eyes on a target to build a more accurate picture of the battlespace.  Herons are operated from a ground base, controlled by trained pilots and can withstand a range of weather conditions.

Every suspicious activity we investigate and every improvised explosive device activity we identify is potentially a life saved,” Wing Commander Wells said.

We are very proud of the record-breaking milestone the team has achieved this month, and we will continue to push our performance to exceed this in the future.”

Heron ROT 4 currently operates three airframes forming part of a larger International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) RPA capability in Afghanistan. The Australian Heron RPAs are unarmed.

Defence Media Operations

Doctors’ concerns for the mental health of Queenslanders following a devastating summer of natural disasters have prompted AMA Queensland to launch a new state-wide campaign urging friends and family to look out for each other.

The ‘See the Signs’ campaign has been officially launched by AMA Queensland President Dr Gino Pecoraro.

The aim of this initiative is to help Queenslanders including Toowoomba residents tell if someone isn’t coping by providing a practical checklist of common symptoms. We also want to make sure people know their GP is there to help,” Dr Pecoraro said.

An additional survey of AMA Queensland members found almost 60% of doctors had seen or expected to see a spike in mental health cases. More than half (52%) thought the affects of the recent natural disasters would continue having an impact on the mental health of Queenslanders for at least the next 12 months.

In the immediate aftermath of a flood or cyclone it’s common for people to show emotional numbing and even to appear as if in a daze but if this continues for more than five days it may be a sign they need extra support.

The sevens Signs identified by AMA Queensland to help indicate whether a person is having difficulty are:
1. Complaints of continued poor sleep with ongoing nightmares.
2. Observations a person is easily overwhelmed, tearful or fragile.
3. The use of drugs or alcohol to suppress intense emotions or to try and achieve sleep.
4. A pattern of withdrawing from family and friends and not engaging in day to day discussions that generally allow people to slowly debrief.
5. Problems performing at work such as struggling to concentrate on the job at hand.
6. Startling easily and declining invitations for social engagements and other usually pleasurable activities.
7. Increased or unreasonable irritability with family, workmates or friends.

Far North Queensland General Practitioner and AMA Queensland Councillor Dr Sharmila Biswas said if a person was still demonstrating these behaviours this long after the floods and Cyclone Yasi it was time to seek help.

Generally these signs can be easily observed and may be useful starting point when talking to someone you care about,” Dr Biswas said. Referencing changes in a person’s behaviour is often less threatening than directly challenging changes in their personality. For example, statements like ‘I don’t think you’re coping’ are less helpful than ‘I’ve noticed you’ve had some trouble managing lately’.”

Single parents and children between eight and 15 years of age are considered most at risk of a mental illness following a natural disaster. Elderly people are also at risk, especially in situations where family members or carers have been affected. Girls, women, small business owners and ethnic minorities are at greater risk of developing post a traumatic stress disorder as are rescue workers, volunteers and those with a direct exposure to trauma.

Queenslanders in need of advice or support should consult their local GP. To locate your closest AMA GP, download the free AMA Find a Doctor App. Alternatively the service can be found online at www.amafindadoctor.com.au

Health-conscious Australians may soon be adding watercress to their plates.

Mounting evidence shows watercress may combat certain types of cancer and food scientists at the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) are investigating the most nutritious ways of preparing and cooking the leaves.

Watercress has had a place on tables in Asia and Europe for centuries. Even Socrates was convinced of the health promoting abilities of the vegetable. He built his first hospital next to natural springs growing watercress so he could easily reap the benefits of this potent food. The cancer fighting capability of watercress, a member of the brassica family, is due to the high levels of phytochemicals known as isothiocyanates (ITCs). These are the same disease fighting components found in broccoli and cabbage.

But despite its popularity around the world, the peppery flavoured plant is seldom used in Australia.

According to DEEDI scientist Dr David Williams it is the ITCs that provide the plant’s hot and tangy flavour.

Watercress is a bit of a paradox,” Dr Williams said.

As a fresh salad vegetable it is cool when first experienced, and then hot when chewed.

In cancer-fighting terms, watercress is best eaten raw either in salads or in sandwiches as spicy filler.
Eating it raw has the advantage of stopping the breakdown of the vitamins A, B1, B2, C and folate, as watercress is also a rich source of these vitamins.

Our results have shown when watercress is cooked it releases large amounts of ineffective compounds called nitriles. The high levels of iron in watercress are a disadvantage in these circumstances as it enhances this formation. While further research is needed to fully understand this anti-cancer capability of watercress, results so far confirm a significant health gain from adding this highly nutritious plant to your daily diet.”

Submitted by David Burgin
Corporate Communications
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
GPO Box 46, BRISBANE QLD 4001