The Operational Medical Orderly better known as the Ops Medic is the collective name for the South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

n Defence Forces Medics. The Ops refers to the Operational area and was used to indicate that the medical orderly were deployed to the Operational area or theatre of operations of the then South African Defence Force

South African Defence Force

The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...

 (SADF). The Operational area referred to the border or cutline between Namibia and Angola where the Angolan Bush War conflict or border war

Border War

-Military conflicts:*Border War, also referred to as Bleeding Kansas, a series of violent events, involving Free-Staters and pro-slavery elements*Border War , referring to the conflicts between the United States military and Mexico which took place roughly between 1910 and 1918 along the Mexico –...

 were taking place from the 1970s to 1989.

The Ops medics were distinctly different to the Sick Bay and Hospital medics of the time because they were trained in infantry fighting doctrines and other doctrines as necessary to deploy with the armed forces of South Africa.

Until the early 1990s the Surgeon General

Surgeon General

Surgeon General may refer to:* Surgeon-General * Surgeon General of the United States* State Surgeon General* Surgeon General of the United States Army* Surgeon General of the United States Navy...

 authorised Ops Medics by the trained and qualified SADF/South African National Defence Force

South African National Defence Force

The South African National Defence Force is the armed forces of South Africa. The military as it exists today was created in 1994, following South Africa's first post-apartheid national elections and the adoption of a new constitution...

 (SANDF) to work within their scope of practice while treating SADF/SANDF personnel. In the late 1990s the Health Professions Council required all practicing Ops medics to register with the council to practice in South Africa and on South African Military operations worldwide.

Ops Medics were dually registered as an Ambulance Emergency Assistants (Intermediate Life Support, Civilian Qualification ) and as Operational Emergency Medical Orderlies. As of 2003 the Operational Medical Orderly curriculum is no longer taught and the would-be "Ops" Medics is now trained as per the South African Health Professionals Council curriculum of the Emergency Care Technician (ECT); it remains unclear how this qualification (ECT)will be used to replace the Ops Medics.

History

In 1975 the South African Defence Force launched Operation Savannah

Operation Savannah

During World War II, Operation Savannah was the first insertion of SOE trained Free French paratroops into German-occupied France: on the night of 15 March 1941....

; Warrant Officer II Rowley Medlin of the South African Military Health Service

South African Military Health Service

The South African Military Health Service is the branch of the South African National Defence Force responsible for medical facilities and the training and deployment of all medical personnel within the force...

 (SAMS) was ordered to prepare a National Service

National service

National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...

 intake for medical operational duty.
In 1979 The SAMS started structuring of the medical battalion group concepts instead of the Field Ambulance system of the World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

-Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

 era. It is here with the formation of the medical battalion group concept that the Operational medical orderly came into play, "To be deployed operationally with the fighting forces at platoon level." Commandant Gerhard (Vonk) Beukes SAMS

Training cycle

Aspiring Operational Medical Orderlies had to pass the Basic life support course with 70% to be allowed on the Ops Course, they were then transferred to what was known as OPS Company for training. The Training Cycle consisted of the following.

Medical phase

Medical Phase are divided in two phases a theoretical part and a hospital phase.

The Ops Medics are fortunate to do a practical phase in some of the worst Hospitals in South Africa namely Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital is the second largest hospital in the world after West China hospital of Medical Sciences, Sichuan University, occupying , with 3 200 beds and 6 760 staff members. The hospital is in the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa...

, Leratong and Kalafong. At these hospitals the aspirant health practitioner could easily witness and treat horrific injuries not unlike to be expected on military operations. These Hospitals service some of the worst Township (South Africa)

Township (South Africa)

In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...

 in the country where faction in fighting are common.
The aspirant medic will during this phase deliver babies , treat emergencies like Intracostal drains , severe burns , gunshot wounds , stabbings etc. After completion of the hospital phase the Ops medic would have inserted countless drips , suitered countless wounds and delivered a lot of babies he would be ready to go into the Operational area and do hearts and minds operations by treating the local population in remote areas where the nearest hospital could be hundreds of kilometers. He would also be able to handle anything expected in war. In later years the Ops Medcis were also allowed on the emergency response vehicles where they were even more exposed to emergency care on the streets of Johannesburg

Johannesburg

Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...

During the theoretical phase the candidates were taught everything they were likely to encounter they were also taught a very comprehensive pharmacological course in order to operate and dispense medicine in remote areas. Subjects covered were:

• Anatomy & Physiology
• Pharmacology (Emergency and Primary Health Care Drugs)
• Emergency Care
• Primary Health Care
• Environmental & Personal Hygiene

Driving and maintenance

Driving and Maintenance of military vehicles including the Casspir, Rinkhals and the Mfezi Armoured Ambulances.

COIN

Bush Phase during this phase the Ops Medic were taught Infantry fighting skills as required for deployment with the armed forces.

Detached duty and the Medical Battalion Groups

After completion of Ops Company the Ops Medics were detached to a Medical Command or Medical Battalion Group under the Command of the Parent unit the Ops Medic would be attached to the Infantry and other units during operations and exercises to return to the unit after completion of detached duty.

Ops Medics also supported the South African Police

South African Police

The South African Police was the country's police force until 1994. The SAP traced its origin to the Dutch Watch, a paramilitary organization formed by settlers in the Cape in 1655, initially to protect civilians against attack and later to maintain law and order...

 and Koevoet

Koevoet

Koevoet , also known as "Operation K" and officially known as the "South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Unit" , was a police counter insurgency unit in South-West Africa during the 1970s and 1980s...

during operations. The SAMHS were structured with 8 Medical Battalion Groups.