7 Medical Battalion Group, the elite unit of the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS), presented proficiency badges and certificates during a parade at its Centurion headquarters this week.
The 15 specialists honoured spent 10 months on an arduous course that saw them move between a number of training facilities and institutions in the wider SA National Defence Force (SANDF). Courses embarked on – and successfully negotiated – were combat medic demolition (School of Engineers); fighting in built-up areas (FIBUA) at the Infantry School in Oudtshoorn; coaching and development (Military Psychological Institute); battle support operations and survival (7 Med Bn Grp) and basic static line parachuting (44 Parachute Regiment).
The new additions to the 7 Med ranks are, Major Melchizedek Joshua Mjoli, Staff Officer 2, Corporate Communication at the Mobile Military Health Formation writes, trained to better support their “clientele who operate in areas where most dare not go”. The medical corpsmen are trained to defend themselves while providing medical support, as they are often deployed into “hot” areas with combat units.
Open source information has it 7 Med is SAMHS specialist airborne medical unit. Its main task is to medical support to South African airborne and Special Forces. The unit falls under the command of the Mobile Military Health Formation.
