Get ready with me for another round of miluim. I serve in a unit that provides frontline medical support in combat theaters of operation. Depending on the mission, that can mean point-of-injury care for armor and infantry crews, battlefield evacuation to definitive care, or Multi-Casualty Incident management in forward operating areas. 

Deployment: Two Weeks Out

From the outset of the latest round of fighting in March it seemed likely my unit would be activated. Though my dates of service remain uncertain I have been asked to prepare for a short deployment sometime in April. I have not yet been briefed on the mission, but I organize the things that I know I will need, regardless of the conditions. I ensure my combat gear is in order and charge everything that requires a battery. I focus on minimizing the weight and size of my personal items, yet allow myself a kindle and a paperback book for Shabbat. I deliberate as to my coffee kit because it is heavy, but ultimately pack it because there are limits as to what I am willing to endure. I forgo snacks because as usual I trust the Army to feed me, and as usual I am certain I will regret that decision.    

In the weeks before deployment I make time with each member of my family individually. A hike, off-roading, time in the gym or a bite to eat. My wife and I talk and connect about everything. Everything except the elephant in the room. That stays in the closet for now.

Deployment: One Week Out

The dates keep shifting. There is a cease fire, there isn’t a cease fire. Mission is on, mission is off. I rearrange my work schedule according to the latest information but always with the caveat that nothing is final yet. My schedulers take it all in stride. The Israeli workforce is used to this.

While deployment dates remain uncertain, gradually more details of the mission emerge. I am being attached to a light medical evacuation crew. Essentially a mix of fighters and medics and me – the physician- designed to rapidly respond to Mass-Casualty Incidents in which the point-of-injury medical crew is overwhelmed. We will operate out of an abandoned building somewhere inside the operational zone. I have done versions of this mission before, and am familiar with the routine and expectations. With a clearer picture........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)