Coordinating casualty movement, tracking daily health data and advising commanders on risks were daily duties for Captain Katherine Godde in the Philippines during Exercise Balikatan.
The Townsville local and general duties medical officer posted to 4th Health Battalion was deployed in a non-clinical J07 role, working from the multinational coordination centre in Palawan.
She also supported medical evacuation planning beyond Palawan and worked closely with partner nation health teams to coordinate care across the wider exercise area.
Captain Godde said it was her first time in a staff role, stepping away from clinical duties to focus on planning and providing health advice at the command level.
"Learning how to translate medical concerns to non-clinicians in the command space was a key part of the role," Captain Godde said.
Key lessons included the importance of health planning and rehearsing drills before the exercise.
Captain Godde said coordinating clear points of contact for medical support outside Palawan had been one of the main challenges during the exercise.
"It was a challenge facilitating escalation of medical requests outside of our area of operations," she said.
Captain Godde said the experience had been positive, particularly the welcoming nature of the locals.
"The Filipino people are beautiful, they're very hospitable," she said.
She spent four weeks on Exercise Balikatan before transitioning to Exercise Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, for a total of nine weeks deployed.
Despite restricted communication and missing home comforts, she said the experience had been rewarding.
"Ease of communication with friends and family was something I missed, but I had fun and learnt lots," she said.
Captain Godde said being overseas for Anzac Day was a meaningful experience, and sharing the occasion with the deployed contingent meant a lot.
"It was nice to feel a sense of national pride in a foreign country and to display our recognition for the Anzacs while not on home soil," she said.
