Operation 'Ground Swell' at Waiouru
Two thousand regular and territorial soldiers were packing their bags over the weekend to leave for home after operation 'Ground Swell' — two weeks of intensive training at Waiouru. The exercise is an annual event and involves regular and territorial army forces, as well as the air force — one, of the few times during the year the two branches of the military get the opportunity to exercise together. The main troop camp during the exercise was situated several miles north of Waiouru. Because of the complexity of moving so many troops and supplies within the 1-91,000 acre training ground, in addition to the communications difficulties,
a computer was used to help the exercise organisers coordinate the event. Unit training took place for the first week of the exercise and then the troops put into practise what they had learnt by taking part in 'Ground Swell', a much larger and more complicated exercise. Saturday was set aside for 'cleaning up' and assessing the success of the previous two weeks. During the exercise, a field medical centre was situated in the valley of the Owhango River. It was fully self-supportive and collected 'casualties' from the field, treated minor injuries on the spot and sent soldiers needing 'major treatment' to the second (GH) Field Hospital at the main base. Doctors and nurses from all over the country were
treating 'casualties' there. The 'wounded' soldiers were brought in by helicopter from camouflaged huts deployed in different parts of the training ground. The soldiers were 'made up' with wounds before being transported to the hospital, to make the whole event as realistic as possible. Although the exercise finished at the weekend, the army now faces the task of returning all the tents and equipment required for the exercise to various bases throughout the North Island.
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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 32, 29 January 1985, Page 3
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304Operation 'Ground Swell' at Waiouru Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 32, 29 January 1985, Page 3
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