The wayward chicken bone 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
Hi, I've submitted some verification of stories before (see Darwin website) and thought you might be interested in the following.
I couldn't get it published, my bosses thought it was tasteless. And??
copyright © Nathan Scholz (www.thecouriermail.com.au)
A FISHERMAN who had a suspicious run-in with a wayward chicken bone on a far north Queensland beach owes his life to an army pilot.
The fisherman's plight had gone from bad to worse when his well-intentioned but misguided mates used needle-nosed pliers to remove the bone - from his rectum - and punctured his bowel.
Somehow the bone had become lodged . . . sideways.
The fisherman insisted it got there after he ate it, there was no word on whether it was a wing, a leg or even a wishbone.
Emergency and Health sources confirmed the incident occurred earlier this month, but the pilot's report and his superiors' responses have now circulated through the military.
It was no laughing matter for the fisherman though; the nearest hospital was a day away by road and a civilian helicopter was busy with another evacuation.
His fate looked grim until the army pilot, flying from Horn Island to Weipa on his way to Darwin, fortunately saw the men's frantic signals and flew him to Weipa hospital.
The pilot's attempt to explain why he took a civilian in his military aircraft, usually against regulations, went all the way up the chain of command to the commanding officer of 1 Aviation Regiment at Oakey.
In an email to his superiors the incredulous army Captain said he had no option but to temporarily leave his equipment behind to carry the injured man.
``I believed the man's condition could deteriorate and decided that he required immediate transportation to the nearest medical facility,'' the pilot wrote.
His boss, a Major, responded ``Some questions. 1. Did you inspect the injury to ensure it was serious enough
to take him. 2. If you did what did it look like''.
The Major forwarded the email to his boss, a Lieutenant-Colonel, who immediately congratulated his junior officer but also was concerned the pilot filled out the appropriate paperwork.
``Well done on using your initiative. This is the sort of decision making I expect of aviators in the 1st Avn Regt,'' he wrote.
``This has made my 22 years in the Army (and especially in Aviation) worthwhile.
``OCs might like to use this example as an example of good use of initiative (on our part) and not so good on the the part of the fisherman with the needle nose pliers.''
A defence spokesman told The Courier-Mail the pilot was a professional who had done an exceptional job under trying circumstances for a man who was in considerable pain.
.ends
CAPT Matthew Barker (PILOT) at NOR
15/05/2002 14:14
To: Brendan Dwyer/ARMY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE
cc: Daniel Perren/161 RECCE-ROBERTSON/NOR/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE,
Philip S Smith/1 AVN REGT/OAKEY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Advice of Civil passenger
movement in Army Aircraft.
Sir,
As the authorising officer for the redeployment of Kiowa 033 from
adang to Darwin, I would like to advise you of a no-notice SAR I
conducted which involved transporting an injured male civilian from a
position 80 nm north of Weipa to Weipa airport on 05 May 02.
The background to the SAR involved the aircraft transiting from Horn
Island to Weipa enroute Darwin. Travelling via the authorised route, I
overflew a fishing camp that had several people on the beach signalling by
hand signals that there was a problem and they wished for me to land. I
landed at their camp to confirm everything was ok. They advised me that
one of their members was injured and needed urgent medical attention. . It
turns out the gentleman in question had a large chicken bone stuck up his
anus. Not only that but the bone was in the horizontal position. I spoke
to the man and requested his personal feelings on the matter. He told me
that he was in a substantial amount of pain (as you would be) and that his
fellow fisherman had attempted to remove the object with a set of needle
nose pliers (for the love of god). They believed they may have ruptured
his bowel in the process (how far did they go). At this point I believed
the man's condition could deteriorate and decided that he required
immediate transportation to the nearest medical facility. My decision was
based on several factors. Firstly, a Rescue Helo had already been
requested by the group but had been denied as the chopper was on another
job. Secondly, road transport to Weipa was at least a days drive as there
were no roads in the area and sitting down for that long was not
advisable. To accommodate the gentleman all our equipment was left at the
camp due to weight limitations and the man was flown to Weipa. Enroute to
Weipa Flight Watch were advised of the situation and an ambulance arranged
to meet us at the Weipa airport. I then conducted a refuel and returned to
the camp for our equipment.
The rest of the transit to Darwin was uneventful. I have included
the CO and my OC as information copies to stop the rumour mill on this
one.
I believe that if the man has passed away due to this incident then
he should be considered for this years Darwin Award.
For your consideration.
. BARKER
CAPT
QFI
AJ Brendan Dwyer at LAVARACK BARRACKS
16/05/2002 11:33
To: Philip S Smith/1 AVN REGT/OAKEY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE
cc:
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Advice of Civil passenger
movement in Army Aircraft.
Sir,
my reply to Mat yesterday (after I stopped crying).
Brendan
---------------------- Forwarded by Brendan Dwyer/ARMY/DOD/AU on
16/05/2002 11:33 ---------------------------
>
AJ Brendan Dwyer at LAVARACK BARRACKS
15/05/2002 16:38
To: Matthew Barker/161 RECCE-ROBERTSON/NOR/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE
cc:
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Advice of Civil passenger
movement in Army Aircraft.
As the authorising officer I endorse all your thought processes and
actions in relation to the incident. I recommend that the ASOR include a
recommendation for the Corps to acquire the services of a proctologist so
that you are not placed in the unenviable position of assessing rectal
complications. Failing this the Avmed cse should include a component on
the ever increasing problem of adventurous people investigating the
pleasures of sticking things up their ass. On this occassion there 'was a
line' and the pointy pliers were on the wrong side of it.
Some questions:
1. Did you inspect the injury to ensure it was serious enough
to take him.
2. If you did what did it look like...a jungle bunny with mouth
wide open and small bone through the cheeks.
3. Did you give him doxy to try and 'force' it out.
AJ Dwyer
Authorising Officer for 'Rear Door' tasks
LTCOL Philip S Smith (CO 1 AVN REGT) at OAKEY
16/05/2002 11:30
To: Matthew Barker/161 RECCE-ROBERTSON/NOR/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE
cc: Brendan Dwyer/ARMY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, Daniel Perren/161
RECCE-ROBERTSON/NOR/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, David Hampshire/HQ AVN SPT
GP/OAKEY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, Hamish Macintyre/1 AVN
REGT/OAKEY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, Chris Hadzi/1 AVN REGT/OAKEY/DOD/AU,
Bernard Hayes/1 AVN REGT/OAKEY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, Anthony
Fraser/DJFHQ/GALLIPOLI/DOD/AU, Michael
Priddin/DJFHQ/GALLIPOLI/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, Peter Simmonds/1 AVN
REGT/OAKEY/DOD/AU, Jeff Stark/LHQ/VICBKS-SYD/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE, David
English/ARMY/DOD/AU@AustDefence, Richard Blunt/DCSO
DD/OAKEY/DOD/AU@AUSTDEFENCE
Subject: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED:-Advice of Civil passenger
movement in Army Aircraft.
att,
Well done on using your initiative. This is the sort of decision
making I expect of aviators in the 1st Avn Regt.
Please ensure that the appropriate DACC paperwork is completed and
forwarded through Regt Ops. I suggest that your narrative stands as it is,
although you might like to expand on the comfort of the passenger (seated
in the back on his hands to relieve pressure, I hear) and the 40 knot
headwinds.
This has made my 22 years in the Army (and especially in Aviation)
worthwhile.
OCs might like to use this example as an example of good use of
initiative (on our part) and not so good on the the part of the fisherman
with the needle nose pliers.
CO
___________________________________________________
NATHAN SCHOLZ
Journalist - The Courier-Mail
obile: 0409 001171
Office Phone: 07 4722 4513
Office Fax: 07 4722 4550
nathan@nathanscholz.com
www.thecouriermail.com.au
440 Flinders St,
Townsville QLD 4810
Submitted on 05/22/2002
Submitted by:
Nathan Scholz
Reference:
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