1 September 2009
A nurse from Epsom Hospital is set to join her son in the Afghanistan warzone when she begins an operational tour with the Territorial Army (TA) in October.
Elaine Howlin, a nurse in the clinical assessment unit (CAU) at Epsom Hospital and a medic for the TA, will be posted in the main hospital in Camp Bastion - just 50 miles away from where her son, Martin is fighting on the front line.
Mrs Howlin said: "Obviously, I'll worry about him - as any mother would do, but in some ways, it might make it a bit easier knowing that I'm closer to him."
Martin, a Colour Sergeant with the Grenadier Guards will fly out to the heart of Helmand Province in September, with Elaine following shortly afterwards.
Coming from an army family, Elaine is familiar with all aspects of a military life. She said: "My father, husband and three sons have all served in the army, so it all seems like a very natural thing to be doing.
"I am determined to do it. The situation in Afghanistan is still very dangerous for our soldiers, and it's very reassuring for me to know that they are receiving the best medical care available. The army gives the best care to wounded personnel, and I am very proud to be part of that."
Elaine has been posted overseas once before in her ten year's with the TA. She said: "I was sent to Iraq in 2004 and got an awful lot of job satisfaction from it. It was hard work, but no-one joins the TA thinking it's a social club. If you're not prepared to take the rough with the smooth, then you shouldn't be there."
Following her tour of duty, Elaine will be back, doing her day job in the CAU. She said: "I'll be leaving Epsom Hospital for three months, but will come back to work in January. The Trust has been very understanding and supportive of my role in the TA, and my colleagues are brilliant. When I was posted last time, they all sent letters and updates to me.
"What I'm doing is simple really - I'm just going to do the job I enjoy doing here, but in Afghanistan."
