To be broadcast tomorrow (Wednesday 12th August)

Between Ourselves Radio 4 09:00 and 21:30 BBC R4 Page
Olivia O'Leary presents the series which brings together two people who have had profound and similar experiences, to hear their individual stories and compare the long-term effects on each of their lives.

Olivia talks to two soldiers who were injured abroad. David Hart was sent to Afghanistan in 2003 to serve with his Territorial Army unit. One day he was involved with his regular convoy duties - escorting a bomb-disposal team - when was caught up in a suicide car bomb attack. He suffered multiple injuries, including the near-amputation of one arm.

Albert Thomson was serving in Iraq with the Black Watch in 2003. He was returning from collecting a fatally-injured soldier when he was hit by 'friendly fire' which hit him in both legs. His injuries were so severe his left leg was amputated. David and Albert tell their stories to Olivia and discuss the impact their injuries have had financially, physically and psychologically.

Bump! Extremely interesting programme. Of particular interest was
- the contrast between the treatment they had between the Military hospital in Germany and Selly Oak in UK.
- Also the fact that the MOD system kicked in and tried to discharge them while they were still in hospital. FFS, There's process and then there's process but the last thing you need to be concentrating on when you're recovering is to be fighting the system not to be turfed out onto civvy street and into the NHS within weeks of surgery.
- the fact that medical training focuses on gunshot wounds and doesn't touch on blast and limb loss (though I can say from my own humble experience that it certainly has in our med training).

One of the guys has gone on to se up Action Amps to help support training of more realistic training.