1st Close Health Battalion

The role of 1 CHB is to provide frontline health support to Australian Defence Force personnel at home and on operations abroad. As the only Australian Army unit that provides this unique, highly skilled and highly responsive pre-hospital service, 1 CHB forms an essential part of Army’s operational capability. 1 CHB is the Army unit responsible for initial and advanced treatment in support of frontline combat operations, including initial trauma response, resuscitation, stabilisation and evacuation; as well as ongoing primary health care and ward services in remote and austere environments. The unit is comprised of General Service Officers, Military Doctors, Nurses, Medical Technicians (with paramedic and enrolled nursing qualifications), Physiotherapists and Pharmacists. This highly trained and dedicated Army workforce provides the following health support services:
• Primary health care
• First aid / combat first aid
• Triage
• Resuscitation
• Stabilisation
• Evacuation
• On-route care
• Casualty staging
• Patient holding
• Rehabilitation / reconditioning
• Field pharmacy services
1 CHB has its historical roots dating back to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. In April 1966 during the Vietnam War the 2nd Field Ambulance was raised at Vang Tau. A year later, 8th Field Ambulance took over from 2nd Field Ambulance. Another year on, 1 April 1968, 1st Australian Field Hospital was raised and took over the Australian military hospital at Vang Tau from 8th Field Ambulance. In December 1971 the unit returned to Australia and was located at Manunda Lines, Ingleburn in NSW. At this time, the unit name was changed to the 1st Field Hospital (1 FD Hosp).

In January 1996, 1 FD Hosp was relocated to the Holsworthy Army Barracks in Sydney. On 16 August 2000, 1 FD Hosp underwent another name change to the 1st Health Support Battalion (1 HSB).
On 1 November 2011 the essence of 1 HSB changed dramatically when, as part of the Army Health Support Force Modernisation, it became the 1st Close Health Battalion. Its role was transformed from field hospital operations to pre-hospital operations, becoming Army’s only deployable frontline health and emergency pre-hospital care battalion. The unit’s regimental headquarters is located in Sydney and is based on the old headquarters of 1 HSB. Its three deployable companys are a consolidation of the traditional integral and second-line health assets located within the Army’s three Combat Brigades. The company naming conventions align to those of the 2nd, 8th and 11th Field Ambulances, with each company located in proximity to one of the three Combat Brigades – Darwin / Adelaide (1st Brigade); Townsville (3rd Brigade); and Brisbane (7th Brigade).

Members of the 1 CHB have served on almost every Australian Defence Force Operation since Vietnam.