THIS weekend events will take place up and down the country to mark Armed Forces Day. We spoke to an East Lancs nurse about the importance of women in the forces.

From Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, Alison Diskin is a mental health nurse for the NHS.

Outside these hours, she is known as Major Diskin and dedicates her time to training army medics in the treatment of patients in war zones.

Alison has worked her way up the ranks in the Territorial Army as a medical reservist at Blackburn’s 207 Field Hospital, based at the Somme Barracks, in Moss Street.

The hospital is currently in countdown for its next mission in October when a team of Alison’s medics will be sent out to Helmand Province, at the UK’s Camp Bastion base.

Alison, Blackburn squadron’s officer commanding, is among the team making sure 130 medics from Lancashire are mentally and physically ready for action.

The 49-year-old, who trained at Sandhurst academy, said: “I had always had an interest in the psychological effects of war so thought it would be a chance to use my skills and do something for my country. The mental health of our troops is now given more attention than ever before.

“Our role is to provide medical and nursing care to wounded and sick soldiers, local civilians including children, and if necessary, enemy troops,” said Alison who will stay at home to keep the squadron together when her team deploys to Afganistan.

“Our field hospital has provided this service in Bosnia, Iraq and soon Afghanistan. We are due to deploy in the first week of October, which will involve intensive training before leaving homes, family and civilian jobs for around three months.”

She added: “For the women, it’s hard to leave their families and seeing the injuries that our troops are sustaining, knowing that some will not make it home alive, is also hard.”

The role of women in the forces is expanding with more females now serving on the front line and, according to Alison, sexism in the forces is now a thing of the past and she urges women to join up.

“There are very few roles in the Army which are not open to females now, and more women are holding senior ranks; three of the four squadrons in 207 Field Hospital are commanded by women.

“The Army has strict equality and diversity laws so the old stereotypical sexism associated with the Army at one time is very much outdated.

“Females are working together with their male colleagues in war zones and at the ‘front line’ and this has led to a greater respect for women in the Army.”

But she revealed the strain on family life can be tough.

“It can be difficult juggling the demands of two jobs, but the TA offers the opportunity to develop your civilian career, or do something different,” said Alison. “My parents both have RAF backgrounds and are proud of my being in the Army. My mum does have real anxieties at the thought of me deploying but understands that it’s my job and what I have trained for.

“It is difficult, given press coverage of events in Afghanistan, not to worry about family when they are away.”

Acording to Alison, Armed Forces Day, on Saturday, is one of the most important days of the year for her and her colleagues when it comes to morale.

“It’s a chance to stop for a while to remember we are part of a very big family spread all over the world,” she said.

“It is also really important to see the support we get from the public, this gives all of us a real boost.”