But as the senior medical officer for the Australian military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, officers will be sitting up and paying attention to what the RAAF Reservist Wing Commander has to say.

The 47-year-old Stanwell Park doctor has landed in the Middle East to act as adviser to the Australian commander on all medical issues at Australia's headquarters in Baghdad.

"In the reserves, I am normally an anaesthetist for a fly-away surgical team at the RAAF base in Richmond, so this job is a big change for me," he said.

"It's been an interesting and demanding challenge because normally when I go away, I am an anesthetist rather than a staff officer. It means I'm usually focused on an individual patient and have little awareness of what else is going on.

"This time I've a comprehensive view of the entire military medical activity in the Middle East, but hardly any patient contact."

W Cdr Gardner had to take four months leave from Wollongong Hospital.

"I've previously served overseas in Rwanda, East Timor, Iraq and on Bali Assist 2, but my ability to go on operations is only possible due to the support I get from my civilian employer and my family," he said. "(Wollongong Hospital) has been very supportive. My family, too, have given me great support. They don't like it when I go, but they understand why I have to."

He said Australian military medical procedures were some of the best in the world.