Hospitalman Leo Perez, a U.S. Navy corpsman from Burlington, Vt., prepares to treat a cut on the foot of a 10-year-old boy during a patrol with U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers in Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. Perez, 24, used disinfectant on the wound and wrapped it with bandages. “We have to have humanitarian concerns about these people,” said Perez. “There are a lot of people out there against us and when they see humanitarian actions like that one, it changes their minds positively.” The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here.Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
