| Iraqi doctor and nurse help U.S. medics treat more than 300 residents. |
| By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division |
| CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Oct. 3, 2006 -- As the Iraqi police provided security, soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, along with an Iraqi doctor and an Iraqi nurse, conducted a medical operation Sept. 25 in the Mushada community north of Baghdad. During the operation, more than 300 residents were seen by the medical staff for a variety of ailments. “This is the first MedOp I’ve been on since I’ve been stationed at Camp Taji,” said Pfc. Hugo Paiz, medic, Battery B, 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, which is attached to the 1st BCT. “A lot of what I’m seeing today is boys with skinned knees and elbows. Mostly, it’s from running around and falling. All I do for them is pretty much clean up the wound, bandage it and then send them on their way.” He was also part of a team of medics and physicians that helped stabilize a young Iraqi girl who was run over by a truck. The young girl suffered a broken leg and multiple contusions when a truck struck a roadside bomb, went out of control and hit her. Locals rushed her to the medical operation, where she was stabilized and medically evacuated to Baghdad for further treatment. The parents of the girl were notified their daughter had been hurt and where she was taken after she was medically evacuated. Many were grateful the medical operation was going on so close to the accident. “I’m so glad the doctors were close when that girl got hurt,” said a local Mushada woman. “They really did save her life. These medical operations are a blessing. “I heard about the operation yesterday, so I brought all my kids in today,” she added. “This is really great, and I appreciate it when the |
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| American doctors come and take a look at my kids. They even gave us some free medicine.” The brigade has been conducting medical operations such as this since it set foot in Iraq nine months ago. Many believe they are starting to make a real difference in the communities. “I believe these operations are helping the communities in this area,” said Capt. Lee Howard, team chief, Company C, 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, which is attached to the 1st BCT. “At least that is the feedback I’m getting from the sheiks. Most (Iraqis) have very high expectations from American medics and doctors. What a lot of people are doing is waiting for the Americans to come to their community.” |
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