Balad medics aid villagers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. A.C. Eggman
  • Detachment 1, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD, Iraq (AFPN) --  She could not walk or sit. The 5-year-old girl was the size of a child two years younger. In the United States she would have had surgery in infancy and would have likely grown and developed normally.

That is in the United States.

In Iraq, millions of Iraqis have gone without proper medical care most of their lives. American soldiers and airmen here are trying to change that one village and one person at a time.

"The 5-year-old with cyanotic heart disease broke my heart," said Maj. (Dr.) Brian Crownover, of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Squadron’s Detachment 1, after returning from a recent Army medical civil action program visit. "I saw so many diseases that were unchecked in Iraq that would have been immediately treated in the United States."

Although the primary purpose is to offer medical care, the program’s missions also allow the military to build rapport with the community. The program is now a standard feature of America's military involvement in world affairs.

An Air Force team recently joined an Army team of 25 physicians and assistants from the 11th Aviation Brigade to treat nearly 100 patients at the village of Al Jadeed about eight miles south of the base.

"When we got to the village and started setting up and seeing all the patients, we forget all about our fear (of being shot getting to the village), we just (wanted) to keep going and do as much as we (could) during the short period we were there," said Master Sgt. Melodia Woolford, a medical technician deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Dr. Crownover treated 25 Iraqis ranging from 6 months to 75 years old. He treated everything from severe heart disease to asthma. Many people had illnesses that had gone unchecked, said Dr. Crownover who is also deployed from Offutt.

One child he treated was an 8-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who could not talk or walk and had to be carried everywhere by her mother. An 8-year-old with severe stomach acid reflux who could not sleep because of pain, vomiting and malnutrition was treated by the doctor. There was also a 9-year-old boy with a torn supporting ligament in his knee joint, and a pregnant teacher with a torn ligament.

"I had to rely on my 10 years experience as a physician to make educated guesses," Dr. Crownover said. "I can't order simple labs or X-rays, but I have to think about what is most probable based on the history and treat it with what limited supplies the (soldiers) brought along."

Many of the patients needed dental or ophthalmologic referrals not available, he said. This was Dr. Crownover’s second trip with the group.

"I saw a really wide gamut of illnesses," he said. "I spent as much time (with each patient) as I would at home. It gave them a taste of what they would have if they were seen in an American clinic."

Airman 1st Class Janet Cutler, a medical technician, said the experience was extraordinary.

"All the people we encountered were really nice," Airman Cutler said, who is also deployed from Offutt. "People wanted to know how to say thank you and were grateful."

Airman Cutler joined Dr. Crownover on the first visit and had the opportunity to also interact with the children. While patients were seen on the first floor of the village school, Airman Cutler and an Army medical assistant passed out candy, toys and hygiene products. The children were hesitant of the strangers at first, but warmed up quickly, she said.

"I felt like Santa Claus," Airman Cutler said. "They were so ecstatic, delighted. The kids were so cute ... they all wanted to shake your hands. It made me feel warm -- a warm tingling feeling to help someone in such a small way. It's hard to explain if you don't experience it for yourself."

Many Iraqis have a clinic in their village but most are charged a fee for service and patients receive substandard care, Dr. Crownover said. A lot of the Iraqis are issued medicines that are not appropriate for their ailments. And what care they do receive is often not consistent and many people cannot afford to pay, he said.

"The Iraqis need a lot of help," Sergeant Woolford said. "It is a gratifying feeling to be able to help; it helps narrow the gap between the American military and the local nationals and sends a positive image that we are here to help and not to take over their country."

People cannot help but be touched by the look in the Iraqi people's eyes and the smile on their faces when they receive proper care and a few gifts, Sergeant Woolford said.

"I felt like I had a chance to make an impact," Dr. Crownover said. "The people at Al Jamaya were so grateful they provided lunch for us. No one threw rocks, and smiles were abundant."