U.S. military medics assist in Cambodia

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Adam Johnston
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KEP, Cambodia (AFPN) --  Military medics are here caring for people injured by mine blasts and suffering from other war-related traumas in a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, officials said May 17.

The blast resuscitation and victim assistance mission will continue through May 29.

The medics began by screening patients to assess what type of help they could provide.

"We have screened 150 people in the first four hours and have scheduled 22 cases for surgery," said Lt. Col. Diep Duong, team leader.

"We've already seen patients with some old land-mine injuries," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Sid Brevard, the team’s medical director. Colonel Brevard said medics are also seeing patients who have conditions resulting from a lack of necessary medical treatment.

He said people here were very patient as medics went through preliminary evaluations and screening.

While here, military medics will hone skills in austere environments that will help them practice their field-medicine skills. Officials said such work is important because it will give medics first-hand experience in how to work in environments with limited electricity and water, high heat and humidity, and mosquitoes.

The humanitarian mission is the third such trip to Cambodia. Similar missions have also been conducted in Vietnam and Sri Lanka.