Planting the seed is half the battle

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Jessica D'Aurizio
  • Regional Command East Public Affairs advisory team
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  A rock bounced off my weapon and leg as I tried to take photographs. I looked around to see where they were coming from, but couldn't tell.

Another hit me in the side and stomach. I walked toward the main group of children sitting on the ground, hoping to let them see I wasn't a threat--rocks hit me in the back.

They were sneaky, and I couldn't identify the culprits. I walked and stood close to the school headmaster. He was hit with a rock that I'm sure was aimed at me. The headmaster quickly took charge of the children and chastised them for their actions.

Maybe they were scared because they weren't sure what was about to happen to them; maybe they already had hatred instilled into their minds about Americans. We were there to help. A group of Afghan National Army and Air Force medical personnel were setting up a Village Medical Outreach clinic April 14 in a school, close to Tara village, north of Gardez.

"We want to see the sick kids first or any that have cuts or infections," Col. Dean Messelheiser, the Air Force command surgeon at Forward Operating Base Thunder, said to the school headmaster.

The clinic wasn't just for the kids, but also for anyone in the community that needed medical assistance.

Vaccinations for measles, mumps, typhoid and other common diseases were first on the agenda. Other services included treatment of common illnesses and referral to more advanced facilities if the clinic was not able to treat their illness.

"Of the over 300 patients we treated, five were critical," said Adbul Jamial Hamkar, an ANA hospital worker that took care of registrations that day. "Two needed surgery and three had eye, ear or skin problems."

Some of the most common complaints consisted of joint pain, malnutrition, ear pain and nose bleeds.

A 20-year-old male came in to have stitches removed from a stab wound that had been treated at another location. He said it was from fighting, but didn't go into details even though my curiosity was obvious.

A boy named Azad who couldn't have been more than 12 years old came in with part of a finger missing; his story also wasn't clear. He said it was from an explosion, but none of his other fingers were damaged. Maybe he thought if it was construed as a war-related injury he would get better treatment.

"We are so happy to have the ANA and U.S. medical treatment at our school," said the school headmaster as he busied himself keeping the rowdy kids in line.

It is another all-boys school which is what is predominant in Afghanistan. I think to myself how lucky I am to have been born in a country that offers an education to women as well as men.

"There was a teenage girl that came in for minor medical attention that was able to speak a few words of English; I was amazed." said Maj Jana Kokkonen, an Air Force doctor assigned to train the ANA medical team at FOB Thunder. "I asked her where she had learned to speak English and found out that she had spent time in Pakistan where she was able to go to school."

The girl confided in the doctor about wanting to learn, but there were no schools available to her in that area. The female doctor offered words of encouragement about how she could do anything she wanted. Planting the seed is half the battle.

As the long day came to an end and the 300-plus patients had been seen, 500-plus immunizations given and almost 1,000 prescription written, it was time to load up and leave the school as we found it.

In my mind I hope that in some small way the Afghan people see that their new army is all about helping and protecting the people, and that we all care and want the country to be a better place for future generations.

As I walk to my armored vehicle, the gestures from some of the kids makes me cringe, but if we only reached a few, then those few can make a difference in the future. It is all about the children. What we do today will have impact on what they do tomorrow.