FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan (Aug. 8, 2008) – U.S. service members recently administered much needed medical aid to local residents, here, during a Medical Capabilities (MEDCAP) event.

Until now, residents went without medical care because they couldn’t afford it and it was not available.

Marines assigned to Task Force 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, operate at forward operating bases throughout the Farah and Helmand provinces.  They conduct civil affairs projects such as MEDCAPs to build trust with local residents within their areas of operation and to improve mission effectiveness.

Task force personnel supporting the MEDCAP included Marines of the 3rd Civil Affairs Group and Navy corpsmen from the Battalion Aid Station.  They administered aid to more than 100 Afghan patients, providing lotions and medicine for the young, and vitamins for the elderly.  They also handed out bottled drinking water, candy and beanbag animals for the children.

“The people were very excited and happy we were there, especially the kids,” said Cpl. Ericka L. Garcia, a Santa Ana, Calif., native assigned to 3rd CAG.  “Our goal was to keep going until we ran out of patients or medicine.”

The MEDCAP was considered a success and well-received by the residents who sought care.  From the beginning, it was uncertain how many would show up.

Initially, many Afghans were hesitant to accept the Marines’ help because they had been threatened by the Taliban for associating with Coalition forces.  After being assured the Marines would provide security, many families came forward to accept the medical assistance offered to them.

Gunnery Sgt. Omar Palaciosreal, the CAG team leader, said the MEDCAP’s success was due in part to enhanced force protection.  In addition to using CAG Marines to help provide security, Palaciosreal said the area was jointly patrolled by the Afghan National Police, Marines assigned to Company G and Combined Anti-Armor Team 2 of Weapons Company. 

“They definitely contributed a lot,” said Palaciosreal, a Moreno Valley, Calif., native. “If people think that they will be secure, they will come. People were intimidated by the suicide bomber threat, so the fact that they showed up was great.”

Once the people were inside the cordoned area, they were searched again, swept with a metal detector wand, and escorted inside the treatment facility where they were cared for by the Navy corpsmen.

“You could see the happiness on the kids’ faces,” said Navy Hospitalman Albert C. Beedie, Jr., a corpsman who hails from Lewiston, Maine.  “You could give them the smallest thing like Tylenol for their pain, and they would smile.”

Palaciosreal said the treatment teams paid careful attention to cultural sensitivities and used caution to avoid appearing disrespectful.  Because he knew the Afghan men would not approve of male Marines searching female patients, Garcia performed this task as part of the check-in process. 

“I was nervous because they were yelling,” Garcia said. “I had to take off my Kevlar, and show them I’m a female.  After that, I put my Kevlar back on and wore a pink scarf around my neck so they would know I’m a female.

“They would say ‘thank you for being here,’ and ‘we want you to come back.’  One lady said, ‘you’re like an angel,’” Garcia explained.  “Since the women wore so many layers, they would make a pouch for all the supplies and load up their dresses with stuff.”

When the women returned home with their dresses filled with goods, they would recruit others to come to the MEDCAP site to receive medical attention.  Some needed help more than others.

“One woman would have children and then four to five months later, they would die.  She said, ‘please give me something to make my baby stronger.’  The baby was four months old, and she was just waiting to see if the baby would make it to the sixth or seventh month,” Garcia said.  “It’s heartbreaking to think of it.  It makes me think about my little nephews and nieces.”

Garcia added that such situations motivate her to help as many people as possible.  She and other service members were even willing to share food from their Meals-Ready-to-Eat.

“The kids loved the MREs… so they would take those,” Garcia said.  “I thought it was funny how the kids would stare at us.  They were intimidated by us at first.  I remember we went up to one little boy, and he ran behind his dad.  His dad said something to him like ‘don’t be scared,’ and then he came out.”

Palaciosreal said his most memorable experience was when a little boy, about nine years old, came in with a broken arm.

“He came from Herat, which is at least 300 kilometers from here,” Palaciosreal said.  “His family heard about the MEDCAP through word of mouth, which is faster than the internet around here.  The fact that they would drive from Herat to Delaram just to get medical attention is amazing.”

The CAG team leader also recalled a 12-year-old boy who had been drinking only a liter of water every two days.

“He was severely dehydrated, so the corpsman had to inject intravenous fluids into him.  He walked away with a ‘Kool-Aid’ smile and a six-pack of water bottles,” Palaciosreal said.

Assessing the MEDCAP’s overall impact, Palaciosreal said he saw areas where his team performed brilliantly as well as areas for improvement.  He said he knows the team made a difference with the Afghan people.

“If they see that we put ourselves in harm’s way to provide medical attention, I think it will also show them we’re here to help,”’ Palaciosreal said.