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FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, Nimroz province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - A 3-year-old Afghan boy and a 14-year-old girl were treated and medically evacuated from the district of Sangin by coalition forces Tuesday.
The Afghan children were brought by their mother to Forward Operating Base Sabit Qadam after receiving drastic burns.
“The boy accidentally spilled a vat of hot lamp oil on [himself] and his sister,” said Navy Lt. Richard Whitehead, the battalion surgeon for 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. “The little boy had burns over 50 percent of his body. Without us taking care of him he would of died later from secondary infection.”
Whitehead, a native of Pascagoula, Miss., explained how the assistance provided by his battalion aid station was just one part of the partnership between the Afghan National Army and the Marines and sailors in the area.
“They first came to an ANA patrol. Then HM3 Steven Foley [a corpsmen with the unit] called back and asked if we'd be able to provide treatment.”
The battalion aid station has provided medical care to more than 20 Afghan civilians since arriving in Sangin.
“Normally they approach a partnered patrol or ANA [soldiers] and that’s how they usually come in to us, which works out well because they are going to GIRoA forces first,” added Whitehead explaining how locals will seek urgent medical care.
It is common for ISAF forces to treat Afghans for non-combat related injuries and illnesses when they approach coalition forces for assistance. However, in Sangin the trend is new. Locals are displaying their trust in Afghan National Security Forces and the coalition by trusting their children with them.
Locals would not be seen talking or interacting with U.S. Marines in the area a year ago due to insurgent intimidation.
The increased trust local citizens emplace in coalition forces can be attributed to the hard won expansion of the security bubble 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines and 1st Battalion, 5th Marines have secured alongside their Afghan counterparts.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2011 06:35 |
| Story ID: | 70645 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, NIMROZ PROVINCE, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF, AF |
| Web Views: | 1,543 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Afghans trust ISAF with their children, by LTC Timothy Irish, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
