Photo By Sgt. Armando Monroig | A combat medic, assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, attached to the...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Armando Monroig
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
BAQUBAH, Iraq – The girl seemed scared as she entered the examination room. With trepidation, she sat down in front of the doctor with two family members by her side.
"Let's see what we have here," said Maj. Brad Rather, physician's assistant for the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, as he examined the stitches on the Iraqi girl's brow.
Rather and his unit, along with members of the 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, were at a clinic in As Sadah, on the outskirts of Baqubah, providing residents medical care, March 18, that was long overdue.
The clinic had been closed for several weeks due to insurgent attacks in the neighborhood.
"Insurgents pretty much kept everybody held hostage here. People couldn't even leave their houses and go shopping for food," said Rather.
While the 82nd Airborne Division Soldiers, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, secured the area, visiting medics treated patients with ailments ranging from colds to shrapnel wounds.
More than 70 patients were seen in about six hours. They filled a waiting room before lining up outside.
Capt. Farhan Nesrallah, the brigade surgeon for the 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, prescribed medications. If they needed additional attention, such as the removal of stitches, Nesrallah sent them to Rather.
He said that missions like this one allow the residents of As Sadah to see the Iraqi security forces and coalition forces working together to help them.
"We wanted to show the residents that we and the Iraqi army are there to support them," said 1st Lt. Braden Hestermann, medical platoon leader, 5-73rd Cav. Regt.
"We wanted to go out, see what sick and injured people they have and try to alleviate some of the pain or symptoms they're feeling," he said.
But Rather said a secure environment is necessary to providing continuous medical care for the residents of As Sadah. He said the doctor that normally works at the clinic lives in Baqubah, but is afraid to work at the clinic.
"If we and the IA can keep this area secure, then the chances of keeping (the clinic) open are pretty good. They definitely need the healthcare here," he said, after stitching up two men with severe cuts.
"If we weren't here to do this, he would get an infection and could possibly die from it."
While the men providing medical care were wearing military uniforms, the joint effort to provide healthcare gave local residents the opportunity to obtain a service that many people from countries like the United States have come to expect from the civilian sector.
As the two family members comforted the Iraqi girl, she stared cautiously at the physician's assistant as he applied shiny metal forceps to her brow and gently removed several stitches.
"There you go," Rather said with a smile as he removed the last stitch. "See? All better."
| Date Taken: | 03.23.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2007 09:40 |
| Story ID: | 9584 |
| Location: | BAQUBAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 276 |
| Downloads: | 246 |
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