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AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq (December 17, 2008) -
Amidst the array of Coalition force operations in the area, medical
attention is still offered to the Iraqi populace by Task Force
Mech, Regimental Combat Team 5.
Task Force Mech is comprised of Marines and Sailors with Company
A, 2nd Tank Battalion in conjunction with elements of Company B,
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Bn., and 1st Combat Engineer Bn.,
which are both assisting tanks with various missions in al-Anbar
province.
Conducting security patrols and interacting with the local Iraqi
civilians have afforded the service members an opportunity to
distribute food, water and medical supplies. The Marines and
Sailors with Task Force Mech have also provided medical care to the
local Iraqis.
During one mission, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jorge E. Burgos, the
senior line corpsman with Company A, noticed a young Iraqi girl in
pain while seeing other Iraqi patients.
"We were patrolling in our area of operations (near Rutbah,
Iraq,) and we spotted a caravan of trucks which turned out to be
all sheep herders," said Burgos, 45, who is from Cali, Columbia.
"We then stopped the caravan and began asking them questions.
"After we completed our questioning, we began asking them if
they needed any medical care.
"They said they had several people sick, and after I treated
nine Iraqis, one in particular caught my attention," said Burgos,
who is on his fifth deployment to Iraq. "There was a little 6
year-old girl with 3rd degree burns on her right leg with an
advanced stage of infection.
"The burn was from the lower part of her knee all the way around
down to her ankle," Burgos added. "Her burn was caused when she
accidentally turned over a cooking pot of boiling water on
herself.
"Her leg was wrapped in just a cloth when I saw her, and when I
saw that situation, I asked the girl's father, through an
interpreter, to hold her very tight," continued Burgos. "The reason
for that was because I needed to clean her and remove the dead skin
and infection. I cleaned the leg with sterilized water and applied
medication for pain as well as two different antibiotic
ointments.
"I explained to the girls' father that he needs to clean the leg
several times daily. I provided him with enough supplies to do so
and medications to keep further infections from happening until
they can get to a medical facility in Baghdad.
"The father was so pleased that he gave me a hug and kiss," said
Burgos. "My reward was to see her beautiful smile.
"Providing the Iraqis with medical and essential supplies in
remote and isolated places makes the Iraqis very pleased with the
Coalition forces and makes them feel safe and better protected,"
said Burgos. "We are here to help them in any way we can."
Although this instance of humanitarian assistance was isolated,
the Marines and Sailors here have treated many other Iraqis with
varying illnesses. These acts of kindness have made the locals
trust the service members more and have literally opened doors for
the Marines and Sailors of Task Force Mech.
"I think giving the Iraqis medical care is paramount because
giving them medical care helps them to welcome us into their homes
right away," said Seaman Travis N. Cowan, 22, a corpsman from San
Diego with RCT-5 who accompanied Task Force Mech during a recent
mission.
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