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KABUL, Afghanistan (January 18, 2008) - The only sailor at
Forward Operating Base Naray here is making his mark every day,
using his experience, instincts and personality to improve the
lives and welfare of his embedded training team and the Afghan
National Army.
Petty Officer 1st Class Reynaldo S. Datu, a 42-year-old hospital
corpsman assigned to Embedded Training Team 7-2, has been in
Afghanistan for about six months. The team is deployed to
Afghanistan from Okinawa, Japan.
A native of the Philippines who now calls San Diego home, Datu
provides medical care for the team, acts as a mentor to the 3rd
Kandak (Armored), 3rd Brigade, 201st Afghan National Army Corps,
doctor and medics, and intervenes when civilian Afghans seek
medical assistance from the base's trauma center.
Datu's impact as a member of ETT 7-2 started immediately upon
his joining the Marines in training. "He's kept us all up to date
with our (medical) requirements" said Marine 1st Sgt. Matthew S.
Seamans, a 42-year-old Shorewood, Minn., native and the senior
enlisted mentor with the ETT. This has been the case since the unit
began preparing for deployment.
A few days after Embedded Training Team 7-2 arrived in country,
they joined the Afghan army in Operation Nowruz Jala (New Year
Hail) in Kapisa province, where Datu put his medical experience to
use.
"Doc ran out under fire and dragged an ANA soldier out (of the
kill zone) to treat him," said Seamans, one of the three Marines
Datu now works with at FOB Naray.
Since Operation Nowruz Jala, Datu has personally provided
medical training to the Afghan soldiers and has bridged a working
relationship between the Afghan and U.S. Army medics on FOB
Naray.
"Doc's the consummate team player, which is real important to
our training team," said Marine Lt. Col. James F. Werth, the team's
chief. He added that the team can always count on Datu's upbeat
attitude.
The other Marines with Embedded Training Team 7-2 agreed that
Datu's personality has helped him develop the working relationships
needed for the team's success with the Afghan soldiers. "Right from
the beginning he's developed a good relationship (with the Afghan
army)," Seamans said.
"He's picked up the (local) language better than the rest of
us," said Marine Sgt. Will D. Craig, a 26-year-old Culleoka, Tenn.,
native, and mentor with Embedded Training Team 7-2.
Datu has put his communication skills, personality and
initiative to use by helping the Afghan medics gain confidence in
their skills. He also wants Afghan soldiers to gain confidence in
their medics. If Afghan soldiers come to him for medical care, he
ensures they have been seen by their own medical staff before he
helps them.
In a recent visit to Anchagal village in Naray district, Datu
said he was pleased to stand back and mentor while the Afghan army
doctor and medics cared for the local Afghans. It's all a part of
the effort to make the ANA, "independent and capable," he said.
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