SF Medics on CNN Morning 091109

[Dozer523]

Just caught our SF guys on the CNN morning show. (Knew it was us cuz they must shave with rotor blades!)
But, I ain't got the google-fu to find and post. Grasshoppers, please help. Dr Guptah (sp) was reporting the story of evac- ing an injured child.

[PR31C]

This is a related part of the story, see Dozer's link below for complete SF story.

[Dozer523]

I have found my fu! Here it is just endure the commercial.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bes...e.recovery.cnn

[Five-O]

What a great story, I just hope that little boy's body can fight off the infection that is almost certain to come. As a brand new father I can't imagine seeing my son in that condition.....hang in there little guy.

[Kingfisher]

Good stuff.

[Dirt Gallo]

Very cool guys. Hope the little guy's recovery goes well.

[Guy]

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Airmen and Soldiers hosted a Department of State Provincial Reconstruction Team-initiated health fair for local Iraqi children at the Oasis Dining Facility here Aug. 22.

More than 30 children from the surrounding Salah ad Din province interacted with servicemembers while learning about basic first aid, the role of emergency medical professionals, and nutrition and hygiene skills.

The health fair marked the first time local kids were brought to JBB for a medical outreach program.

"The event served the purpose of educating the children in the hopes they will disseminate the information to their families," said 1st Lt. Emanuel Pierre, Task Force 421st Multifunctional Medical Battalion civil military operations officer. "We also see this as an opportunity to cultivate good sentiment between the Iraqi people and coalition forces."

Maj. (Dr.) David Carnahan, 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group chief of medical staff, said his crew is working hand-in-hand with the local community to establish and maintain working relationships with their Iraqi counterparts.

"In the past, our doctors would work alongside Iraqi doctors in treating injured host nationals (at the Air Force Theater Hospital here)," the major said. "As the violence decreases in the area, we don't have that kind of working relationship anymore. In order to maintain the rapport we've built, we need to come together in non-hostility related events such as this. We are trying to support the Iraqi healthcare system by not undermining it, but helping where we can."

The goal was to teach useful health skills, but the event organizers also built in time for the children to have fun. When the kids first arrived at the DFAC, they got to check out static displays of medical emergency vehicles and some even tried on firefighters' gear. Then, after the briefings and lunch, they spent the afternoon enjoying sporting events and games at the west side gym.

The six- to 14-year-old participants weren't the only ones having a good time at the event.

"We love being with the kids and having them here on our base," said Sgt. Maj. Kellyanne Oneil, Task Force 1st Medical Command senior clinical sergeant major. "You could see everyone smiling and having a great time. It takes (the military members) away from the madness for a little while. Besides having fun, we hope the information and instruction we are exposing them to will ultimately make them safer."

It was actually 41 children, 4 teachers and one "Iraqi" female doctor and a QP.

https://afpims.afnews.af.mil/shared/...090825-044.wmv

Stay safe.

[echoes]

Originally Posted by Dozer523

I have found my fu! Here it is just endure the commercial.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bes...e.recovery.cnn

Great Job!!!

http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pn...lsadstrgt&l=hm

Fracture healed by US forces, Afghan boy goes home
Published: 9/19/09, 11:25 AM EDT

By KEVIN MAURER
DAY KUNDI PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AP) - The Afghan father left the mountains on foot, carrying his 2-year-old son, but the health clinic could not treat the skull fracture that blinded the toddler and immobilized his left side. By chance the next day, two American medics stopped by the clinic in Day Kundi Province to check on another patient.

The rooftop fall that cracked Malik's skull Aug. 19 set in motion a chain of events that took the boy from his remote village to the U.S. military hospital in Kandahar, where doctors patched the tear in his brain and replaced the bone. On Saturday, his crescent-shaped wound healed, Malik - the baby in the family of five children - headed home with his father, Khodadad.

Khodadad carried Malik out to the gray truck hired to drive the rocky roads of central Afghanistan back to Ashtarlay, a northern district of Day Kundi. But for Khodadad, who traveled 50 miles (80 kilometers) in the first futile effort to reach the Afghan clinic, the return was worth every uncomfortable bump.

"God answered our prayers," Khodadad said. "God sent someone to save my son."

Josh, one of the medics who treated Malik and arranged to evacuate him to Kandahar, said the boy's father lights up every time he sees the Americans. The medics only give their first names for security reasons and as part of the Special Forces embed rules.

Lt. Col. James Miller, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, said the resolve of the U.S. medics to treat the child "demonstrates we mean what we say."

"And at the end of the day, the boy needed help," Miller said.
On Friday, his vision and movement restored, Malik was kicking around a soccer ball - and using both sides of his body as he played.

Josh and Khodadad shook hands Saturday - and Josh got a high-five from Malik. The father touched his heart and thanked Josh repeatedly before climbing into the truck, driving away as the medic looked on from the front gate of the team's base in Day Kundi.

"When Malik goes home, that is a village of mainly poor people. This will be their only memory of Americans," he said. "At some point somebody will be working in that village and hopefully they will say these are the guys that helped that baby."

[trent]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090920/...an_injured_boy

Good stuff.

[JJ_BPK]

Good warm-fuzzy feel-good story...

Thanks Trent..

[Maj0r Thre4t]

Finally, a video that shows CF in a positive aspect rather then the "monsters" the media has dubbed us. Good Work!