2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade

Story by Cpl. Jennifer Calaway

KHAN NESHIN, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan –It would be hard to recognize the young boy bounding out of the medical tent nestled inside the castle walls. The boy was limping from scratches on his leg only moments before. An inflated surgical glove serves as a new play thing for him and his friend. Although this was only a flesh wound, Navy corpsmen spending a few moments to provide basic remedies shows the locals that U.S. Forces are here to help in an area once poisoned by insurgent presence.

A free clinic runs two to three times weekly at the Khan Neshin Castle – located in the "Fishhook" region of the Helmand River Valley – offering townspeople a convenient alternative to the long trek to the nearest Afghan hospital in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, which can take days and for most, is unaffordable.

"No government has had a doctor here in 30 to 35 years. Every little thing from a sore throat to broken limbs is important," said Army Staff Sgt. Richard A. Bettis, Psychological Operations Chief working with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan. "They love us around here and this is why. All these little things start adding up."

The trust wasn't easily won, however, said CWO2 Christopher Wright, civil affairs officer for Delta Company, 2nd LAR.

"You should have seen it when we first got here in July," Wright said. "There was no one out here in the shops, they wouldn't come near us. Now, they're letting their kids come inside the castle walls to be treated by our docs."

In a community where the majority of land is owned by generations of farmers, minor injuries can go for years without being treated.

"We see a lot of surface wounds that have infected over time and now require small surgical procedures," said Lt. Cmdr. Todd D. Bell, assistant battalion surgeon for 2nd LAR. "It's our goal to give long term care so that doesn't continue."

"One of my favorite patients came in every couple days for at least a month and hated it every time," said Chief Petty Officer Ryan D. Lisec, chief corpsman for 2nd LAR. "She was eight years old and fell in a pot of boiling milk. It was really painful for her when we changed her dressings and she fought us in the beginning. It was really rewarding to watch her recover to her normal self."

As 2nd LAR heals the physical wounds, they are also finding a cure for the way the locals view the service members. Now kids wave at the docs when they're out in the village and point to where their bruises and scrapes used to be.

Associated Images

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