Medic lends helping hand to Iraqi children

Photo By Sgt. John Stimac | Staff Sgt. William Osorio, team medic with the 36th Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army military transition team, from Fort Riley, Kan., and a Bronx ,N.Y., native, gives medical attention to an Iraqi boy at Al-Abar Primary School, with the assistance of Areef Jamel (far right), an Iraqi army medic. IA medics shadow U.S. Army medics in preparation for the drawdown of U.S. troops and equipment from Iraq.  

NUBAI, IRAQ

10.10.2009

Story by Spc. John Stimac 

13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command (13th ESC)

NUBAI, Iraq — A medic with the 36th Iraqi Army Brigade's military transition team, 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas, gave medical treatment Oct. 7, not to wounded Warfighters, but to Iraqi children in Nubai, Iraq.

Staff Sgt. William Osorio, team medic with the 36th Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army military transition team, out of Fort Riley, Kan., said he learned of the mission through operations and civil affairs service members.

"We conducted (reconnaissance) of schools in the area to find a suitable school for needy kids," said Osorio. "Civil affairs really wanted to be in on this program, and we wanted to support them as well as the Iraqi Army."

Osorio said an Iraqi medic was brought along, in an effort to show the Iraqi community a new face.

"Going out with the IA is even more special," said Osorio. "This way it shows the Iraqi media and people that we are relying more and more on the IA. It is showing that they are ready to take control of their country."

Osorio, a Bronx, N.Y., native, said bringing the Iraqi medic was a great idea, because it helped break down the language and cultural barrier he would have had with the children.

Areef Jamel, the medic who was on site with Osorio, received his training at Taji Academy.

"I am here mainly to help, advise and mentor the medics," said Osorio. "I also gave hands-on technical advice on treatments that the medic could give."

Osorio said he saw a total of eight children and seven adults, with injuries that ranged from bumps and bruises to infections.

"The boy that we treated had a pretty bad infection in his finger," said Osorio. "His finger had to be lanced and bandaged up and then I gave him some medication to help fight the infection."

Maj. Rob Edwards, brigade public affairs officer and provost marshal with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 155th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, said this separate mission was discussed in a prior committee meeting because the school did not have an on-site nurse.

"Most schools in the states have a school nurse or at least one in the area," said Edwards. "This school is in a very rural area and there is not a school nurse or caregiver in the area at all."

Edwards, a Saltillo, Miss., native, said this mission was coordinated with the Iraqi army, as part of the Status of Forces Agreement that was put in place to help the Iraqis start to take the lead in missions to take back their country.

"The medics were there solely to provide humanitarian assistance to any child in the school that needed treatment, and it was a great success," he said.

Edwards said the children were hesitant to come forward at first, but once they were told they would still get their schoolbags and supplies, they allowed themselves to get examined by the medics.

"This not only helped the children, but raised awareness to the school leadership as well," said Edwards. "The IA presence helped out a lot with some of the barriers we had with the children, but were also an authority figure for the children and kept them in line as well."

Edwards said the success of the mission has encouraged them to try to identify more schools in similar situations. The mission could not have been accomplished without the help of the IA and the school administrators, Edwards said.

Osorio said everybody did their job superbly.

"The most rewarding portion of conducting this mission was seeing the kids getting some medical treatment," he said. "The kids warmed up to all of us really quick. It was nice seeing that they wanted to take pictures with us, hold our hands and not be scared that we were there."

• Date Taken: 10.10.2009
• Date Posted: 10.10.2009 18:03
• Story ID: 39935
• Location: NUBAI, IQ