Story and photos by Air Force Senior Airman Catharine Schmidt
Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan -- As Afghans endure one of the coldest winters in years, coalition servicemembers here are making sure they are given an adequate supply of cold-weather supplies and medicine to combat the harsh weather.
About 50 U.S. and South Korean troops visited Chamin-E-Babrak, a local camp for displaced people, Feb. 5 and handed out nearly 5,000 items including medicine. Dr. Massouda Jalal, Afghan minister of women's affairs, was also on hand to help hand out supplies and visit with Afghans.
Lines of people waited patiently for their turn to be given blankets, shoes, toiletries and clothing. Children received medicine in one line, and medical tents were set up for people who needed treatment.
The mission was led by the Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team, one of 19 PRTs spread throughout the country. The coalition forces provided medics, security and troops who said they just wanted to make a difference.
For Army Spc. Theresa Biehm, with the 13th Psychological Operations team at nearby Bagram Airfield, it was her first experience on a mission such as this one.
"It's hard seeing all these people without shoes or socks in the cold," she said. "It's important we're here today because they really don't have any other way to get the help we are providing."
"We were called by the ministry of public health office, who said it was urgent that they needed our help with this mission," said Army Lt. Col. Lisa Bailey, Parwan PRT commander. "There were people out there who were cold and didn't have blankets. So, we said we would come out and help the people of Afghanistan."
About 270 families received donations for a total of about 2,000 people.
"We were able to get them a lot of things â?¦ the things that would prevent cold-weather injury," Bailey said. "We were very thankful to be able to come out and help."
Army Spc. Jasmine Smith, assigned to Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan Civil Affairs, came on the trip to help translate.
"I think today's been very successful," she said. "We were here the other day and we were slammed by the kids. (Today) they brought Afghan security and we brought our security so everything's going good. "
With the cold weather, many Afghans are fighting illnesses. Coalition troops made sure they provided them the best care they could.
"We coordinated to bring out the medical team because we knew if we came out to drop humanitarian supplies there could possibly be some medical emergencies or people who needed to be looked at," Bailey said. "We wanted to combine the humanitarian and medical aspect together. We brought one of our doctors to treat people.
"We gave medicine to the kids to de-worm them as well as vitamins," she said. "We looked at the ladies and men who had severe ailments, and we also gave them referrals to (a hospital at Bagram Airfield)."
Coalition troops made sure Afghans were given much-needed supplies and care, accomplishing the mission they came here to do.
"We want (the Afghans) to know that we're not just in the country to build buildings, but we're also coming into the country to help the central government and help build up the people," she said. "That's very important to us."
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| Date Taken: | 02.14.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 02.14.2005 12:21 |
| Story ID: | 1153 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 48 |
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