Medical evaluations among latest operations Marines, sailors teach Iraqi Security Forces

WESTERN AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq -Iraqis from the Euphrates River villages of Al Amari, Haffha and Zella say they have never had immediate, quality health care.



U.S. Marines in the region are looking to change that.Recently, Marines and sailors from the Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.-based 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, along with a handful of Iraqi soldiers, provided two days of medical evaluations to citizens of the small villages in Iraq’s western Al Anbar Province.



The operation was the first of its kind in the area where Iraqi soldiers and Marines conduct daily security patrols, weeding out insurgents and the improvised explosive devices terrorists plant alongside Iraq’s roadways.



“We’re here to help the people with their medical problems and seeing what types of medical needs the Iraqis have in this area,” said Navy Lt. Leonard Blinder, the battalion’s surgeon. “Eventually, the Iraqis will have to carry out operations like this by themselves with their own doctors.”



An Iraqi Army officer was present with several Jundi – Iraqi Army privates – in order to learn how to conduct an operation of this nature on their own as Iraqi Security Forces continue towards taking the lead from U.S. forces on all military operations in Iraq.



The team of Iraqi soldiers, Marines, and Navy corpsmen set up their temporary medical clinics at elementary schools in each town. They advertised the free medical evaluations through a loudspeaker and the citizens responded immediately. During the ‘doctor visits,’ patients described their grievances and U.S. physicians evaluated the problems.



Within several hours, more than 100 Iraqis received an evaluation by the Americans. The large turnout for the village of less than 1,000 Iraqis was a clear sign that cooperation is improving between Iraqis and the Iraqi Army, according to Navy Petty Officer 2nd ...