Changing Hearts and Minds

On 9 OCT 06, I walked into the mess Hall and had just got my tray filled and was getting ready to sit down to eat when I heard, "This is the command post, all medical personal report to the base hospital, this is not a drill."  I set down my tray on the table and headed for the door.  On the way out I ran into my DOC.  He is a Navy Doctor to whom I consult for my patients.  He was washing his hands on the way in and did not hear the announcement. 

 

Once I arrived at the hospital they had a hallway full of people waiting to help.  I figured I would be twiddling my fingers for sure.  Not so.  We received 27 patients and others were rerouted to TQ for treatment.  Seems the Iraqis were having a funeral for one of their own in Hit, when a mortar round struck in the middle of their formation.   

 

I got teamed with the Psychiatrist in a room with 5 patients.  We worked them up for the surgeon, admission, or treat and release.  One went to surgery, two were admitted and two were treated and released.  Everything went smooth.  Rapid trauma assessments, IV's started, and treatments were done.  Most of these guys had not eaten since 1 AM the day prior because of fasting for Ramadan.  That was good if they had to go to surgery. 

 

One of the guys, an Iraqi interpreter, said they had not eaten since 1 AM and it was about 9 PM when he told me this.  I ask why and he said because of Ramadan.  I knew they fasted during daylight but forgot it was now.  I said, "You will have to pardon us Christians for not knowing."  What he said indicated to me that he was my friend and had the right idea for what needs to be done, "Same God."  It is working.  

 

What we did spoke volumes to those guys.  They knew we cared.  It has been said, "no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care."   That is the approach that we need to take in Iraq and is the Special Forces way of winning the hearts and minds of the people. 

 

The regular army and marines have no concept of this.  It is not their fault, they just want to go “kick ass."  That is the conventional way of war.  This is now an unconventional war and the approach must be different. 

 

I finally left at 2330 hours and went to eat.  Walking into the mess hall I remarked, "Isn’t this where we started?"  

 

Does it make you feel alive to know that you changed their lives because someone else wanted to change their lives?  Hell, yes.  

 

Two days later my friend Jerry was killed just outside Camp Speicher in an ambush.