Some of you may know that my son is serving in Iraq. He is a Combat Medic with the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment; the Golden Dragons of the 25th Infantry Division.
At the moment, they are in Tuz, Iraq having recently returned from seeing some action in Najaf.
The Golden Dragons are involved, among other things, in helping set up medical clinics in their AO.
And they can use help getting medical supplies.
Here's a recent report:
Approximately 100 miles north of Baghdad near Tuz, Iraq, Major Joel Meyer and the "Golden Dragons," 1-14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, work to improve the services that a hospital and 14 health clinics can give to Iraqi citizens across 50 towns and villages."Conditions in village clinics are so inferior to that which U.S. citizens are accustomed; it would be unfathomable to receive medical treatment there," wrote Meyer, posted on AnySoldier. "Yet it is all the Iraqi people currently have. Rebuilding will undoubtedly take many years."
Approximately 2,230 miles away, Mary Elko and the Northern Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners have tried to make a difference. "What we send won't make a dent into what is needed," Elko said, "but hopefully it's appreciated."
LAST MONTH, the council of nurse practitioners sent 900 pounds of medical supplies — 33 boxes — to assist American troops and Iraqi physicians and nurses in caring for Iraqi citizens. "Although they may lack supplies, they do not lack courage and resourcefulness when it comes to health care," Elko said.
Groups across the country have also contributed to these efforts, according to Elko.
Meyer asked Dr. Farhan, of Iraq, whether contributions have been beneficial."You see the primitive things we have. The right things are right for all of humanity," Farhan told Meyer, now posted on the website. "For 35 years we have been denied all of this."
In addition to numerous medical supplies, textbooks and journals, the Northern Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners send more than 72 beanie babies to cheer sick or injured Iraqi children and 53 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for American troops.
High Performance Technologies, Inc., of Reston, provided initial funding for shipping the first round of supplies, according to Elko.
According to Maj Joel Meyer and Cpt Marlin Payne, here is a list of the things they need:
MEDICAL/DENTAL/VETERINARIAN BOOKS (New and Used)
Textbooks
Note: They do not need any more Nursing textbooks.
HIGH DOLLAR ITEMS
• Cardioversion defibrillators (Life Pak) • 12 lead EKG machines • Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) • Cardiac monitors • Kerosene operated refrigerators (for vaccines and medications - due to frequent power outages) • Incubators • Ultrasound • X-ray machines • X-ray developing machines • Autoclave instrument sterilization machines • Computers (new or used desktops and laptops) • Suction machines • Surgical instrument sets • Oxygen regulators • Incubators • Anesthesia equipment for operating rooms • Dental examination equipment • Veterinarian equipment
LOWER COST ITEMS
• Dental Instruments • IVAC thermometers • Pulse oxymetry devices • Nebulizers • Blood Pressure instruments (BP cuffs and electronic/automatic devices) • Stethoscopes • Thermometers • Otoscopes • Ophthalmoscopes • Glucometers • Wheel chairs • Calculators • Photocopiers • Printers • Kerosene heaters • Electric space heatersMISC MEDICAL ITEMS
• Antibiotics • Over the Counter medications • Band-aids • Gauze and wound dressings • Sterile water • Hydrogen Peroxide • IV Catheters • IV fluids • Syringes and needles • Examination gloves • Sterile gloves • Tongue depressors • Alcohol and Betadine swabs • Used needle "Sharps" containers • Dental kits (toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss) • Hand sanitizer
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) EQUIPMENT
• Splints • Dressings • Intubation equipment • Airway equipment • Kerlex and gauze dressings • Spine boards • Traction splints • Head immobilizers • Penlights • Flashlights
Stuff can be sent to either Maj Meyer or Capt Payne at
1-14 IN, 2 BCT
25th ID(L)
APO AE 09347-9998
You can send email to Maj Joel Meyer or Cpt Marlin Payne
Now my son is not directly involved in this effort (as far as I know), he's busy patrolling with B Company. But I will try to get him to give us some updates which I will post here.
UPDATE: At the suggestion of John of Argghhh, I contacted Spirit of America.
I got a very quick response:
Thanks Frank,We've actually been working on this one for about a week. Hope to get the stuff over there as soon as possible.
Bless you and your son.Anise Kirkpatrick
No. God Bless you and Spirit of America.
