Stryker Brigade News

Tal al Ruman is a poor neighborhood in the southwest corner of Mosul. Few attacks have originated from the community; however, the residents have never seemed overly friendly toward coalition forces.

The purpose of the community medical screening was to positively influence a neutral neighborhood to adopt a pro-coalition attitude.

We included Iraqi Army soldiers as part of an ongoing effort to legitimize the Iraqi Army and facilitate a transition of authority to Iraqi Security Forces.

The medical staff was equipped to provide basic medical assistance to locals suffering from a variety of maladies.

The most frequently encountered symptoms were attributed to the common cold; however, the medics were also able to equip three severely handicapped children with pediatric wheelchairs.

The civil affairs officer was a big hit with the children of the neighborhood, giving away dolls, comic books and an assortment of school supplies.

In addition, he sought information from the adults concerning the quality of education in Tal al Ruman, the availability of jobs and the reliability of utilities in the area.

Equipped with this information, we can better focus our future efforts on the specific needs of the community.

The Soldiers of Co. A, 1-17th, while initially uncertain as to the value of a medical screening, quickly gained enthusiasm as the event progressed.

They helped the elderly negotiate stairways, assisted in the dissemination of supplies to the locals and amused the children with light banter.

The sole letdown for the Soldiers was the lack of wheelchairs.

We had only brought three to the screening, and the supply was quickly exhausted, leading to families being turned away.

Our Soldiers located four more pediatric wheelchairs the day after the event and sought out the families we had been forced to turn away during the screening.