While many are taking a holiday break from school and work, I am taking a little break from working in the Spartan Brigade's Area of Operations to begin working with Special Operation units to show how Spirit of America can support their unique efforts. Already on the first day, I hit the ground running in regards with one special project.

I was lucky to meet MSgt Howland, an Air Force NCO who is working with a SEAL Team in a rural district near the Pakistani border in Zabul Province. After discussing his area as well as projects he was interested in getting Spirit of America's help with, he mentioned if we would be able to help his unit in regards to a little boy in need of medical attention. Here is the situation in MSgt Howland's own words:

"The prominent mullah approached me from the village... The mullah brought with him a male child roughly 2 years of age accompanied by his father. The mullah explained that the child had a grapefruit sized growth on his pelvis. Additionally, the mullah stated that the father of the child had attempted to locate medical care within the district, but that he had been unsuccessful. The mullah asked if the corpsmen located on our FOB would be willing to provide assistance. Unfortunately, the type of care needed for the child was far beyond our capability. We were able to transport the child to the nearest military facility and subsequently the child underwent CT scan. The results along with the child were sent to an Afghan run medical complex for evaluation. The Afghan medical teams stated to the father after the evaluation, that they could remove the tumor, but were ill equipped to provide the necessary follow-on care. Moreover, it was suggested that the father transport his child to Quetta Pakistan. He was told that if he could transport the child to the main medical facility in Quetta, which the child would be able to undergo the necessary initial and follow-on treatment free of charge. Unfortunately, the father doesn't have funds for the transportation, or the funds for room and board that would be needed during the extended stay."

The young boy with his father

Since MSgt Howland was going back to his district less than 24 hours after I met him, I Knew I had to work fast to ensure we could help this boy. After several hours, and with help from the home office in LA, I was able to secure the funds the MSgt needed for the father of the child. This act not only helps save the life of a little boy, but also cements relations between that SEAL team and MSgt Howland with a small community where everyone knows one another and the unit did not have much buy-in prior. As we know in the US, word spreads fast in small towns and the community will definitely hear about how the unit was able to continually help the boy and did not give up on him. Hopefully this will not just save the life of a boy, but also let relations between the SEAL team and the village evolve now that this one event has shown even the life of one little Afghan boy matters in the minds of Americans, both here and abroad.

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Mike Press
Afghanistan Field Rep.