Summer - United States Special Operations Command

Operation Sadbhavana: Winning Hearts and Minds in theLadakh Himalayan RegionLT COL Mudera P. Cariappa, Indian Army Medical Corps; Col Eugene V. Bonventre, USAF MC; MAJ GENBikash K. Mohanti, AVSM (Ret.)Military Medicine Vol 173, No 8 August 2008ABSTRACT“Sadbhavana” literally means “goodwill among people.” The Indian Army has evolved a military strategy ofwinning hearts and minds, with this being just a phase in the broader war on terror. We have focused on actionsto address the border regions of Ladakh in the Himalayas. The government of India strives against difficultconditions to provide essential services (including health care) to its population in an equitable manner; in remoteareas with fragile security and hamstrung provincial government systems, the Indian Army fills this role.The Army’s medical units have played a pivotal role in providing comprehensive health care as a keystone ofthe strategy. The endeavors of the doctors in uniform have succeeded in winning over an alienated population.A total of 163 medical camps were held in 2004, with attendance of 14,050 patients seeking medical attentionand 264 patients seeking dental attention; in 2005, 87 camps were conducted, with attendance totals of 7,562 and559, respectively. The Operation Sadbhavana military strategy has paid rich dividends in the form of changesin the perspective of the denizens of the remote and exotic locales of Ladakh. Planners must carefully analyzethe target audiences and the messages delivered to those audiences at the onset of such projects. Future effortswould be enhanced by attempts to quantify the effects of medical missions on the health of the population andon population attitudes toward the Indian Army and the central government.The Challenge of Controlling Lead and Silica Exposures from Firing Ranges in aSpecial Operations ForceMancuso, James D.; McCoy, John; Pelka, Bruce; Kahn, Patrice J.; Gaydos, Joel C.Military Medicine, Volume 173, Number 2, February 2008, pp. 182-186(5)ABSTRACTIn 2000, Soldiers from a Special Operations Force had airborne lead exposures 20 to 38 times the permissibleexposure limit. Their average blood lead level was 13.9 µg/dL. Immediate implementation of pertinentOccupational Safety and Health Administration regulations was recommended. In 2003, investigatorslearned that the unit also used an outdoor firing range with exposures exceeding the permissible exposure limit.Attempts to conduct more detailed evaluations and control measures were hindered by frequent deployments inthe unit and a strong commitment to realistic training. Despite these challenges, the controls implemented resultedin limited success. The average blood lead level in the unit was 6.8 µg/dL in 2005, a reduction of 51% .Proper initial range construction is essential to controlling lead exposures at firing ranges. Occupational healthspecialists caring for these Soldiers must identify, assess, and mitigate exposures from firing ranges while respectingthe importance of realistic training.The Overlooked Heroines: Three Silver Star Nurses of World War ILTC Richard M. Prior, AN USA; William Sanders Marble, PhDMilitary Medicine May 2008, Vol 173, No 5ABSTRACTAs members of forward-deployed combat hospitals, World War I Army nurses Miss Jane Rignel, MissLinnie Leckrone, and Miss Irene Robar received the Citation Star for gallantry in attending to the woundedwhile under artillery fire in the month of July 1918. In 1932, they were authorized to exchange their CitationStars for the new Silver Star Medal. Nursing in the war was difficult and required caring for patients exposedto chemical weapons and trauma while in harsh field conditions. These women were among the many Armynurses decorated for their performance in World War I.Abstracts From Current Literature57