Building trust slowly with the Iraqi people

Editor's note: This is the second story in a three-part series written by a soldier who grew up in Lake Zurich and is now stationed in Iraq.

ARAB JABOUR, Iraq -- We have combined medical efforts, or CMEs, here. They combine Iraqi doctors, Iraqi Army medics and U.S. medics.

They usually start around 0900 hours (9 a.m.) and go until the supplies run out or till around 1600 (4 p.m.)

The purpose is to give the local national people education about health care and also to show the locals everyone is working together to make things better. Hopefully, in the end, the people will better trust the government of Iraq, the Iraqi army and the U.S. Army.

More Coverage Stories Local soldier tells of life in Iraq [5/27/08] About the series [5/26/08]

I have been to many of these CMEs and they all run similarly. People show up, get in line and come through complaining of aches and pains.

The Iraqi medics are up front, giving out slips of paper that say what the illness is. Next they go see the Iraqi doctor and the Iraqi doctor gives them another slip telling them what kind of medication they need.

U.S. medics run the pharmacy with a translator and they give out the proper amount and type of medication. Then U.S. soldiers go out, giving out candy to kids, human aid meals to parents and handshakes to the local leaders.

One of the CMEs I attended had Iraqi dental doctors and the locals could come and get teeth removed and plaque scraped. One teen came in to get his teeth cleaned but looked very scared. I made hand motions to him like he was going to get his tooth pulled out. He looked up at me with fear in his eyes. I smiled and had the translator tell him I was kidding. He gave me a dirty look and then smiled, but you could tell he was still uneasy about the whole thing. Who isn't?

Usually the local sheik either brings food to the place or invites the U.S. troops to dinner after completion.

The food is good, but I stay away from the veggies because the water they use to wash them is contaminated with bacteria that my body does not like. I have only had lamb, which is good. They boil it and put it over rice and serve it with flat bread.

You never see the women. I'm not sure if they are not allowed to come out or if they are working in the fields as usual. The men don't work, the women do everything here. You will drive around and see women and children hard at work harvesting vegetables in their fields or cutting reeds for their cattle.

That is one of those cultural things Americans have a hard time looking at. I think it is just the way they do things. We had similar rules in our history, but we changed gradually. I have hope they will, too.

Culture is a powerful thing, and forcing it to change is never a good idea in my opinion.

U.S. Army Capt. Raymond E. Nutter

bull; Age: 26

bull; Hometown: Lake Zurich

bull; Marital status: Engaged

bull; Unit: 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

bull; Unit nickname: The Rakkasans (Japanese for "falling umbrellas")

bull; Assignment: Battalion S1, or the battalion commander's principal staff officer for personnel support. Essentially, a human resources officer.

bull; Current deployment: Arab Jabour, Iraq

bull; Deployed to Iraq: Twice. First in 2005, then again six months ago.

bull; Length of current deployment: 15 months

Source: Daily Herald interview