A group of school children delight in seeing their picture in USAF Maj. Dave Cochran’s digital camera. Photo by TSgt. Jonathan Doti, USAF

Medical, Dental Assistance in Thailand
RSAF and RTAF medical personnel and about 20 U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy physicians, dentists and medical technicians provided medical and dental care to 2,100 citizens from seven rural villages. Medical personnel treated muscular skeletal pains as well as skin infections from ringworm, common in Thailand. Dentists extracted 380 teeth from 318 patients.

“This was the first time we’ve had multilateral medical and dental participation in the history of the exercise,” said USAF MSgt. Hubert Mussehl. “We had a huge turnout, as most of the villagers have had little medical and dental care.”

The free medical treatment for the villagers also included 900 eye exams by U.S. optometrists. “This was by far our most popular service,” said MSgt. Mussehl. “We dispensed about 650 reading glasses that were pre-ordered before the exercise.”

		RTAF Gp. Capt. Songtam Chokanapitak and USAF Col. George Daniels, Director of Operations for COPE TIGER 2004, serve lunch to a group of children during a visit to a Thai school. Photo by TSgt. Jonathan Doti, USAF
Thai school children receive treats from USAF TSgt. Jatuporn Sungsakris. TSgt. Sungsakris, who was born in Thailand and grew up in Korat, served as translator during the exercise. Photo by TSgt. Jonathan Doti, USAF