PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept. 17, 2004 — Many Afghans can see reconstruction taking place in their country when Coalition reconstruction teams come into their area. Now, with a newly acquired capability, some Cooperative Medical Assistance missions will make it possible for even more Afghans to clearly see and appreciate Coalition reconstruction efforts.

Along with medical and veterinary care, some Cooperative Medical Assistance teams can now provide eyeglasses during visits to remote villages.

The new capability was tested on a recent medical assistance mission in Panjshir Province’s Shatol village, located in central Afghanistan.

After four and a half hours of work, one optical laboratory specialist was able to provide more than 40 pairs of eyeglasses - a success after months of preparation for members of Task Force Victory Surgeon Cell.

“This is a great success for the [Cooperative Medical Assistance] project,” said Lt. Col. David Ferris, Task Force Victory Surgeon Cell operations officer. “We have been preparing to do this for five months.”

Waiting on the equipment and personnel, Ferris said the medical assistance team pursued the capability to create glasses because of the overwhelming amount of requests from local leaders.

“There is a definite need for eyeglasses throughout the Afghan community,” said Ferris.

Wines also brought stock lenses so they don’t need to be created in the field. By using the stock lenses, the only process that remains is to cut the lenses to fit the frames.

Wines said there are still some procedures to work out, but over the course of the next few medical assistance missions he estimates they will be able to create 70-100 pairs of glasses a day.

Ferris said the impact of providing the glasses is obvious.

“Who doesn’t want to see?” asked Ferris. “Providing these glasses has many positive effects for not only the people, but the Coalition.”

After the medical assistance team provides the glasses, Ferris said there is a visual impact for the service.

“You can see our efforts right on the face of the people we help,” said Ferris. “This is also a powerful multiplier for the people within the village.”

Ferris said the glasses can dramatically improve the vision of some. This will have a positive effect because these members of the community will be better able to participate in business and community activities.

In the future, the Cooperative Medical Assistance is trying to diversify their capabilities by getting an additional optical laboratory specialist to increase output. They are also working on getting smaller frames for the children so their glasses will fit better.

Wines said he is very grateful for his opportunity to help the Afghans.

“They really appreciate the glasses,” he said. “The expression on their face when they first put them on really shows how much they appreciate them.”

As the medical assistance teams work out better methods to deliver the glasses in greater numbers, the act of providing them is what is seen as truly important.

“We are just trying to come out here and improve the lives of these people,” said Ferris. “Providing glasses is just one of the ways we are doing it.”