39th Air Base Group Public Affairs

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (USAFENS) -- Dr. Jon Tabije, 39th Medical Squadron licensed clinical psychologist here, recently traveled with eight other U.S. Air Forces in Europe medical experts to Timisoara, Romania, donating much needed supplies and providing medical care to children in the Global Hope orphanage.

The team performed hearing screenings, assessed motor needs and behavioral and emotional issues, and provided orphanage workers with strategies for intervening and correcting problems.

"We provided educational services to the caretakers at the orphanage and hopefully that will make a difference in the quality of some of the orphans' lives," Dr. Tabije said. "We also provided much needed supplies that will make the orphans' lives more comfortable." 

39th MDS Life Skills Flight and Officers' Wives Club volunteers donated hundreds of dollars worth of medical and dental supplies and clothing, along with two new red tricycles and various toys. With the other USAFE donations, the valued amount was estimated in the thousands.

"Doctor Tabije added tremendous insight about some of our children's behaviors and how we can realistically work with them," said Matthew Gibble, Global Hope Romanian operations director, who said the staff benefited from the visit along with the children. "Imagine yourself as a child and how big your eyes would be if you saw two tables full of items for you and your brothers and sisters. They felt the love behind each of those gifts."

Other bases throughout USAFE also sent healthcare professionals from pediatrics, child psychiatry, speech and language pathology, audiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and early childhood education.

"We came from our respective bases and disciplines and formed a smooth operating medical team," Dr. Tabije said. "We joined with our Romanian counterparts and learned how to work with limited resources while being culturally sensitive to the needs of our patients."

The visit to the orphanage was part of a week long Educational and Developmental Intervention Services conference to problem solve and come together to help disadvantaged children in Romanian. EDIS is a congressionally mandated program sponsored by the Department of Defense Education Activity that provides services to children with special needs.

"As a gesture of good will to enhance developing countries, we educated orphanage staff members to help them capitalize on their skills and reduce burn out in a country that suffers from limited materials, financial, educational and professional resources after the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the revolution in 1989."

An orphanage staff members' life is often an uphill battle, Dr. Tabije said.

"My emotions were mixed while on this TDY," he said. "I experienced apparent sadness over some of the sights and the hopelessness of some of the situations. However, I also felt a great admiration for the orphanage workers, missionaries and for the children themselves. Most show a heartiness of spirit."

He said the best part of the trip was watching the children's faces light up.

"Without fail, any home or facility that we would go to usually resulted in children getting excited and vying for our attention," Dr. Tabije said. "There were many bedridden children who smiled and laughed when we approached them, rubbed their heads, jostled their hair or just looked them in the face and talked with them."

Often times, media coverage only showcases the Air Force and Department of Defense high tech planes and weapon systems, not the servicemembers who continually help poor people in under-developed countries around the world, Dr. Tabije said. 

"Projects such as these bring to light the other side of the military, specifically humanitarian missions," he said. "Military personnel and civilians working for the military provide services that really make me feel proud to be affiliated with the U.S. Air Force and also really proud to be an American."