Big Duke

Here's a shot of Big Duke with Mogila in the foreground and Vitina in the distance.

Turkish Coffee

I think I've mentioned coffee a few times before but not elaborated on it. The coffee shops serve the usual capuccino and mocha type drinks. The clinics we stop at serve Turkish Coffee. It's a very thick drink that leaves a sludge in the bottom of the cup. Even with the bad focus in this picture you can see the coffee grounds sliding off the bottom of the cup. Just like with tea leaves, I've heard rumors some can read your fortune in the coffee grounds.

Letnica MEDCAP

Sorry for the lack of postings recently. I've been putting some time into the TF Tornado weblog and have started working on the next MEDCAP. To catch up, here's info from the previous MEDCAP:

On April 3rd we conducted our first Medical Civil Assistance Program (MEDCAP). About 60 people from Task Force Tornado and Task Force Med went to the school in Letnica to provide basic medical, pharmacy, dental, optometry, and preventive medicine services. The Vitina Health House provided 8 doctors and a dentist. With the large staff and hard work of everyone we were able to see 217 people in four hours. The dentist pulled 56 teeth on 45 people. The optometrist gave 78 exams and provided glasses to improve the vision of most.

This is the medical operations NCO and myself in front of the school.


Some kids in the schoolyard


The doctors from the Vitina Health House


This is Dr Fadil. He's the most social of the doctors we've worked with and it's nearly impossible to turn him down when he invites us in for coffee. He's quick with a joke and is always glad to see us. As a student I expect he was the troublemaker that was smooth enough to get away without punishment for the mischief he got caught at.


After clearing the school and calling back to Camp Bondsteel, we head back down the hill to line up for the return trip.


The Tornado medics at the completion of the MEDCAP