Lt. Michael Monsour, senior medical officer on the USS Harpers Ferry, and a Royal Thai Navy counterpart, provide services to a young child from the neighboring community during a medical and dental civic action project at Ban Takrao Thong School. Hundreds took advantage of the free, combined medical and dental project. The project took place during the Thailand phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or CARAT, a regularly scheduled series of bilateral military training exercises between the U.S. and several Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries. (Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
Lt. Michael Monsour, senior medical officer on the USS Harpers Ferry, and a Royal Thai Navy counterpart, provide services to a young child from the neighboring community during a medical and dental civic action project at Ban Takrao Thong School. Hundreds took advantage of the free, combined medical and dental project. The project took place during the Thailand phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or CARAT, a regularly scheduled series of bilateral military training exercises between the U.S. and several Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries. (Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
Petty Officer 1st Class Nicholas Christilaw of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Three discusses details with Royal Thai Marine engineers to finalize a combined engineering civic action project at Ban Takrao Thong School last week in Rayong, Thailand. The project, to build an open-air multi purpose facility for the school's students, was a scheduled part of the Thailand phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. (Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
1st Lt. Lyle Gilbert of Landing Force Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or LF CARAT, shares a digital photo he had just taken of a child during a community service project at Ban Takrao Thong School last week in Rayong, Thailand. (Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
About 1,100 residents of rural Thailand got some free, and much needed, medical and dental care last week courtesy of dozens of U.S. servicemembers, in the country for the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercise, or CARAT ’03.
The sailors and Marines, from the USS Harpers Ferry, comprised a Landing Force CARAT team to provide the free services, according to Task Force 712 news reports.
The first day, villagers with a range of ailments met the medical and dental civic action project personnel at Wat Chag Mark School.
During the second day, the teams treated patients at Wat Hoay Pong School.
The next two days were spent treating patients at Wat Kracheat School and Ban Takra Thong School.
Many of the about 250 to 350 residents who were treated each day had waited months, even years, to get the basic care they needed, the task force report said.
CARAT is an annual series of bilateral military training exercises designed to enhance cooperation among several Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries’ navies.
Landing Force CARAT includes a number of Marine Corps units, many from Okinawa, and Navy participants.
The USS Vincennes from Yokosuka Naval Base, USS Harpers Ferry and USS Safeguard from Sasebo Naval Base, and the USS Curts from San Diego are involved.
