KAMPONG LEAENG PROVINCE, Cambodia -- Representatives with III Marine Expeditionary Force Civil Affairs Detachment met with Gov. Mean Eanly, the district governor for Kampong Leaeng, May 20 to discuss issues within the district, the progress of Cambodia Interoperability Program 2010 and plans for future projects to help the community. CIP is an annual, joint service medical and dental civic action project organized to provide medical and dental care to Cambodians within the province. 

This is the first time a civil affairs team has been attached to the CIP.

The III MEF Civil Affairs Detachment’s mission is to support all III MEF subordinate commands in the planning, coordination and execution of civil military operations throughout the III MEF area of operations.

“We were able to reach out to all eight districts in the region and find out what was needed in those areas,” said Capt. Horace J.C. Bly, Civil Affairs Team 1 team leader, III MEF Civil Affairs Detachment.

The governor explained that the district only has four clinics and does not have any doctors; only a few physician assistants.

One of the major issues discussed were the Cambodian people’s inability to reach the medical civic action program site.

Another issue discussed was the region’s lack of a water purification system.

“People here drink the polluted water and suffer from diarrhea, cholera and other bacterial infections,” Eanly said.

“The governor asked about the possibility of holding a medical civic action project in this district in the future and building a purification system,” said Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Dowdall, team chief, Civil Affairs Team 1, III MEF Civil Affairs Detachment. “We plan to take the requests to the U.S. Embassy here and allow them to take action to solve the problem.”

Attaching a civil affairs team to this type of exercise will also benefit future humanitarian assistance missions in the region by ensuring future civil military operations continue to meet the needs of the local community, said Dowdall.