“Do No Harm”, Lapham’s Quarterly

“Do No Harm”, Lapham’s Quarterly

Staff Sergeant Travis Powell wrote an account in 2005 recalling a mission as a member of a U.S. Army MEDEVAC unit in Afghanistan. It was a mission that he was sure was bound to happen. Knowing how he would react, however, was a bit of a mystery to him.

MEDEVAC stands for “medical evacuation”. MEDEVAC units evacuate those injured in attacks in an extremely efficient manner, and provide them medical treatment. Staff Sergeant Powell has over 20 years of military medical experience.

Staff Sergeant Powell was faced with what he described as “quite the ironic Medivac mission.” He had to treat the life-threatening injuries of a wounded enemy. This young foe hoped to kill any passersby by way of an improvised explosive device, or IED. His plan was a failure. In fact, in the greatest of misfortunes for the enemy, the IED exploded near him, leaving him in serious medical jeopardy. The injuries sustained to him included severe tissue damage to the front of his body and the amputation of most parts of both hands. In all, he was left with three of his 10 fingers.

Staff Sergeant Powell described how it is in his missions’ goals to medically treat every person, friend or foe, equally; in fact, it is part of the Geneva Convention. Powell knew this. Interestingly enough, the enemy knew this, too. So, without any question, Powell went to work in stabilizing the enemy for a trip to a nearby hospital, where he would later have surgery. That said, Powell was very well aware of what he was feeling as he helped the young man. Staff Sergeant Powell felt no anger whatsoever. It was simply time for him to do his job. And what he saw in the eyes of the enemy was a thankful human being.

This account was included in a collection of wartime letters that Stuart Franklin Pratt compiled a year later called Letters from the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan. It serves as a reference that tells the many stories of soldiers through their own words. The letters that these men and women in uniform composed were addressed to their family and friends. This account is no different. It’s unclear how wide of an audience Staff Sergeant Powell intended to have just from viewing the contents of the Lapham’s Quarterly. But regardless of his intent, Pratt wanted this letter preserved in history. However, Powell has been interviewed on several occasions for different news stations and newspapers about his experiences. One such interview conducted by KVAL in 2009 includes a video clip of him explicitly commenting on that patient. It can be suggested then that he wanted to share his story to a larger group of people. Why? It’s a good lesson for everyone to know.

Works Cited

Bagby, Cali. "Oregon Medics Now Flying Missions in Iraq." KVAL. 22 June 2009. Web. 06 Sept. 2011. .

Gann, Michael S. "1042nd Takes Care of the Wounded." The Observation Post. 17 June 2005. Web. 06 Sept. 2011. .

Powell, Travis. "Do No Harm." Lapham's Quarterly (2009): 121. Print.