Interview with surgeon in Iraq
By Jackie Perrone jacper@juno.com

Lt. Col. George Appenzeller Jr.

What is a typical day for a U.S. Army doctor in Iraq?

In a telephone interview from Baghdad, Columbian Lt. Col. George Appenzeller Jr., says,

"There is no typical day."

"I serve as adviser for medical affairs at our HQ base, at the Victory Base Complex near the airport. Depending on what's going on, we are involved in many aspects of the military effort."

He is division surgeon with the Third Infantry Division now stationed at Baghdad. On any given day, Col. Appenzeller may be working with planning, supplies, personnel, education, and medical treatment.

"Think of it as the Four T's: training, treatment, transportation, and talking," said Col. Appenzeller.

"Our HQ serves not only our U.S. military but also our multinational coalition partners. This location includes service personnel from Georgia, and we have a brigade of Iraqi medical personnel."

He emphasizes the importance of the "talking" T, which includes counseling and advising Iraqi locals as well as coalition military.

This career military man grew up in a career military family, who lived in a variety of places over the years before permanently settling in Columbia. Lt. Col. Appenzeller graduated from Spring Valley High School and from Tulane University in New Orleans, then the Medical University of South Carolina at Charleston.

His military career has included two tours in Kosovo and a previous short stop in Iraq before beginning his current 15- month tour there.

He believes the surge has had a positive impact in Iraq, and as a result, U.S. forces are finding much more help from the local population as their communities are stabilized. They are turning in their weapons; they are helping us identify the real insurgents; and we are seeing a marked decrease in casualties," says Col. Appenzeller.

The temperature in Baghdad at the time of the conversation last week registered 113 degrees, down from the previous high of 120.

"But in this location, it is not a desert environment," he says. "We are near the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and the agriculture has considerable irrigation, so some areas are lush and green, with date palms. Most of the quarters for soldiers are air- conditioned, and some local facilities have it also.

"My tour here is about one- third over, and I will have an 18- day leave in the fall for a visit home. My wife and children live in Savannah, and my parents in Columbia."