US Army officer gives blood, saves life of Afghan man

News: US Army officer gives blood, saves life of Afghan man

4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Public Affairs

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Courtesy Photo

Medical personnel stationed at Combat Outpost Herrera treat an Afghan man who was shot at a wedding party by an unknown assailant in Ali Kheyl village, Paktya province, Sept. 21, 2012. The man was stabilized at COP Herrera and transported to the Afghan National Army hospital in Gardez for further treatment and recovery.

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A U.S. Army paratrooper assigned to Task Force 4-25’s Chosen Company, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, gave the gift of life to an Afghan man who was shot by an unknown assailant at a wedding party in Ali Kheyl village, Paktya province, Sept. 21.

After initial treatment at a local Afghan hospital, the staff there realized the wounds were too severe for their care. Resultantly, nearby Afghan security forces brought the man to Combat Outpost Herrera for further medical care.

The U.S. medical staff there immediately began treatment and determined he was at risk of death from loss of blood. U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael Molczyk immediately volunteered to donate his blood in an attempt to save the wounded man’s life.

“They said he was going to kick it if they don’t get some A positive blood into him,” Molczyk said. “I was A positive, so I took my top off, jumped in and gave [the medical staff] a pint of blood.”

Soon after the blood transfusion was complete, the medical staff determined that the patient was stable and could be transported to an Afghan National Army hospital in Gardez for further treatment.

Afghan Border Police 1st Lt. Iqbal Mohammad and the man’s cousin, Jalal, both said they were not surprised that Molczyk was so quick to donate blood. They said U.S. and Afghan forces have built an unbreakable bond and become brothers over the last 10 months.

“Honestly, we have built a really good bond with these guys out here,” Molczyk said. “I didn’t really think about it much. I know Jalal would have done the same for me. Numerous times during this deployment we’ve gotten into contact, and I can legitimately say that guy has saved American soldiers' lives – if not my own on an occasion or two."

“It wasn’t even a question of ‘Should I do this?’ or anything like that,” he said. “It was whatever I could do to help. He actually ended up making it, which is a good story."

“We keep hearing stuff about green on blue in the news and how it’s affecting our missions out here, but I trust most of these AUP guys as much as I trust my NCOs.”