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Background: In the central highlands of South Vietnam, many of the Montagnard, or "mountain" people, have no contact with 20th century medical aid other than the visits of civic action teams of U.S. Army units stationed close by.

At this village near the city of Ban Me Thout some 160 miles north of Saigon, the Montagnard residents look forward to the bi-weekly visit of Team Two of the 41st Civil Affairs Company.

The team, made up of one medic, one Vietnamese interpreter, and four engineers, make a complete cycle visiting all the villages in the area about every ten to fourteen days.

The engineers of this team design and supervise the building of various facilities, such as this water spillway, at which a young Montagnard woman is getting water for her family.

Once the civic action team arrives in the village, the supplies are unloaded from their trucks and sick call is held by the team medic, Specialist Four Joseph S. Haton of Hamburg, New York.

SP4 Haton checks for any signs of disease during a brief examination, and will treat cuts and sores with ointments and medicines.

He also dispenses medicines for simple illnesses such as upset stomachs, diarrhea, and headaches.

In this kind of situation medical aid goes direct to the people.

Meanwhile, near the 1st Cavalry Division's base camp at An Khe, the U. S. Army unit has assisted the Vietnamese to establish a dispensary to aid patients who are able to come in for treatment.