Medics, corpsmen and other veterans gave up their daily lives in the U.S. to assist on the ground in Ukraine

UKRAINE , May 6, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A group of more than 20 American combat veterans who met on the “Veterans for Ukraine” Reddit feed and are providing on-the-ground humanitarian aid in Ukraine, have started a GoFundMe campaign to fund critical medical supplies, medical evacuation efforts, personal protection equipment (ACH helmets, body armor) and other imperative live-saving gear tents, armor plates, plate carriers and gear.

Operating under the moniker "Operation Cavell," the veterans include medics, corpsmen and more, as well as other medical professionals: a physician’s assistant, nurses and even a trauma surgeon.

Edith Cavell was a combat nurse during World War I who selflessly provided medical aid to both sides – Allies and Axis – and is credited with saving thousands of lives. “She helped 200 POWs escape before being caught and ultimately killed by a German firing squad in Brussels. The night before her execution, she is quoted declaring, ‘Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness toward anyone,’” said former U.S. Army staff sergeant Kurtis Pasqualle, who organized Operation Cavell.

Operation Cavell has been working with AmeriCares, the organization whose mission is to save lives and improve health for people affected by poverty or disaster so they can reach their full potential.

Donations to the Operation Cavell GoFundMe campaign can be made at gofundme.com/f/operation-cavell.

While AmeriCares provides medical supplies, it does not assist with lifesaving military equipment.

After receiving a donation from a former combat medic he served with, Pasqualle noted, in addition to being able to buy supplies, Operation Cavell was “even able to buy food and water to take into Bucha while we continue to treat their wounded.”

Members of Operation Cavell have donated more than $70,000 of their own money to support their work, and many have sold possessions including boats, four wheelers, motorcycles and more.

Unfortunately, Pasqualle said, when they first started, the majority of their personal protection gear (body armor, ACH helmets, etc.) were confiscated by the TSA at Boston Logan Airport as group members were trying to fly out of the U.S.

“We have been making rounds on bunkers and other very badly affected areas, offering food, water and medical care. Some of these wounds are definitely above our pay-grade, but we’ve done our absolute best, given the dire circumstances,” Pasqualle said.

In addition to their own missions, the veterans have been training Ukrainian civilians and volunteers as field medics.

“The United States is at a very unique place in history with regard to its veterans. Never before in American history have we ever had so many combat veterans, men that have seen the totality of war first-hand. We watched helplessly as jobs that we had been trained to do went un-done by non-profits and NGOs that said ‘we are helping in Ukraine,’ but weren’t actually traveling across the border into Ukraine. We were watching veterans of the world over pour into Ukraine to fight, and I thought there must be a way to do this better,” Pasqualle said.

Pasqualle said he and other veterans made it their mission to piece together a unit of the most elite ex-military combat medics they could find to join the humanitarian efforts on the ground in Ukraine and Poland.

“We ask for your help to be mission ready and save more lives,” he said.

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Michael Keyes
Operation Cavell
+1 310.557.6554
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