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CNN Live Event/Special

America's New War: All Military Gearing up for War

Aired September 21, 2001 - 06:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You can be sure that military units gearing up for President Bush's declared war on terrorism watched and listened to last night's address with more than passing interest.

Among those who were watching is an Army reserve nurse in Massachusetts. Her story now from Juli Auclair of our affiliate WHDH in Boston.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULI AUCLAIR, CNN AFFILIATE WHDH REPORTER: (voice-over): Captain Deirdre Burke watches President Bush's address very closely.

GEORGE W. BUSH, U.S. PRESIDENT: Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.

CAPT. DEIRDRE BURKE, U.S. ARMY RESERVE: He basically laid it out, and said we're not going to stand for what went on last week, and we're calling to the rest of the world to stand united with the United States.

AUCLAIR: And 36-year-old Burke is standing by waiting to be called as a nurse. In the Army reserves for the past 14 years, she knows she may soon be asked to report to duty in this war against terrorism.

BURKE: One half of me says, yes, I want that phone to ring and for us to go and be able to do our mission that we've trained for, for so many years. But the other half of me is very happy right here where I am. I love doing my job that I do at Beth Israel.

AUCLAIR: If Captain Burke is called, she would most likely be a medical surgical nurse on a ward in a combat support hospital. Captain Burke admits she was hoping to find out a little more about the president's plan of attack tonight.

BURKE: He just kind of officially drew the line in the sand and told us, yes, we're going to be doing something, but he didn't give us that much that I could say, OK, the call is coming tomorrow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And sometimes it's the not knowing that can be the worst. CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: That's right.

HARRIS: Our thanks to Juli Auclair of our affiliate WHDH in Boston for that.

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