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American Morning
Troops Celebrate in Afghanistan
Aired December 25, 2002 - 08:31 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: There is no Christmas break today for tens of thousands of U.S. forces who are stationed overseas. But troops in Bagram, Afghanistan are doing their best to get in that holiday spirit. For many, it is their second Christmas away from home.
Carl Penhall is spending the holiday with the troops in Bagram, and he is doing his best to bring that holiday spirit from Bagram to us here in the U.S. -- Carl, merry Christmas.
CARL PENHALL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Merry Christmas to you, too.
KAGAN: What can you tell us...
PENHALL: Santa's helpers today were out in -- yes, sorry. Santa's helpers were out in force today here at Bagram Air Force (sic). One might say special force. Normally, the Special Forces troops here in Afghanistan are very secretive and the press guidelines, we are normally not even allowed to film them, but today, they donned festive one-piece Santa suits. One of the guys even put on reindeer horns to offset his Santa suit. They kind of offset all this outfit with their standard M-16 rifles, and these are just kind of helpers that Santa and Afghanistan needs.
KAGAN: And what can you tell us about what the troops exactly will be doing, what they did do with their Christmas Day?
PENHALL: Well, the troops have been quite busy. They've had carol services today, and also last night, obviously, for midnight mass.
They had a very large turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. A lot of the troops are saying to me that this is just like being back at home, and also one or two of them had presents, presents that they had received out on the base. Obviously, the postal service is a little difficult, but many of them have received presents.
And then after that, after the lunch, many of them were allowed to go and sleep off the lunch in their tents.
KAGAN: Very good. Carl Penhall, thanks for filing that report, and checking in on this Christmas holiday. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 25, 2002 - 08:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: There is no Christmas break today for tens of thousands of U.S. forces who are stationed overseas. But troops in Bagram, Afghanistan are doing their best to get in that holiday spirit. For many, it is their second Christmas away from home.
Carl Penhall is spending the holiday with the troops in Bagram, and he is doing his best to bring that holiday spirit from Bagram to us here in the U.S. -- Carl, merry Christmas.
CARL PENHALL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Merry Christmas to you, too.
KAGAN: What can you tell us...
PENHALL: Santa's helpers today were out in -- yes, sorry. Santa's helpers were out in force today here at Bagram Air Force (sic). One might say special force. Normally, the Special Forces troops here in Afghanistan are very secretive and the press guidelines, we are normally not even allowed to film them, but today, they donned festive one-piece Santa suits. One of the guys even put on reindeer horns to offset his Santa suit. They kind of offset all this outfit with their standard M-16 rifles, and these are just kind of helpers that Santa and Afghanistan needs.
KAGAN: And what can you tell us about what the troops exactly will be doing, what they did do with their Christmas Day?
PENHALL: Well, the troops have been quite busy. They've had carol services today, and also last night, obviously, for midnight mass.
They had a very large turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. A lot of the troops are saying to me that this is just like being back at home, and also one or two of them had presents, presents that they had received out on the base. Obviously, the postal service is a little difficult, but many of them have received presents.
And then after that, after the lunch, many of them were allowed to go and sleep off the lunch in their tents.
KAGAN: Very good. Carl Penhall, thanks for filing that report, and checking in on this Christmas holiday. We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
