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American Morning

Family Military Service

Aired February 20, 2003 - 07:16   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: For tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Kuwait, it is a waiting game, and for the Harper family of Belleview, Florida, it's all hands on deck. Right now, the Harpers have four children and a son-in-law in Kuwait.
Ronald and Mary Harper join us this morning from Belleview, Florida, along with their son, Christopher, a U.S. Army private who will soon be on his way to the Gulf as well.

Good morning. Good to have all of you with us this morning.

RONALD HARPER, FIVE CHILDREN IN THE ARMY: Good morning.

MARY HARPER, FIVE CHILDREN IN THE ARMY: Good morning.

PRIVATE CHRISTOPHER HARPER, U.S. ARMY: Good morning.

ZAHN: Mary, did you ever think your family would find itself in this situation?

M. HARPER: No, I didn't.

ZAHN: And...

M. HARPER: No, I really didn't.

ZAHN: When did the reality of all of this sink in?

M. HARPER: I think when they all shipped out in January.

ZAHN: And how hard was that for you?

M. HARPER: Very, very hard.

ZAHN: Ronald, I'm...

M. HARPER: You know, when you see...

ZAHN: Oh, go ahead, Mary.

HARPER: When you see -- and when you see your family leave, it's -- you know, and knowing where they're going, it's really hard.

ZAHN: Ronald, did you talk much about this as you knew all of -- basically with most of your family was serving in the Army that this might someday happen? R. HARPER: Well, we had to keep our hopes up and our prayers together for everybody that's over there, and I really miss my family. It's a big void to try to fill right now by yourself when you know all of your boys and your daughter is over there. But they'll be home.

ZAHN: How nervous are you about what they might face?

R. HARPER: Well, I think the government has got all of their ducks in a row, hopefully. And I just keep the faith that they'll be home.

ZAHN: It's interesting, Ronald, because neither you nor your wife ever served in the military. How is it that so many members of your family were inspired to be in the Army?

R. HARPER: Well, I think it started with our daughter, and I think it was like a chain reaction. The oldest boy, Sean (ph), went in, and then the others just kind of followed suit. I'm really proud of them for what they're doing. I never got the chance to go. I wasn't able to go, and I think I missed out on a lot seeing what these boys and Becky (ph) are going through now.

ZAHN: Chris, what inspired you to serve?

C. HARPER: You know, I just saw my brothers going in, and you know, it was just a great thing to do. And you get the see the world and it's a chance to do things other people don't get to do.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: So, where is your next deployment?

C. HARPER: Oh, I'm going to Hawaii, and then I'm going to the Gulf.

ZAHN: And how...

C. HARPER: And I'll be in...

ZAHN: How long might you...

C. HARPER: What's that?

ZAHN: How long do you think you'll be deployed there?

C. HARPER: Twenty-four months. I'll be there for 24 months.

ZAHN: And I know you are involved in something called "operation shoebox." Will you explain to all of us what that is?

R. HARPER: Well, my wife started this drive, and we kind of nicknamed it operation shoebox, due to the fact that the shoeboxes are about the easiest thing to ship over there to the soldiers. She got this drive together with a couple of our friends, and it's really taken off. We've had an awful lot of help from the people here in the community, the Belleview elementary school, the post office. The citizens of Belleview have really pitched in and helped out a lot. We've got a radio station that's kind of backing us also.

It's just a good thing. It makes you feel good that you're doing something for the soldiers that are over there, and we're sending items that the soldiers do need. The PXs, they do have stuff, but they're constantly running out, like you heard earlier. And it's just a good feeling knowing that the citizens here are all pitching in and doing it. And my wife has really spearheaded this operation and I think she deserves all of the credit for it, to tell you the truth.

ZAHN: Well, Mary, we salute you for thinking of it. We're going to put that address back up on the screen one more time for folks out there in the audience that would like to donate something, and I know that the donations are already rolling in from your community. And we wish you all good luck and God speed.

M. HARPER: Thank you.

R. HARPER: Thank you.

ZAHN: And, Christopher, I guess you really are praying it's Hawaii and no further than that. We'll be thinking of you and your family.

Thanks again for joining us this morning.

C. HARPER: Thank you, ma'am.

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 February 20, 2003 - 07:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: For tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Kuwait, it is a waiting game, and for the Harper family of Belleview, Florida, it's all hands on deck. Right now, the Harpers have four children and a son-in-law in Kuwait.
Ronald and Mary Harper join us this morning from Belleview, Florida, along with their son, Christopher, a U.S. Army private who will soon be on his way to the Gulf as well.

Good morning. Good to have all of you with us this morning.

RONALD HARPER, FIVE CHILDREN IN THE ARMY: Good morning.

MARY HARPER, FIVE CHILDREN IN THE ARMY: Good morning.

PRIVATE CHRISTOPHER HARPER, U.S. ARMY: Good morning.

ZAHN: Mary, did you ever think your family would find itself in this situation?

M. HARPER: No, I didn't.

ZAHN: And...

M. HARPER: No, I really didn't.

ZAHN: When did the reality of all of this sink in?

M. HARPER: I think when they all shipped out in January.

ZAHN: And how hard was that for you?

M. HARPER: Very, very hard.

ZAHN: Ronald, I'm...

M. HARPER: You know, when you see...

ZAHN: Oh, go ahead, Mary.

HARPER: When you see -- and when you see your family leave, it's -- you know, and knowing where they're going, it's really hard.

ZAHN: Ronald, did you talk much about this as you knew all of -- basically with most of your family was serving in the Army that this might someday happen? R. HARPER: Well, we had to keep our hopes up and our prayers together for everybody that's over there, and I really miss my family. It's a big void to try to fill right now by yourself when you know all of your boys and your daughter is over there. But they'll be home.

ZAHN: How nervous are you about what they might face?

R. HARPER: Well, I think the government has got all of their ducks in a row, hopefully. And I just keep the faith that they'll be home.

ZAHN: It's interesting, Ronald, because neither you nor your wife ever served in the military. How is it that so many members of your family were inspired to be in the Army?

R. HARPER: Well, I think it started with our daughter, and I think it was like a chain reaction. The oldest boy, Sean (ph), went in, and then the others just kind of followed suit. I'm really proud of them for what they're doing. I never got the chance to go. I wasn't able to go, and I think I missed out on a lot seeing what these boys and Becky (ph) are going through now.

ZAHN: Chris, what inspired you to serve?

C. HARPER: You know, I just saw my brothers going in, and you know, it was just a great thing to do. And you get the see the world and it's a chance to do things other people don't get to do.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: So, where is your next deployment?

C. HARPER: Oh, I'm going to Hawaii, and then I'm going to the Gulf.

ZAHN: And how...

C. HARPER: And I'll be in...

ZAHN: How long might you...

C. HARPER: What's that?

ZAHN: How long do you think you'll be deployed there?

C. HARPER: Twenty-four months. I'll be there for 24 months.

ZAHN: And I know you are involved in something called "operation shoebox." Will you explain to all of us what that is?

R. HARPER: Well, my wife started this drive, and we kind of nicknamed it operation shoebox, due to the fact that the shoeboxes are about the easiest thing to ship over there to the soldiers. She got this drive together with a couple of our friends, and it's really taken off. We've had an awful lot of help from the people here in the community, the Belleview elementary school, the post office. The citizens of Belleview have really pitched in and helped out a lot. We've got a radio station that's kind of backing us also.

It's just a good thing. It makes you feel good that you're doing something for the soldiers that are over there, and we're sending items that the soldiers do need. The PXs, they do have stuff, but they're constantly running out, like you heard earlier. And it's just a good feeling knowing that the citizens here are all pitching in and doing it. And my wife has really spearheaded this operation and I think she deserves all of the credit for it, to tell you the truth.

ZAHN: Well, Mary, we salute you for thinking of it. We're going to put that address back up on the screen one more time for folks out there in the audience that would like to donate something, and I know that the donations are already rolling in from your community. And we wish you all good luck and God speed.

M. HARPER: Thank you.

R. HARPER: Thank you.

ZAHN: And, Christopher, I guess you really are praying it's Hawaii and no further than that. We'll be thinking of you and your family.

Thanks again for joining us this morning.

C. HARPER: Thank you, ma'am.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.