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CNN Live At Daybreak
Call to Action Sparking Call to Altar for Servicemen and Women
Aired February 25, 2003 - 05:52 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More troops are moving out as the United States prepares for a possible war with Iraq. Members of the 489th Engineer Battalion said good-bye to family and friends in Little Rock, Arkansas. The reservists heading first to Fort Hood, Texas on an active duty deployment that could last at least a year.
A helicopter squadron based at the naval air station in Corpus Christi, Texas is preparing to head out to Central Command's area of operations. The helicopters are being packaged and loaded onto a huge cargo plane.
And in Alabama three military units have been called to active duty. Members of the Air National Guard's 187th Fighter Squadron got their paperwork in line before heading out. And they'll provide support for U.S. troops in air to ground or air to air combat missions. They are joined by soldiers of the 282nd Quartermaster Company, whose mission is to operate military supply facilities.
Also moving out, the 225th Combat Communications Squadron.
And the call to action is sparking a call to the altar for servicemen and women.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote is one of the witnesses.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Infantrymen Eric Rodman (ph) and Jason Marsh (ph) have been trying to get their girlfriends to commit. Jason trying to get Danielle to move down from Jersey, Eric convincing Antoinette, herself in the National Guard, ever since they met in boot camp.
But when the men got their orders to go to the Persian Gulf, the brides to be were faced with a deadline.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wanted to be here in case something was to happen to him while he's away, or to me. It wouldn't have been right if we had never been married.
CHILCOTE: The Clarksville courthouse issues licenses for hunting, fishing and boating. But since the 101st Airborne Division got word to ship out, there's been a run on the $40 marriage licenses.
JOE CREEK: Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join together these individuals as husbands and wives.
CHILCOTE: This is Joe Creek's (ph) eight military wedding today.
CREEK: How do you pronounce it?
ANTOINETTE: Antoinette.
CREEK: Antoinette?
ANTOINETTE: Um-hmm.
CHILCOTE: A little time for getting personal.
CREEK: We start with you first, Jason. Do you take -- give me your name...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Danielle.
CREEK: Do you take Danielle to be your lawful wedded wife?
CHILCOTE: But when Mr. Creek offers advice, it's coming from his own 30 years of experience in the military.
CREEK: You know, there's many people out there in the world who believe it's an impossibility to have a healthy family and a good marriage relationship in a world like we live in today. But let me tell you, they're wrong.
CHILCOTE: Balancing two tours of duty in Vietnam with a new marriage...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.
CREEK: I got married on the 13th of May and I left on the 14th of May for another assignment.
CHILCOTE: The wedding had many of the traditional trimmings.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CREEK: And then after you...
CHILCOTE: And also devotion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.
CREEK: How do you feel about him now going off (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd probably say I'll be back for her.
CHILCOTE: The couple's promises are now official. The honeymoons will have to wait.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Clarksville, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE) TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Women>
Aired February 25, 2003 - 05:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More troops are moving out as the United States prepares for a possible war with Iraq. Members of the 489th Engineer Battalion said good-bye to family and friends in Little Rock, Arkansas. The reservists heading first to Fort Hood, Texas on an active duty deployment that could last at least a year.
A helicopter squadron based at the naval air station in Corpus Christi, Texas is preparing to head out to Central Command's area of operations. The helicopters are being packaged and loaded onto a huge cargo plane.
And in Alabama three military units have been called to active duty. Members of the Air National Guard's 187th Fighter Squadron got their paperwork in line before heading out. And they'll provide support for U.S. troops in air to ground or air to air combat missions. They are joined by soldiers of the 282nd Quartermaster Company, whose mission is to operate military supply facilities.
Also moving out, the 225th Combat Communications Squadron.
And the call to action is sparking a call to the altar for servicemen and women.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote is one of the witnesses.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Infantrymen Eric Rodman (ph) and Jason Marsh (ph) have been trying to get their girlfriends to commit. Jason trying to get Danielle to move down from Jersey, Eric convincing Antoinette, herself in the National Guard, ever since they met in boot camp.
But when the men got their orders to go to the Persian Gulf, the brides to be were faced with a deadline.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wanted to be here in case something was to happen to him while he's away, or to me. It wouldn't have been right if we had never been married.
CHILCOTE: The Clarksville courthouse issues licenses for hunting, fishing and boating. But since the 101st Airborne Division got word to ship out, there's been a run on the $40 marriage licenses.
JOE CREEK: Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join together these individuals as husbands and wives.
CHILCOTE: This is Joe Creek's (ph) eight military wedding today.
CREEK: How do you pronounce it?
ANTOINETTE: Antoinette.
CREEK: Antoinette?
ANTOINETTE: Um-hmm.
CHILCOTE: A little time for getting personal.
CREEK: We start with you first, Jason. Do you take -- give me your name...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Danielle.
CREEK: Do you take Danielle to be your lawful wedded wife?
CHILCOTE: But when Mr. Creek offers advice, it's coming from his own 30 years of experience in the military.
CREEK: You know, there's many people out there in the world who believe it's an impossibility to have a healthy family and a good marriage relationship in a world like we live in today. But let me tell you, they're wrong.
CHILCOTE: Balancing two tours of duty in Vietnam with a new marriage...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.
CREEK: I got married on the 13th of May and I left on the 14th of May for another assignment.
CHILCOTE: The wedding had many of the traditional trimmings.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CREEK: And then after you...
CHILCOTE: And also devotion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.
CREEK: How do you feel about him now going off (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd probably say I'll be back for her.
CHILCOTE: The couple's promises are now official. The honeymoons will have to wait.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Clarksville, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE) TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Women>
