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American Morning

Interview With Wounded Soldier, Wife

Aired March 31, 2003 - 08:15   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: In the meantime, ten troops wounded in Iraq return to the national naval center in Bethesda late last night for further treatment.
We are joined now by one of them, Lieutenant Colonel John Ewers of the 1st Marine Division, Lieutenant Colonel Ewers' wife, Laurie, also joins us from Bethesda Naval Hospital. Good of both of you to join us this morning, welcome and welcome home, colonel. What happened to you?

LT. COL. JOHN EWERS, MARINE CORPS: Thanks for having us, Paula. I just was in Iraq, and got in a fire fight, and got shot a couple of times.

ZAHN: Are you allowed to provide any of the details under -- surrounding your wounding?

J. EWERS: Sure. I mean, what kind of details are you -- I was in southern Iraq, actually more on a humanitarian-type mission for me that day. We drove into a town that was not quite as secure as we thought it was. We took some RPG and small arms fire. We returned fire, and got out of town.

ZAHN: And what are the extent of your injuries?

J. EWERS: I got shot in both of my arms. My left arm is still broken and they have set it. That's the one that is going to probably be the big ticket item, and then I got shot in my foot, but my foot and my right arm are almost already healed.

ZAHN: Are you in much pain at all?

J. EWERS: At the moment, not at all.

ZAHN: So Lori, how does he look to you?

LORI EWERS, WIFE OF LT. COL. EWERS: He looks better than I thought he would, to be honest with you. He looks great after a long time.

ZAHN: Describe to us what it was like when you first found out that he was injured, and then had to wait the acknowledgment that, in fact, they were bringing him home for further treatment?

L. EWERS: It's very surreal. When you get the word, it's almost like you're just not even there, but you -- I understand, and we live aboard Camp Pendleton, and you are just surrounded by friends there. They become your family because in the military, you move around. So they were right there. They came right to my door, took care of laundry, everything, called my sister. She was right there with me and handled everything for me. So I was very lucky to have the support, and things.

ZAHN: Colonel Ewers, do you expect to be redeployed? What do you think is going to happen to you?

J. EWERS: I think it depends on the timing, how long it takes me to recover and how long it takes for us to finish up. As long as 1st Marine Division is over there, then I want to go back over there, but it really depends on timing.

ZAHN: And you have no hesitation at all about going back?

L. EWERS: I do.

ZAHN: I bet you do.

J. EWERS: No. I wouldn't say that I do. I mean, I'm not in a big hurry, but no, I don't have any hesitation.

ZAHN: How much of a vote does Lori get in all of this?

J. EWERS: I'm afraid not much.

ZAHN: Yes. I bet. You've made a commitment to serve. How are your kids reacting to -- first of all, the fact that you've been injured, and then secondly, to the fact that you're home?

J. EWERS: Well, they are -- I think they're curious. We haven't -- they're still in California, so we haven't had a chance to sit down and talk -- or I haven't had a chance to sit down and talk to them. I think they're going to be very curious. They're excited for me to come home, but they're 10 and 11, so they have got other things on their mind as well.

ZAHN: Lori, did you break the news to them that their dad had been injured prior to your knowing that he was going to come home?

L. EWERS: Actually, I was very lucky. When they came over, they bring somebody, and it happened to be my neighbor across the street who they're very familiar with, and because it's almost a state of shock for me, so it was more comfortable for Lieutenant Colonel Docky (ph) to go over and talk to my children and then they took it very well. And again, like my husband said, they kind of go on about their life. I've tried to keep it very much routine for them. So they've been back to school. I'm sorry?

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Well, you very nice -- you're very nice to spend a critical part of your morning with us. We really appreciate your both dropping by, and Colonel, we wish you a speedy recovery and hope it's relatively pain-free and, Lori, you'll keep us posted on how much weight you're going to have on any decision-making in the household. We certainly understand the stress you've been under.

L. EWERS: Yes.

J. EWERS: Thanks for having us.

L. EWERS: Thank you very much. OK.

ZAHN: Take care.

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 March 31, 2003 - 08:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, ten troops wounded in Iraq return to the national naval center in Bethesda late last night for further treatment.
We are joined now by one of them, Lieutenant Colonel John Ewers of the 1st Marine Division, Lieutenant Colonel Ewers' wife, Laurie, also joins us from Bethesda Naval Hospital. Good of both of you to join us this morning, welcome and welcome home, colonel. What happened to you?

LT. COL. JOHN EWERS, MARINE CORPS: Thanks for having us, Paula. I just was in Iraq, and got in a fire fight, and got shot a couple of times.

ZAHN: Are you allowed to provide any of the details under -- surrounding your wounding?

J. EWERS: Sure. I mean, what kind of details are you -- I was in southern Iraq, actually more on a humanitarian-type mission for me that day. We drove into a town that was not quite as secure as we thought it was. We took some RPG and small arms fire. We returned fire, and got out of town.

ZAHN: And what are the extent of your injuries?

J. EWERS: I got shot in both of my arms. My left arm is still broken and they have set it. That's the one that is going to probably be the big ticket item, and then I got shot in my foot, but my foot and my right arm are almost already healed.

ZAHN: Are you in much pain at all?

J. EWERS: At the moment, not at all.

ZAHN: So Lori, how does he look to you?

LORI EWERS, WIFE OF LT. COL. EWERS: He looks better than I thought he would, to be honest with you. He looks great after a long time.

ZAHN: Describe to us what it was like when you first found out that he was injured, and then had to wait the acknowledgment that, in fact, they were bringing him home for further treatment?

L. EWERS: It's very surreal. When you get the word, it's almost like you're just not even there, but you -- I understand, and we live aboard Camp Pendleton, and you are just surrounded by friends there. They become your family because in the military, you move around. So they were right there. They came right to my door, took care of laundry, everything, called my sister. She was right there with me and handled everything for me. So I was very lucky to have the support, and things.

ZAHN: Colonel Ewers, do you expect to be redeployed? What do you think is going to happen to you?

J. EWERS: I think it depends on the timing, how long it takes me to recover and how long it takes for us to finish up. As long as 1st Marine Division is over there, then I want to go back over there, but it really depends on timing.

ZAHN: And you have no hesitation at all about going back?

L. EWERS: I do.

ZAHN: I bet you do.

J. EWERS: No. I wouldn't say that I do. I mean, I'm not in a big hurry, but no, I don't have any hesitation.

ZAHN: How much of a vote does Lori get in all of this?

J. EWERS: I'm afraid not much.

ZAHN: Yes. I bet. You've made a commitment to serve. How are your kids reacting to -- first of all, the fact that you've been injured, and then secondly, to the fact that you're home?

J. EWERS: Well, they are -- I think they're curious. We haven't -- they're still in California, so we haven't had a chance to sit down and talk -- or I haven't had a chance to sit down and talk to them. I think they're going to be very curious. They're excited for me to come home, but they're 10 and 11, so they have got other things on their mind as well.

ZAHN: Lori, did you break the news to them that their dad had been injured prior to your knowing that he was going to come home?

L. EWERS: Actually, I was very lucky. When they came over, they bring somebody, and it happened to be my neighbor across the street who they're very familiar with, and because it's almost a state of shock for me, so it was more comfortable for Lieutenant Colonel Docky (ph) to go over and talk to my children and then they took it very well. And again, like my husband said, they kind of go on about their life. I've tried to keep it very much routine for them. So they've been back to school. I'm sorry?

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Well, you very nice -- you're very nice to spend a critical part of your morning with us. We really appreciate your both dropping by, and Colonel, we wish you a speedy recovery and hope it's relatively pain-free and, Lori, you'll keep us posted on how much weight you're going to have on any decision-making in the household. We certainly understand the stress you've been under.

L. EWERS: Yes.

J. EWERS: Thanks for having us.

L. EWERS: Thank you very much. OK.

ZAHN: Take care.

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