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CNN Live At Daybreak
National Guard, Army Reservists Duties in Iraq Being Extended to Year
Aired September 09, 2003 - 05:31 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A breakdown now of those National Guard and Army reservists whose duties in Iraq are being extended to a year, according to the "Washington Post." Right now in Iraq, there are 3,000 National Guard troops and 5,000 Army reservists. Another 5,000 National Guard troops are stationed in Kuwait, along with 7,000 Army reservists.
Well, one National Guard soldier was looking for his tour of duty in Iraq to end in a few months, but he never made it home. And his mother suggests that President Bush sent the wrong signal in declaring major combat over.
Here's CNN's Elaine Quijano.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery, Sabrina and Vernon Dent, Sr. laid to rest their youngest child, Specialist Darryl Dent of the Army National Guard. On August 26, he died when a homemade bomb hit his vehicle in Iraq. He was 21.
Specialist Dent planned to be a doctor and saw the military as a way to help reach that goal.
VERNON DENT SR., FATHER OF SPC DARRYL DENT: I told him that's fine. I told him to follow his dream.
QUIJANO: But Vernon Dent says he gave his blessing reluctantly. He never wanted his son to join the Guard, thinking it was too dangerous. And when they last spoke in August, he says they both looked forward to the end of Darryl's tour in Iraq.
DENT: He told me how much he loved me and I told him I loved him and I'm waiting for him to come home. And he told me, he said, "Dad, I'll be home in about four months." But he never did make it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
QUIJANO: At his funeral one day earlier, Specialist Dent was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
(on camera): More than 285 U.S. troops have been killed in the Iraq conflict so far. Specialist Darryl Dent is the 29th to be buried here at Arlington.
He's also one of 149 Americans killed in Iraq since
President Bush declared an end to major combat operations, an announcement that Daryl Dent's mother thought signaled one thing.
SABRINA DENT, MOTHER OF SPC DARRYL DENT: I was looking for my son to come home immediately.
QUIJANO: Now, the fate of the remaining U.S. troops in Iraq weighs heavily on her.
SABRINA DENT: Until they're all home, I'll continue to think and pray about these things.
QUIJANO: She wants others to be spared the pain her family feels now.
At Arlington National Cemetery, I'm Elaine Quijano.
(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
Extended to Year>
Aired September 9, 2003 - 05:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A breakdown now of those National Guard and Army reservists whose duties in Iraq are being extended to a year, according to the "Washington Post." Right now in Iraq, there are 3,000 National Guard troops and 5,000 Army reservists. Another 5,000 National Guard troops are stationed in Kuwait, along with 7,000 Army reservists.
Well, one National Guard soldier was looking for his tour of duty in Iraq to end in a few months, but he never made it home. And his mother suggests that President Bush sent the wrong signal in declaring major combat over.
Here's CNN's Elaine Quijano.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery, Sabrina and Vernon Dent, Sr. laid to rest their youngest child, Specialist Darryl Dent of the Army National Guard. On August 26, he died when a homemade bomb hit his vehicle in Iraq. He was 21.
Specialist Dent planned to be a doctor and saw the military as a way to help reach that goal.
VERNON DENT SR., FATHER OF SPC DARRYL DENT: I told him that's fine. I told him to follow his dream.
QUIJANO: But Vernon Dent says he gave his blessing reluctantly. He never wanted his son to join the Guard, thinking it was too dangerous. And when they last spoke in August, he says they both looked forward to the end of Darryl's tour in Iraq.
DENT: He told me how much he loved me and I told him I loved him and I'm waiting for him to come home. And he told me, he said, "Dad, I'll be home in about four months." But he never did make it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
QUIJANO: At his funeral one day earlier, Specialist Dent was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
(on camera): More than 285 U.S. troops have been killed in the Iraq conflict so far. Specialist Darryl Dent is the 29th to be buried here at Arlington.
He's also one of 149 Americans killed in Iraq since
President Bush declared an end to major combat operations, an announcement that Daryl Dent's mother thought signaled one thing.
SABRINA DENT, MOTHER OF SPC DARRYL DENT: I was looking for my son to come home immediately.
QUIJANO: Now, the fate of the remaining U.S. troops in Iraq weighs heavily on her.
SABRINA DENT: Until they're all home, I'll continue to think and pray about these things.
QUIJANO: She wants others to be spared the pain her family feels now.
At Arlington National Cemetery, I'm Elaine Quijano.
(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
Extended to Year>
