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CNN Live At Daybreak
National Guard, Reservists Duties Being Extended
Aired September 09, 2003 - 05:03 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, how are some of the servicemen and women taking the news of an extension of the tour of duty?
Let's find out with CNN's Ben Wedeman in Baghdad -- Ben, have you had a chance to talk to many of them yet about this news?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, Fredricka, that hasn't been officially announced, so most of them are unaware of the details of this decision or when it's going to come out. But having spoken to many National Guardsmen and other kinds of servicemen on the ground, there seems to be a bit of frustration. Many of them say they came here thinking that they would have a limited stay in theater, that they thought that the local people would treat them as liberators, but instead many of those local people are shooting at them.
There's a lot of frustration. They just want to go home. Many of these National Guardsmen and reservists, of course, have families and jobs to get back to. And really everyone you speak to here of the U.S. servicemen, they're beginning to be a bit frustrated that they're -- they were told, for instance, one group I was with the other night, they said we, they arrived here in April, they thought they would be leaving in September. In July, they heard they would be leaving in October. Now they're hearing that some time possibly in January. And this constant extension, uncertainty of when they're going to leave is leading to a good deal of frustration -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Ben, I remember not too long ago there were a number of soldiers who publicly made it very clear about their sentiments about staying in Iraq and the reception they were getting. And they were chastised quite heavily from the Defense Department.
So might it be expected that many of these National Guardsmen and Army Reservists are not likely to say anything negative about this extension?
WEDEMAN: Well, many of them, of course, feel a strong sense of duty. They were, they volunteered for this mission and they're not going to come out publicly and say it. But when you sit down and speak with people just without a camera, without a notebook, just as one person to another, that's when it comes out. And we haven't had anybody on camera to the -- saying these things, but when you're sitting in -- for instance, I was on an overnight raid with them, so we had a lot of time as we waited. You see, it comes out that they are frustrated, and they won't hide it from you when you're speaking to them just on a person to person level -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Understandably.
All right, Ben Wedeman in Baghdad.
Thanks very much.
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 September 9, 2003 - 05:03 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, how are some of the servicemen and women taking the news of an extension of the tour of duty?
Let's find out with CNN's Ben Wedeman in Baghdad -- Ben, have you had a chance to talk to many of them yet about this news?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, Fredricka, that hasn't been officially announced, so most of them are unaware of the details of this decision or when it's going to come out. But having spoken to many National Guardsmen and other kinds of servicemen on the ground, there seems to be a bit of frustration. Many of them say they came here thinking that they would have a limited stay in theater, that they thought that the local people would treat them as liberators, but instead many of those local people are shooting at them.
There's a lot of frustration. They just want to go home. Many of these National Guardsmen and reservists, of course, have families and jobs to get back to. And really everyone you speak to here of the U.S. servicemen, they're beginning to be a bit frustrated that they're -- they were told, for instance, one group I was with the other night, they said we, they arrived here in April, they thought they would be leaving in September. In July, they heard they would be leaving in October. Now they're hearing that some time possibly in January. And this constant extension, uncertainty of when they're going to leave is leading to a good deal of frustration -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Ben, I remember not too long ago there were a number of soldiers who publicly made it very clear about their sentiments about staying in Iraq and the reception they were getting. And they were chastised quite heavily from the Defense Department.
So might it be expected that many of these National Guardsmen and Army Reservists are not likely to say anything negative about this extension?
WEDEMAN: Well, many of them, of course, feel a strong sense of duty. They were, they volunteered for this mission and they're not going to come out publicly and say it. But when you sit down and speak with people just without a camera, without a notebook, just as one person to another, that's when it comes out. And we haven't had anybody on camera to the -- saying these things, but when you're sitting in -- for instance, I was on an overnight raid with them, so we had a lot of time as we waited. You see, it comes out that they are frustrated, and they won't hide it from you when you're speaking to them just on a person to person level -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Understandably.
All right, Ben Wedeman in Baghdad.
Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
