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CNN Live At Daybreak
Troops on R&R: When Johnny Comes Flying Home
Aired September 26, 2003 - 06:35 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq will be getting much-needed rest back here in the United States. The first planeload of troops on R&R will arrive soon at Baltimore- Washington International Airport.
Now, last night, several soldiers arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where their families warmly greeted them, as you can see. You know, hugs and kisses and lots of tears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's wonderful. It's so wonderful to be home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's something you're going to do?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take a shower.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, definitely, wash up and all of that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight months. I feel great, but I have to go back and do my job in four weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How does it feel for your husband to be home?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's amazing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: Oh! It's written all over her face.
And here in the United States, our Kris Osborn is standing by at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, where the troops are going to be arriving soon.
Kris -- good morning.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you, Carol.
It's a very big day for several hundred service members, of course, and very anxious family members who are meeting them here at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
We are in a cargo terminal, you could say. I can explain to you a little bit about what this process involves: 15 days R&R. Centcom officials explained to us that once they realized that a certain number of the forces deployed in Iraq would be there on deployment orders for a year or more, orders for a year or more, they then implemented this policy, which is rotations, 15 days R&R.
Now, the process involves, first, some military aircraft, things like C-5s, C-130 cargo planes, go to a number of different locations throughout Iraq -- cities like Kirkuk, Mosul, Basra -- pick up service members, spreading them out from all sorts of different units, on to then these military planes to go to Kuwait. And that is the takeoff point from which a chartered flight makes its way back. And, as you saw and heard moments ago from Carol, there was that stop in Germany. The remaining service members are landing here at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
Very interesting, a lot of discussion about this, of course. Forces had been on year-long deployments in both Bosnia and South Korea, but it's not since the Vietnam era that this number of troops had received year-plus, if you will, deployment orders of a year or more.
So, this R&R program is something I can tell you forces with Coalition Joint Task Force 7 in Baghdad are more than a little bit excited about this. They have talked to me about being, without words, with excitement, an exhilaration, about this reunion with their family members. A full 15 days they'll have with their families, friends, loved ones. Rest and resuscitation it's called, a morale booster.
Now, normally each year for every deployment or active member in the service, they get 30 days' leave. This is a case -- or even if they hadn't completed six months or the full year, they are being given these 15 days.
Back to you -- Carol.
LIN: Oh, much needed. Kris, the pictures that we just saw of some families being reunited is just so touching. I just get the chills. I'm so happy for the families today.
We'll be looking forward to your coverage, Kris Osborn.
OSBORN: All right, thanks.
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 26, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq will be getting much-needed rest back here in the United States. The first planeload of troops on R&R will arrive soon at Baltimore- Washington International Airport.
Now, last night, several soldiers arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where their families warmly greeted them, as you can see. You know, hugs and kisses and lots of tears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's wonderful. It's so wonderful to be home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's something you're going to do?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take a shower.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, definitely, wash up and all of that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight months. I feel great, but I have to go back and do my job in four weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How does it feel for your husband to be home?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's amazing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: Oh! It's written all over her face.
And here in the United States, our Kris Osborn is standing by at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, where the troops are going to be arriving soon.
Kris -- good morning.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you, Carol.
It's a very big day for several hundred service members, of course, and very anxious family members who are meeting them here at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
We are in a cargo terminal, you could say. I can explain to you a little bit about what this process involves: 15 days R&R. Centcom officials explained to us that once they realized that a certain number of the forces deployed in Iraq would be there on deployment orders for a year or more, orders for a year or more, they then implemented this policy, which is rotations, 15 days R&R.
Now, the process involves, first, some military aircraft, things like C-5s, C-130 cargo planes, go to a number of different locations throughout Iraq -- cities like Kirkuk, Mosul, Basra -- pick up service members, spreading them out from all sorts of different units, on to then these military planes to go to Kuwait. And that is the takeoff point from which a chartered flight makes its way back. And, as you saw and heard moments ago from Carol, there was that stop in Germany. The remaining service members are landing here at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
Very interesting, a lot of discussion about this, of course. Forces had been on year-long deployments in both Bosnia and South Korea, but it's not since the Vietnam era that this number of troops had received year-plus, if you will, deployment orders of a year or more.
So, this R&R program is something I can tell you forces with Coalition Joint Task Force 7 in Baghdad are more than a little bit excited about this. They have talked to me about being, without words, with excitement, an exhilaration, about this reunion with their family members. A full 15 days they'll have with their families, friends, loved ones. Rest and resuscitation it's called, a morale booster.
Now, normally each year for every deployment or active member in the service, they get 30 days' leave. This is a case -- or even if they hadn't completed six months or the full year, they are being given these 15 days.
Back to you -- Carol.
LIN: Oh, much needed. Kris, the pictures that we just saw of some families being reunited is just so touching. I just get the chills. I'm so happy for the families today.
We'll be looking forward to your coverage, Kris Osborn.
OSBORN: All right, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
