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Glenn Beck

Honest Questions with Two American Heroes

Aired March 14, 2008 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLENN BECK, HOST (voice-over): Sergeant First Class Greg Stube made a lasting impression on me the first moment I heard him speak.

SERGEANT FIRST CLASS GREG STUBE, U.S. ARMY: There is a difference between confidence and competence, and if you have both, you`re a winner.

BECK: His story of courage and strength is unlike any you`ll hear, and his wife`s story is even more amazing.

America, you are about to meet the real deal. Two true American heroes. One goal: protecting families and freedom. Join me for an incredible hour, next.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Hello, America.

Tonight, I have the real honor to introduce you to a couple of people that I met backstage at an event a few months ago, and I actually didn`t hear this man speak but everybody was talking about him. And I stood in the back of the room, and I listened to him talk to different people.

And behind him about six feet was his wife. I didn`t know it was his wife at the time. But as he told his amazing story, her tears were running down her cheeks. And I realized, what amazing people both of these people are, and I couldn`t wait to introduce -- introduce both of them to you.

Boy, this is going to be a tough hour to get through. Sergeant First Class Greg Stube and his wonderful wife, Donna.

How are you guys?

G. STUBE: Good.

DONNA STUBE, WIFE OF GREG STUBE: Fine.

BECK: It is such an honor. We`ve been trying to get together for quite some time. And I am -- I can`t wait for America to hear your story, both of you. So, I want to start kind of at the end. I want to start -- I want to start on the day that was in Afghanistan.

You`re Special Forces, and you`ve been in -- you`ve been in the military for what? Nineteen years at the time?

G. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: OK. Tell me about the day that your life changed.

G. STUBE: Well, we`d been in Operation Medusa in Southwest Afghanistan. Pretty intense fighting was going on for a while. And -- and I think we were winning, although we were vastly outnumbered.

I was hit pretty far into the battle. An IED went off close by, and a lot of gunshots and...

BECK: When you say you were -- when you said you`re hit, it`s my understanding that it went up through your leg and through you, and it spilled fuel inside of you, and you were actually burning from the inside out?

G. STUBE: Well, the blast went through diesel fuel cans and rockets that were strapped to the vehicle. And when the blast went through those, it impregnated my uniform and skin from the back down to the legs with that fuel, rocket propellant and diesel fuel, and that burned.

BECK: OK.

G. STUBE: But it was a one-pound piece of shrapnel that went through my leg and thigh and up through my intestines.

BECK: OK. This is the largest piece of shrapnel, it`s my understanding, that has ever been pulled from somebody that lived.

G. STUBE: Well, I think among the surgeons that were working on me in Kandahar, that was -- that was their consensus.

BECK: Right. OK. So, you were laying on the ground. You didn`t pass out. The whole time.

G. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: You were aware of the whole time as your -- as something has passed through your leg -- gigantic -- I don`t even know. Are we showing the pictures of the wounds themselves? It`s very graphic stuff. But it tore your leg open. Had left huge holes inside of you. You`re burning inside. And you`re aware and awake. You actually say that that`s a blessing. Why?

G. STUBE: I don`t -- I just wouldn`t change anything. It was excruciating. It was painful. But I think it`s an experience that I just couldn`t trade because I`ve -- I`ve gained so much from it.

BECK: What did you gain from being awake with your inside on fire?

G. STUBE: First of all, I was -- I was happy that I could still interact with the guys that were there helping me. I was the medic on that team. And when the medic gets hit, it`s -- it can be a significant loss to the strength of the unit.

BECK: And it was actually one of your students that was working on you.

G. STUBE: That`s right.

BECK: My understanding that nobody that was there thought you were going to live through this.

G. STUBE: That`s what I was told.

BECK: OK. So it was a surgeon at Kandahar that pulled the shrapnel out, and then what happened?

G. STUBE: Well, he restored my lower right leg that was traumatically amputated.

BECK: OK.

G. STUBE: So it was pretty -- pretty good job they did to save my leg.

BECK: OK. And then, how long was it before you were transported home?

G. STUBE: I think I went to Landstuhl for maybe two days, Germany, and then from Germany to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

BECK: OK. Before we go to San Antonio, Donna, you tell me. You got the phone call. What -- when the phone rang, what did you think?

D. STUBE: I knew something was wrong.

BECK: What did they say?

D. STUBE: "Your husband`s been wounded, Ms. Stube. We`ll call you back in 30 to 40 minutes." And it was several hours later.

BECK: Longest hours of your life, I imagine.

D. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: They actually had a flag that they were going to present to Donna, is that right?

D. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: Because nobody thought you were coming home. So they were preparing -- your soldiers were preparing a flag.

So you get the phone call. They call you back a couple of hours later. Then what do they say?

D. STUBE: Well, it was basically the same thing, that they hadn`t found any more information out. And if I needed someone to talk to in the meantime, that I could call and they would talk to me. But they didn`t have any more information at the time about anything.

BECK: OK. When was the first time that you saw your husband?

D. STUBE: It was at Brook Army Medical Center. It was the fourth day.

BECK: Four days later you fly down to San Antonio?

D. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: You had no idea how bad of shape he was, in really?

D. STUBE: No.

BECK: OK. And describe what you saw when you first walked into the room. What did he look like?

D. STUBE: It didn`t look like him. He was swollen. There was several monitors on him, in the room.

BECK: It`s my understanding that you were packed in the inside. You lost 70 percent of your intestines.

G. STUBE: I can`t speak to the exact percentage. There`s been a lot of conversation about it...

BECK: Right.

G. STUBE: ... with the people that have worked on me but a significant loss.

BECK: OK. It`s my understanding that they had to pack you from the inside. And that they actually reached into you, and the surgeons` arms were deep as they would pack and repack. Is that true?

G. STUBE: Well, the -- the shrapnel entered my right hip, and it passed all the way through the thigh and hip into my intestinal area. So all the inguinal lining and everything had to be repaired. And so -- but the hole was big enough, as you can see from the pictures...

BECK: Right.

G. STUBE: ... that they could easily access it with their hand and arm.

BECK: And when you first walked in the room, and watched them do that, you passed out.

D. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: OK. And here`s why I asked your wife to be on the set. Because you told me how many days later was it that she was pushing everyone out of the way to do the job.

G. STUBE: It was maybe, maybe three days later.

BECK: And you took over, and you pushed the nurses out of the way and said, "He`s my husband. I`ll do it."

How -- how has your life changed? How has your relationship changed?

G. STUBE: Well, Glenn, there`s not many ways to assess your partner that would exceed the insight you gain from seeing them live through something as extreme as that was.

And I felt so helpless, from the first time she passed out. I couldn`t -- I couldn`t even reach my arm away from my body, because it was using muscles that were torn apart. And it was -- I had to watch her hit the floor.

BECK: Oh, my gosh.

G. STUBE: And when I tried to move, it hurt me so bad, and I just went limp. It was frustrating. And that started one of the most difficult portions of healing for me. And that`s going from a fully capable person - - and I had worked all my adult life to become physically capable of a lot of things, with physical fitness.

BECK: To the point where you have to lean on your wife.

Hang on. We`re going to get into that here in a second.

America, stay with me for an hour that you`re just -- you`re going to regret if you miss. Back in a second.

GRAPHIC: In order to become a Green Beret, you must complete the following: a) 2-mile run in less than 14 minutes; b) 100 sit-ups in 2 minutes; c) 100 push-ups in 2 minutes; d) all of the above.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRAPHIC: In order to become a Green Beret, you must complete the following: d) all of the above.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. STUBE: I had extensive shrapnel injuries from a one-pound piece of shrapnel entered my hip and thigh area, removed the greater part of my right buttock and parts of my hip and thigh and went up through my abdomen. And I lost a significant portion of my intestines from that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Tonight, we are spending time with Sergeant First Class Greg Stube and his wife, Donna.

I`m sorry. I am -- you know, the producers had a real -- they had a bet upstairs. How long is it going to take for Glenn to cry tonight? I`ve heard these guys` story a million times. I cried the first time and the second time and the fourth time. It`s not going to affect me. I am so impressed by their strength and their honor that it just -- does crazy things to me.

We were talking before we went into the break that you are used to being somebody who -- you know, does it themselves. You`re a very active guy. I mean, you know. I just saw what you had to do to be in your squadron. I don`t think I could do five sit-ups, but that`s a different story.

You guys both were very active. You`re outdoors people, right?

D. STUBE: Yes.

G. STUBE: Yes.

BECK: Yes. I`m surprised me like each other. You guys were both outdoors. Now, so you`re both of your lives -- lives have changed. Because you can`t do any of that anymore.

But you were just telling me during the break that you`ve seen, even, your son change. How? Tell me about your son, first of all. How old?

D. STUBE: He`ll be 3 in June. He`s just like his daddy.

BECK: In what way?

D. STUBE: He`s -- got a good head on his shoulders.

BECK: You say you have seen changes in your son. In what way?

G. STUBE: I learned a big lesson through this, and that`s that our wives that stand behind us, particularly in the military. They don`t raise their right hand and swear in. They don`t take the oath to defend. They don`t get the sense of adventure to go on a mission and accomplish things in the defense of freedom. They stand by us and our decisions.

And in Donna`s case, she has served in a greater capacity than many in uniform have. I believe that. And the impact that these women have on our society, I think, is obvious in the World War II generation, to present.

And I saw changes in my own son. From the time I left to go into this combat mission until the time I was reacquainted with this little boy, he had changed in so many positive ways. And I was arrogant enough to think that my influence in his life would be the only thing that would make him strong and have him grow up right. I was wrong.

BECK: How long -- how long were you in the hospital? A year, right?

G. STUBE: I`ve been in and out of surgeries for over a year.

BECK: How many -- how many surgeries?

G. STUBE: I think 14 procedures.

BECK: So your son for much of his memory is you in a hospital. Is there -- as you go through, is there -- is there anything now that you are limited to? Is there anything that you can`t do with your son that you, growing up, always thought you would?

G. STUBE: I have to be careful about roughhousing with him. I still have some weak points and sensitive points. And I worry about the old gut because if it -- if it tears again, it`s a big problem.

BECK: Wow. And you -- is there anything now that has changed? Because you didn`t sign up.

And quite honestly, Greg, you know how much I respect you. And I respect the people who do what you do. But I have to tell you something. I think you`re right on the money. The ones that are staying home -- he prepared for 19 years. You didn`t. He knew what he was getting in to. First of all, did you?

D. STUBE: In a way, yes. But I wouldn`t change anything that I`ve been through.

BECK: I think that the women of our military, they`re the ones home. So they`re the ones watching the crap spilling out of the television all the time. They`re the ones hearing the anti-propaganda. They`re hearing the, you know, people like Code Pink who are saying, "I support our troops" but then just ripping them all apart. And parking spaces in front of the - - you know, the recruiter`s station out of Berkeley, California.

You`re hearing all of that. You`re only hearing the bad news on television. I think that the -- I think people like you are at least as brave as your husband.

G. STUBE: And Glenn, even -- even in a day where we get bipartisan support -- across the board, it`s popular to support the troops right now. And even in a time like that, our wives are still in the shadow. They don`t get the credit. The cameras get pointed at us. The thanks are given to us as the soldiers, the fighters. But we`re not the ones who are raising the children by ourselves back here at home, creating America`s tomorrow.

BECK: I know. Yes. When we come back, how Greg`s father relived his own Vietnam battle wounds through his son`s ordeal. We`ll be back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m amazed, but knowing Greg like I do -- and everybody said, yes, that`s Greg. Greg`s not going to be lying down. He`s not going to sit on his rump and let someone tell him he can`t recover, because that`s not Greg`s style. Greg`s style is to be the fighter, to be back in action any way he can, be involved in what`s going on. That`s what he`s doing right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: We are back with Sergeant First Class Greg Stube and his brave wife, Donna. In case you just joined us, Greg was in Afghanistan. Unbelievable stuff happened to him. He lost about 70 percent of his intestines.

Can you -- when was the first time that you could eat solid food and real food again?

G. STUBE: I`ve gone months at a time without solid food.

BECK: OK. And the last time I saw you face to face, you still had all kinds of stuff underneath your shirt that you were -- is it still like that?

G. STUBE: No, sir.

BECK: No. OK. Your father was in Vietnam. And your father relived his battle wounds through you. What happened there?

G. STUBE: Well, my dad was in the United States Navy and was burned severely, third-degree burns over 50 percent of his body. And he was hospitalized for well over a year in the Philippines.

BECK: Jeez.

G. STUBE: Dad was tough growing up. And he had a high, high pain tolerance. And a strong sense of right and wrong. And really, excuses didn`t go very far with him.

BECK: Yes.

G. STUBE: And if I had a little discomfort, you know, he had compassion, but he kept his compassion behind a sense that I still have to function and be accountable for my actions and get things done when it`s required.

BECK: Did he soften at all when he saw you? Or was he still like, "Buck up, boy"?

G. STUBE: When I saw my dad, I think we bonded in a way we never had before. He knew that I was going through something that he understood. And I -- I don`t think Dad feels like he has to teach me about that now. And I think we`ve become better friends through our common experiences.

BECK: Nothing better than being your dad`s friend. My dad is...

G. STUBE: He`s my best friend.

BECK: Yes, mine, too. Mine, too.

Donna, there were times when you had to drive 24 hours -- because you couldn`t fly. And you had to drive 24 hours to the hospital for treatments. What was that like? And you had to stop all the time, as well, right?

D. STUBE: Yes. It was -- it was difficult but you -- you get through -- you just -- you push through stuff like that. You know? It just -- it`s something that you just -- I`m sorry.

BECK: That`s all right.

Was there ever a time that either one of you said, "I can`t do it"?

G. STUBE: We got -- we would get frustrated and angry with each other, and there was one particular time when that happened. I had open wounds on my leg where the amputation had happened. I had, you know, the steel rods and screws mounted in to my bones down there. I had four or five open wounds on my abdomen and hip.

BECK: Hold on. I`ve been told I have a hard break here in ten seconds. I want to hear this story. We`ll be back in just a second.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. STUBE: The Wounded Warrior programs that are active now I`m trying to help in every way possible because I can`t forget how well I was treated and what it did for my recovery and my reintegration back in to the army and back in to life the way I knew it before.

GLENN BECK, HOST: We`re back now with a couple of people that I consider true American heroes, Sergeant First Class Greg Stube along with his wife Donna.

SGT. 1ST CLASS, GREG STUBE, U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES: You were saying when we left -- I asked you both, because your ordeal has been remarkable, remarkably tough. Everything in your life has changed and I asked you was a time that either one of you said, I can`t do it anymore. And was it you that couldn`t do it anymore?

STUBE: Well, there were painful things that I had to go through every day, dressing changes, burn dressings, wound dressings. I had vacuum lines on my body. Open -- several open places on my body that have to have daily dressing changes.

BECK: OK. And what they did is they put like a saran wrap around you and then they sucked all the air out and so --

STUBE: Pretty much.

BECK: You had that going for a while.

STUBE: Continued to suck fluid out and prevent infection and speed healing time.

BECK: This is -- this is new technology. This is new medical tech the no long that`s been invented because of this war.

STUBE: That`s -- well, no, I think it`s existed for a little while but the need for the technology has --

BECK: OK.

STUBE: Has increased.

BECK: All right. So anyway, you have this going on.

STUBE: So changing these dressings was just excruciating and because Donna really felt obligated as my wife, she really wanted to take care of me where she could. Whatever they would let her do, she was doing it.

And, you know, between two people that live together and have been together for a long time, you can get frustrated and if it`s a stranger causing me pain, sometimes I can accept, well, it`s just a necessary evil.

BECK: Sure.

STUBE: But when it`s someone that`s close to you every day causing you pain it`s easier to criticize them or get angrier at them. So our relationship was tested at times because she did have to do literally everything.

BECK: Donna, can I say something? If my wife had the ability to get her hands up to near my organs and squeeze, she probably would enjoy it a little bit. Maybe that`s just me.

When we first met, there was a moment that you actually had to walk out of the room. Because it was right around the time that one of these bogus liberal organizations called General Petraeus General Betray Us and you -- you got so worked up you left the room. And I went out and to where you were seated and the two of you seated at couch and you were quite distraught and crying. Why?

STUBE: I -- I don`t want to make anything political out of it but one thing that I`ve learned and for years in the military, and I`m guilty like anyone else of believing that there`s a rift, a lack of understanding between the soldiers on the ground and the upper level leadership.

What I`ve learned since I`ve been wounded is that some of that is truly ill conceived notions that they don`t understand what`s happening on the ground. Our leaders in the military are so strong and so compassionate, I was never in a position to see that compassion. Before I was doing my job and they were doing theirs. The part that I didn`t realize was how frustrating it is to make decisions, to send other men in to harmful situations. It`s their job. And when they make these decisions, they can`t fight physically themselves to defend their decision. They can`t be on the ground with you. And so, we become like their children.

And I`m not towing the line here. These men have responsibility that just is unfathomable. It`s -- to send people when you know some of them may get hurt or killed, and then have those wounds and deaths on your conscience wondering if you did the right thing .

BECK: I was in the -- I was in the oval office one day last summer. And the president was telling a story and he was talking -- actually telling a story about the rug that`s in the oval office. And he said, I can`t tell you how many times I`ve looked at this rug because I had to make so many decisions like this and you could see the -- the weariness on him when he talked about the decisions he had to make to send people like you in to harm`s way. And I -- I knew he felt it when he told me the names of the people that had been shot or killed or wounded the night before. He knew them. He said -- without prompting or anything, he said just last night, so and so and so and so and so and so. This happened over here and so and so was killed.

He knew them by name which told me that this guy -- you may disagree with what he`s doing but this guy cares. He is not sending somebody in, you know, whatever. They`re just -- they`re just pawns. He gets it.

You were in Afghanistan and I think, if I`m not mistaken, when you say you saw a mushroom cloud and a child, it`s the daisy cutter that looks like an atomic mushroom cloud. Is that what you saw?

STUBE: Well, any of the -- any of the larger ordinance being dropped is going to give that distinct impression.

BECK: So you saw that as a backdrop and you saw a child in front of it. And you said that really had an impact on you. In what way?

STUBE: I -- I never want my son to be playing in the backyard in the United States of America and have ordinance going off. I don`t want that fight to be on our soil if we can help it. And it empowered me to do that job and try to make our children here at home safer.

And when we came to the studio, by the way, today, I wasn`t in fear of roadside bombs. And if you don`t think that we`re doing is working, you have to look at the luxury that we have every day here.

BECK: Is this your first time to New York?

DONNA STUBE, WIFE OF WOUNDED SOLDIER: Mine.

BECK: Yours?

STUBE: Yeah.

BECK: Are you going to go to the World Trade Center? Either of you going to do that?

STUBE: Yes.

BECK: Try not to be horrified by what we have not done. It`s a giant construction site. But I`d love to maybe we`ll talk to you on the radio or talk to you again. I`d love to hear your reactions to the World Trade Center.

So what do you -- what are you doing now? What are you -- what is -- you`re getting a message out. What is the message you want people to hear?

STUBE: Well, I don`t focus on September 11th as much as I focus on September 12th when the sleeping giant was awakened. And I saw unity in this country that I had never seen before. It made me proud to be an American. And I -- I wanted to -- whatever I could do full throttle and now I`m a little frustrated because I`ve been put on the bench sort to speak.

BECK: Yes. You`re trying to go back active duty.

STUBE: I`m doing everything I can, Glenn.

BECK: There`s not -- I can`t believe there`s nothing we can -- I mean, is there no phone calls we can make for you or something? Hey, I`ve got very little juice but I do have juice. Most of it is in an orange juice container but is there anything -- I mean, there`s nothing that our military can use from a guy like you.

STUBE: Oh, yes. And no -- I`m not being forced out and soldiers these days don`t get forced out. The military is not a machine. It`s not a meat grinder. Like some of the popular portrayals I have seen. It is a very compassionate system because you have to remember it`s made of people and its people of common interest with common commitment and common goals.

I`ve been very well cared for, and so, now I have to occupy myself in any way I can to continue to support that system and make sure that soldiers who are wounded behind me get the same kind of treatment that I did.

BECK: Yeah. I don`t know if you`ve seen that HBO documentary on the medical treatment that we -- I mean, it is amazing. It speaks volumes object our country on what we -- what lengths we`ll go to make sure that we save our soldiers` life and not only our soldiers` life but our enemies` life, as well. It is an amazing system.

We`ll be right back. I want to reintroduce you and spend a few minutes with Donna in just a second.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STUBE: We`re the ones that raised our right hand to do this. The wives are the ones supporting us. But they don`t have that same sense of adventure. They don`t get the same motivations for what we`re doing. They have to stand by and be strong for us and raise our children in our absence. And they wait for phone calls that could be good and they could be the worst. And my wife got one of those phone calls.

BECK: We`ve been spending just a great hour with Sergeant First Class Greg Stube and his incredibly beautiful and strong wife, Donna.

Welcome back.

You weren`t prepared for this. We talked about this before. You were -- I mean, he did it for 19 years. You had no idea this was really, really coming.

Who was your support team? Is there a support team for someone who is now with a husband who has lost most of his intestines and you had to pack him from the inside and keep a vacuum kind of device on him for a while? I mean, what was your support?

STUBE: My parents, Greg`s father. He was there for me.

BECK: Military -- does the military step in and give you any kind of .

STUBE: Absolutely. Yes. They were there -- the colonel was there from the start. He -- he didn`t -- when he did make a call, it was the right information every time. He -- he told me if I needed anything that I could call.

They have a -- the ladies` support group and they would call and check on me. But when you`re going through something, like that, you don`t -- you really want to be alone. More than .

BECK: I know.

STUBE: More than anything.

BECK: If you had advice for anybody who is just starting their journey in this direction, for a woman for a wife, what would it be?

STUBE: Stick by. It`s worth it.

BECK: What did you learn, Greg?

STUBE: Well, I learned how empowered we can be as Americans. I learned to focus on my capabilities instead of my disabilities. I learned people ask me sometimes after what you went through, you really must know what means the most in life. And, and I think that`s true to a degree. But more so, I`ve learned what doesn`t mean anything. Things that I focused on as a younger man and wasted my time. Absolutely. I was a fool.

BECK: OK. Two things come by. Let me come back to something you said a second ago. You said how empowered we as Americans can be. What do you mean by that?

STUBE: Well, if you`ve been do these other countries and seen the condition that people live in each day, that alone empowers you as an American because we have it so good here.

And if you know that soldiers from around the world have died just to facilitate an election in one of these countries and give people their first opportunity to vote, then you know how good we have it.

We speak as Americans and, frankly, I`ll just tell you my opinion as a guy, as an American person. I think that there`s a silent majority in this country that`s busy working and feeding their families and they`re not looking for microphones and video cameras to talk in to voice their opinion. That`s what I think the core of this country is made of and I think that`s a powerful thing because a work ethic and family values is where it`s at.

BECK: Did you -- be real honest with you. I just went through some minor surgery and things went horribly wrong for me and my wife was there every step of the way. And in my darkest moments, she never heard me say this, my darkest moments, I wondered, gosh, would I have been as good at this as she was with me.

Did it ever cross your mind; are you as good as a spouse as she was to you? Did that ever cross your mind or is it just me being a really bad person?

STUBE: I -- I felt guilt and shame. I did -- and I`m being honest. I don`t -- I`m not sure I could be as good of a person as she`s been or as strong to wake up every day and get up in the middle of the night to do things that -- that would make me pass out before.

BECK: OK. Let me change to something lighter here. This is your first time in New York.

STUBE: Yes.

BECK: And what are your plans?

STUBE: I`d like to go see the Statue of Liberty and go see where the Twin Towers were.

BECK: I mean, it couldn`t have been scripted. It couldn`t have been scripted. You guys are so all American.

Well, we have somebody who is backstage, been waiting to meet you guys. And there is something here on the set that you guys didn`t notice but the audience probably has noticed all throughout this episode. And we have some things that we want to share with you and we -- when we come back. Kind of a nice little surprise. Happy little ending. Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Back with Greg Stube and his wife Donna.

We`ve got a surprise here but before we get to that, right during the break, Greg said to me, Glenn, I have to just say, it was the same thing Marcus Latrell told me, the author of "Lone Survivor." I just want you to know -- all of us, not a hero thing. And I -- I know you guys are all alike. We view you as amazing people. And you know what? It`s your wife, as well. You stepped to the plate.

This is Steve Scheffer. He is a long time friend of mine. He happens to run the USO of Metropolitan New York. And he has a gift for you first.

If we can -- do you want to bring it over here? There is actually two of them.

STEVE SCHEFFER, USO METROPOLITAN NEW YORK: This is actually both for you, Greg, and for Donna.

STUBE: Wow.

SCHEFFER: In appreciation for what you and all of your colleagues in arms and their families do to protect our family and preserve our way of life.

BECK: And that was flown over --

SCHEFFER: That flag was flown over the 9/11 site at the World Trade Center.

STUBE: Oh, wow.

STUBE: Thank you so much.

SCHEFFER: Thank you.

BECK: Now, when we first talked to you, Donna, about coming out, you were so excited because you said, oh my gosh, I`ve never been to New York. I`m so excited. You said, I can`t wait. I can`t wait. I just want to go shopping at Macy`s. Well, we called Macy`s. Macy`s would like to take you for a little shopping spree.

We`re going to send you out to Spamalot, a Broadway show. We`ll give you time during the day to see the Statue of Liberty and go see the World Trade Center and then you go find a nice dress at Macy`s and then go have a nice evening. Oh, and dinner at Sardi`s, which is a classic New York restaurant. But we are -- just honored to have you here.

STUBE: Thank you.

BECK: It`s been a real pleasure and we`ll see you again. Thank you for everything that you do.

STUBE: Wow.

BECK: Steve, USO, Metropolitan New York, thank you for everything you do.

SCHEFFER: It`s a pleasure.

BECK: It is great.

STUBE: Thank you so much.

BECK: America, doesn`t it make you feel good to have some good news once in a while? From New York, good night.

END