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CNN Live Saturday
Mechanized Infantry Brigade Gets Deployment Orders
Aired December 28, 2002 - 17:46 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: Americans in the military may be leaving their homes soon heading to the Persian Gulf as the U.S. gears up for a possible war. Orders to move out are tough and can be even tougher during the holidays. A mechanized infantry brigade at Georgia's Fort Benning has deployment orders already and that's where CNN's Martin Savidge is right now. Hi Marty.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. Military units all across the country have been receiving orders just recently saying get ready to deploy, but here at Fort Benning, Georgia, which is home to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, they have received orders immediately after Christmas to deploy.
That means for the thousands of men and women that are based here, it's no longer a question of if they are going into the region around Iraq but now simply a matter of when and that is expected to be soon, very soon, shortly after the beginning of the new year.
This is known as the sledgehammer brigade, a name that pretty much sums it all up as to what they do and how they do it. They are part of a heavy mechanized unit that is M1, A1, Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles. Much of that equipment is already in place in the region, pre-positioned on shore or on ships and the soldiers say it could be ready in a matter of days once they get there and they will get there soon.
So, how are the soldiers spending their last days and weeks at home? That's a question we put to Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Ward, who is the brigade's executive officer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. GEOFF WARD, U.S. ARMY: Right now, individual soldiers are doing everything from packing their own gear. As far as units, we're still doing final coordination for deploying forces and equipment over to the region, but the real thing that soldiers are doing right now is enjoying the holidays and we're just, as I said, grateful for being home for the holidays.
SAVIDGE: Does it make it harder that the order comes at this time?
WARD: No, I think we're very glad. We didn't know when this was going to happen. We watch the news just like everybody else and we were glad that we got this deployment order after Christmas and we had the opportunity to stay home with our families. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: It's interesting that I was in Kuwait in October and the 3rd Brigade was in Kuwait at that very same time practicing in what was called Operation Desert Spring, a military training exercise very near the Iraqi border and almost as real as combat can get without being the real thing. It all came to an end. The soldiers came home around Thanksgiving.
Now, they are headed back. They won't say exactly where but Kuwait would be a very good guess and they say that as a result of that training they are better prepared to carry out whatever order comes next -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Marty, the next step would be the official order to start moving. How many hours' notice are many of these troops likely to be getting?
SAVIDGE: Well, in fact, they already know, at least that's what commanders are hinting. They know the date when they will be moving. It's a matter now of organizing the aircraft and it will take quite a few aircraft to begin moving just this force alone. There's going to be a lot of aluminum in the air as they say -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much, Martin, appreciate it.
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 December 28, 2002 - 17:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Americans in the military may be leaving their homes soon heading to the Persian Gulf as the U.S. gears up for a possible war. Orders to move out are tough and can be even tougher during the holidays. A mechanized infantry brigade at Georgia's Fort Benning has deployment orders already and that's where CNN's Martin Savidge is right now. Hi Marty.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. Military units all across the country have been receiving orders just recently saying get ready to deploy, but here at Fort Benning, Georgia, which is home to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, they have received orders immediately after Christmas to deploy.
That means for the thousands of men and women that are based here, it's no longer a question of if they are going into the region around Iraq but now simply a matter of when and that is expected to be soon, very soon, shortly after the beginning of the new year.
This is known as the sledgehammer brigade, a name that pretty much sums it all up as to what they do and how they do it. They are part of a heavy mechanized unit that is M1, A1, Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles. Much of that equipment is already in place in the region, pre-positioned on shore or on ships and the soldiers say it could be ready in a matter of days once they get there and they will get there soon.
So, how are the soldiers spending their last days and weeks at home? That's a question we put to Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Ward, who is the brigade's executive officer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. GEOFF WARD, U.S. ARMY: Right now, individual soldiers are doing everything from packing their own gear. As far as units, we're still doing final coordination for deploying forces and equipment over to the region, but the real thing that soldiers are doing right now is enjoying the holidays and we're just, as I said, grateful for being home for the holidays.
SAVIDGE: Does it make it harder that the order comes at this time?
WARD: No, I think we're very glad. We didn't know when this was going to happen. We watch the news just like everybody else and we were glad that we got this deployment order after Christmas and we had the opportunity to stay home with our families. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: It's interesting that I was in Kuwait in October and the 3rd Brigade was in Kuwait at that very same time practicing in what was called Operation Desert Spring, a military training exercise very near the Iraqi border and almost as real as combat can get without being the real thing. It all came to an end. The soldiers came home around Thanksgiving.
Now, they are headed back. They won't say exactly where but Kuwait would be a very good guess and they say that as a result of that training they are better prepared to carry out whatever order comes next -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Marty, the next step would be the official order to start moving. How many hours' notice are many of these troops likely to be getting?
SAVIDGE: Well, in fact, they already know, at least that's what commanders are hinting. They know the date when they will be moving. It's a matter now of organizing the aircraft and it will take quite a few aircraft to begin moving just this force alone. There's going to be a lot of aluminum in the air as they say -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much, Martin, appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
