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CNN Live Saturday
101st Airborne Division Stationed in Kuwait
Aired March 08, 2003 - 18:36 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: From D-Day to Afghanistan and beyond, wherever there is trouble in the world the Army's elite 101st Airborne Division is bound to be there.
Right now, they're stationed in Kuwait awaiting orders for possible action inside Iraq. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is with them at what has been dubbed Camp New Jersey and he joins us now by videophone -- Ryan.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Screaming Eagles have been on the ground in Kuwait for a bit more than a week, but what most people don't know is that they've been here without their stuff, without their equipment. That all changed this morning when the USS Dahl pulled into a port here in the Persian Gulf with some 1400 vehicles, that belong to the 101st Airborne, and very importantly, approximately 100 of their helicopters.
Now let me tell you a bit about these helicopters. They are going to have Apache attack helicopters on board. Those are the gunships, two-man gunships, that were used extensively during the Gulf War to take out targets. In fact, they fired the first shot of the Gulf War.
Secondly, the Black Hawk, is the U.S. Army's primary troop mover. And thirdly, of course, the Chinook, it has been around since the Vietnam War. It is both a heavy lifter, moves very heavy stuff. It can sling load Humvees and stuff like that and move troops, a larger helicopter.
Now, if you were looking for a milestone in the buildup to a possible war in Iraq, a milestone to the U.S. preparations and readiness for a war, this is one of them. That equipment, together, basically gives the 101st the ability to do what is its forte, which is to go -- to use its helicopters to go 100, 150, 200 miles behind enemy lines and attack from behind enemy lines.
So, this is -- like they like to talk about their ability to go further, faster, and with more combat power than any U.S. Army division. That equipment that came in on today's ship is exactly what gives them that capability.
Now, in the meantime, the soldiers haven't exactly been sitting on their hands here at Camp New Jersey. They've been out and about training. Minus their equipment, there is still a lot they can do. One of the things that they're working on, obviously, is acclimating to what is now the second desert that they have been deployed to. Now, remember that the 101st Third Brigade was deployed to Afghanistan. In fact, they just returned about six months ago. So, they don't need that much training, but it is important for them to get their bearings here on the ground. That is something that they're working on.
Another thing that is worth mentioning is we've had some pretty major weather here and two of the three mess hall tents have been lost in sandstorms recently. So, the soldiers have been enduring some pretty long lines. In fact, it is like being at Disney World in a bad way.
The lines could be anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, to two hours long, just to have breakfast or dinner. Really, just one of the many inconveniences that the soldiers here from the 101st Airborne have to put up with on a daily basis in Kuwait.
Back to you.
SAN MIGUEL: Inconveniences? Ryan, I don't know if you've had a chance to visit with a lot of the people there, but you mentioned that the 101st was one of the first to go into action in 1991. Anybody serving now who served back then? Have they been able to share any of their stories with you?
CHILCOTE: Absolutely. They call themselves Gulf War vets. There are many of them here. Many of the officers, many of the enlisted now sergeants in the Army that were in Saudi Arabia, they were based out of Saudi Arabia for almost six months before they saw action in Iraq, inside of Iraq. In fact, the 101st Airborne went inside of Iraq.
There are a lot of them here. Some of them find themselves in a bit of a leadership role, now. In fact, showing some of the younger enlisted, the younger officers what it is like and what they might expect should there be military action in Iraq this time around.
Back to you.
SAN MIGUEL: They've got the experience. Ryan Chilcote, 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 March 8, 2003 - 18:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: From D-Day to Afghanistan and beyond, wherever there is trouble in the world the Army's elite 101st Airborne Division is bound to be there.
Right now, they're stationed in Kuwait awaiting orders for possible action inside Iraq. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is with them at what has been dubbed Camp New Jersey and he joins us now by videophone -- Ryan.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Screaming Eagles have been on the ground in Kuwait for a bit more than a week, but what most people don't know is that they've been here without their stuff, without their equipment. That all changed this morning when the USS Dahl pulled into a port here in the Persian Gulf with some 1400 vehicles, that belong to the 101st Airborne, and very importantly, approximately 100 of their helicopters.
Now let me tell you a bit about these helicopters. They are going to have Apache attack helicopters on board. Those are the gunships, two-man gunships, that were used extensively during the Gulf War to take out targets. In fact, they fired the first shot of the Gulf War.
Secondly, the Black Hawk, is the U.S. Army's primary troop mover. And thirdly, of course, the Chinook, it has been around since the Vietnam War. It is both a heavy lifter, moves very heavy stuff. It can sling load Humvees and stuff like that and move troops, a larger helicopter.
Now, if you were looking for a milestone in the buildup to a possible war in Iraq, a milestone to the U.S. preparations and readiness for a war, this is one of them. That equipment, together, basically gives the 101st the ability to do what is its forte, which is to go -- to use its helicopters to go 100, 150, 200 miles behind enemy lines and attack from behind enemy lines.
So, this is -- like they like to talk about their ability to go further, faster, and with more combat power than any U.S. Army division. That equipment that came in on today's ship is exactly what gives them that capability.
Now, in the meantime, the soldiers haven't exactly been sitting on their hands here at Camp New Jersey. They've been out and about training. Minus their equipment, there is still a lot they can do. One of the things that they're working on, obviously, is acclimating to what is now the second desert that they have been deployed to. Now, remember that the 101st Third Brigade was deployed to Afghanistan. In fact, they just returned about six months ago. So, they don't need that much training, but it is important for them to get their bearings here on the ground. That is something that they're working on.
Another thing that is worth mentioning is we've had some pretty major weather here and two of the three mess hall tents have been lost in sandstorms recently. So, the soldiers have been enduring some pretty long lines. In fact, it is like being at Disney World in a bad way.
The lines could be anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, to two hours long, just to have breakfast or dinner. Really, just one of the many inconveniences that the soldiers here from the 101st Airborne have to put up with on a daily basis in Kuwait.
Back to you.
SAN MIGUEL: Inconveniences? Ryan, I don't know if you've had a chance to visit with a lot of the people there, but you mentioned that the 101st was one of the first to go into action in 1991. Anybody serving now who served back then? Have they been able to share any of their stories with you?
CHILCOTE: Absolutely. They call themselves Gulf War vets. There are many of them here. Many of the officers, many of the enlisted now sergeants in the Army that were in Saudi Arabia, they were based out of Saudi Arabia for almost six months before they saw action in Iraq, inside of Iraq. In fact, the 101st Airborne went inside of Iraq.
There are a lot of them here. Some of them find themselves in a bit of a leadership role, now. In fact, showing some of the younger enlisted, the younger officers what it is like and what they might expect should there be military action in Iraq this time around.
Back to you.
SAN MIGUEL: They've got the experience. Ryan Chilcote, 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
