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CNN Live Saturday
Interview With Jean Offutt
Aired April 19, 2003 - 12:30 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: As we've said, the countdown is on in Fort Bliss, Texas, for a joyous homecoming. Family and friends of the seven former American prisoners of war in Iraq are gathering to welcome them home, and our CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is at Fort Bliss.
Thelma, have they started to take down the yellow ribbons yet?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, not yet, Andrea. In fact, all those yellow ribbons are still up here at Fort Bliss.
Now, the former POWs are expected to arrive here at Fort Bliss anytime between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. local time tonight, and when they do, they can certainly expect a huge celebration. Family, friends, just about anyone who wants to welcome them home are actually invited to attend.
Now, this morning all seven boarded an aircraft at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to begin their very long journey home. Now, they appeared to be in high spirits, eager to be reunited, finally, with loved ones back home. Shoshana Johnson's friend told us that after so much worrying, she's overwhelmed at the good news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so happy she's home. I'm just so happy she's home. And to tell her how much, you know, that I love her, and probably once I hug her, I'm not going to want to let go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTIERREZ: And many of the friends and family will be here at Fort Bliss to welcome that plane home. And Jean Offutt joins us now; she's the public information director for Fort Bliss.
Can you talk to me a little bit about the celebration you have planned tonight? How many people do you expect to attend?
JEAN OFFUTT, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, FORT BLISS: Well, we've opened it up to the entire public, so we expect a huge crowd. Just got a call before I came out here that we have about 500 coming from Midland and Odessa, so this is not only a Fort Bliss celebration, it's a Texas celebration.
GUTIERREZ: What do you have planned when they arrive? I understand there will be a band playing, the army band. OFFUTT: The 62nd United States Army Band, well-known all over this area, will be welcoming them home. They'll be greeted, of course, by our deputy commanding general and other dignitaries. And of course, the most important thing, their families.
GUTIERREZ: Speaking of families, will the former POWs have time alone with family and friends once they do arrive? How long is this celebration expected to take place before they're able to reunite with their family?
OFFUTT: Well, they of course will meet with their families for a period of time at the facility in a private area. Once the doctors look them over, they will make an evaluation and decide whether they can be released. or whether they're going to be kept for observation, or when they may be able to go with their families.
GUTIERREZ: But they will be greeted by all the well wishers on the tarmac.
OFFUTT: Absolutely. We expect, literally, thousands of people out there. We've asked everyone, bring flags. This is a celebration for us. Even though we do this with a bittersweet feeling, you know, that nine other soldiers did die. And we have about 5,000 still there. So when they all come home, we'll really celebrate.
GUTIERREZ: Jean Offutt, thank very much. And Andrea, again, as you have just heard her say, many other people still away in Iraq, and those yellow ribbons still up, waiting for all of them to come back to Fort Bliss.
KOPPEL: Well, it must be nice to finally cover a happy story. You can take seven of those ribbons down. Thelma Gutierrez, thank you so 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 April 19, 2003 - 12:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: As we've said, the countdown is on in Fort Bliss, Texas, for a joyous homecoming. Family and friends of the seven former American prisoners of war in Iraq are gathering to welcome them home, and our CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is at Fort Bliss.
Thelma, have they started to take down the yellow ribbons yet?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, not yet, Andrea. In fact, all those yellow ribbons are still up here at Fort Bliss.
Now, the former POWs are expected to arrive here at Fort Bliss anytime between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. local time tonight, and when they do, they can certainly expect a huge celebration. Family, friends, just about anyone who wants to welcome them home are actually invited to attend.
Now, this morning all seven boarded an aircraft at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to begin their very long journey home. Now, they appeared to be in high spirits, eager to be reunited, finally, with loved ones back home. Shoshana Johnson's friend told us that after so much worrying, she's overwhelmed at the good news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so happy she's home. I'm just so happy she's home. And to tell her how much, you know, that I love her, and probably once I hug her, I'm not going to want to let go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTIERREZ: And many of the friends and family will be here at Fort Bliss to welcome that plane home. And Jean Offutt joins us now; she's the public information director for Fort Bliss.
Can you talk to me a little bit about the celebration you have planned tonight? How many people do you expect to attend?
JEAN OFFUTT, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, FORT BLISS: Well, we've opened it up to the entire public, so we expect a huge crowd. Just got a call before I came out here that we have about 500 coming from Midland and Odessa, so this is not only a Fort Bliss celebration, it's a Texas celebration.
GUTIERREZ: What do you have planned when they arrive? I understand there will be a band playing, the army band. OFFUTT: The 62nd United States Army Band, well-known all over this area, will be welcoming them home. They'll be greeted, of course, by our deputy commanding general and other dignitaries. And of course, the most important thing, their families.
GUTIERREZ: Speaking of families, will the former POWs have time alone with family and friends once they do arrive? How long is this celebration expected to take place before they're able to reunite with their family?
OFFUTT: Well, they of course will meet with their families for a period of time at the facility in a private area. Once the doctors look them over, they will make an evaluation and decide whether they can be released. or whether they're going to be kept for observation, or when they may be able to go with their families.
GUTIERREZ: But they will be greeted by all the well wishers on the tarmac.
OFFUTT: Absolutely. We expect, literally, thousands of people out there. We've asked everyone, bring flags. This is a celebration for us. Even though we do this with a bittersweet feeling, you know, that nine other soldiers did die. And we have about 5,000 still there. So when they all come home, we'll really celebrate.
GUTIERREZ: Jean Offutt, thank very much. And Andrea, again, as you have just heard her say, many other people still away in Iraq, and those yellow ribbons still up, waiting for all of them to come back to Fort Bliss.
KOPPEL: Well, it must be nice to finally cover a happy story. You can take seven of those ribbons down. Thelma Gutierrez, thank you so 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
