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CNN Live At Daybreak

Family Support Business Getting a Lot of Business These Days

Aired October 19, 2001 - 08:41   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.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: The family support business is getting a lot of business these days. Men and women are being deployed overseas, and their families are being left behind. The family support center offers a lot of help for them.

But let's introduce a few people for you.

Down to my left, this is Lori (ph), next, is Teresa (ph), and then Kathy (ph). Over here is Amy, and then young Samantha, who's 11 years old. I'm sorry, 10, right, Samantha? And, Alexis, you are 7. All right, let's begin with you Kathy.

How are you taking this deployment?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I won't say it's easy. We only had two days's notice before he let, and sacrifices have to be made. You have to adjust life a little bit. But at least, I'm still here. I still have the kids, the family, and they are really the ones that are making the ultimate sacrifice. They're...

NELSON: What has been the most difficult thing when your husband deployed the very first time?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess maintenance around the house and the yard, and we've got fall, and the yard is full of leaves and the snowboard is going to have to go pretty soon here, and that happened to be one of the things he showed me in two days that we had, you know, to prepare.

NELSON: Just two days.

Amy, how long did you have before your husband deployed? This is the first time for you, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This our first deployment. He was on alert a couple of weeks, so he was kind of just hanging out at home, but the first day that this happened, his bags were at the door packed, and it was kind of -- it was a shock, but we kind of had time to prepare. Yet we couldn't everything we needed to do because he couldn't leave the house. He had to be there on call, so.

NELSON: Lori, you have done this a number of times. I think your husband's deployed 10 times, at least 10 times.

So what are tricks could you offer Amy and Kathy?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think mostly stay involved, get out, be with your friends, keep busy, but keep your schedule the same, especially with kids. They need to know that the routines need stay same. Because there is only one parent there, doesn't mean they can get away with things they couldn't if they both were there.

NELSON: And, Teresa, you have done this a number of times, too, and you are also in military yourself. Does that pose any particular problems that are different from the other wives who are not in military?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, especially with my job, I'm a first sergeant for my squadron, and I have to be on call 24 hours a day. So whereas they work out of house, yet when they get home, more than likely they are going to be at home, whereas any time of the day I can get called out for an indefinite period.

NELSON: What do you do with children that point?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have friends that are lined up to watch any given moment, neighbors, right next door to me, that are willing watch in middle of night.

NELSON: What happens if you get deployed over seas by some action? The military makes you, prepare for this, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We do have to maintain dependent care certification, which means I have somebody in local area to watch my children to -- for extended periods, and for last-minutes deployments, and then I have long term, which right now is my mother-in-law in Massachusetts. She is prepared to come over and pick up the children and the dogs, and watch them for indefinite period.

NELSON: All right, Samantha, it's your turn now. How do you feel about your dad being away? How long has he been gone?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's been gone only a couple weeks, and...

NELSON: Do you miss him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. He -- we found out that he had to leave like about in the three or four days, and right after that, Friday night, he had to leave, and I kept crying and crying. I hardly could breathe, because I missed him.

NELSON: Oh, no.

Alexis, how about you? Is this first time your dad has gone away like is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two days. He went -- now he needs to go back to Saudi Arabia, and today.

NELSON: All right, very difficult time for families military men and women overseas. We thank you very much for joining us this morning, and our thoughts and prayers are with you, OK?

I'm Brian Nelson at Grand Forks, North Dakota Air Force Base.

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