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U.S. Troops Stationed Overseas Celebrate 4th of July

Aired July 04, 2003 - 14:41   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's time to hear again from some of the troops overseas as we celebrate the Fourth of July. CNN's Al Goodman talked to Americans stationed at the military base in Spain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): July Fourth marks right into Rota Naval Base in southern Spain. Two thousand U.S. troops are stationed here under a bi-lateral agreement. Rota was a staging area for the war in Iraq, and 650 troops wounded there had gone through Rota's field hospital. So, here, it is not just another July Fourth.

CAPTAIN JOHN OREM, U.S. NAVY: I would say there's no more tension or edge. I would say there is a lot of relief and thankfulness that we've come through what we have in the Gulf. Of course, many of our troops are still over there.

GOODMAN: Some here are just back from Iraq, like this marine from Michigan on medical leave.

CORPORAL TRAVIS KOSTANKO, U.S. MARINE CORPS: ... especially after the war and still know what's going on and just hearing the national anthem, and it's pretty hard.

GOODMAN: The U. S. service members here at Rota say they're well aware of what a tense time it is in the world, but for this day, they're trying to do what most Americans back home do, kick back and relax. Some weren't afraid to get their feet wet, even to get down and dirty. And what would July Fourth be without -- well, they were lining up to get them.

KENT MARSHALL, NAVY RESERVIST: I'm sad that I'm not home with my friends and family, but I'm glad it be serving my country.

GOODMAN: And there could be more dangerous duty soon, even as Rota celebrates July Fourth, Pentagon sources say a contingent of marines stationed here could be sent to war-torn Liberia.

Al Goodman, CNN, Rota, Spain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 July 4, 2003 - 14:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's time to hear again from some of the troops overseas as we celebrate the Fourth of July. CNN's Al Goodman talked to Americans stationed at the military base in Spain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): July Fourth marks right into Rota Naval Base in southern Spain. Two thousand U.S. troops are stationed here under a bi-lateral agreement. Rota was a staging area for the war in Iraq, and 650 troops wounded there had gone through Rota's field hospital. So, here, it is not just another July Fourth.

CAPTAIN JOHN OREM, U.S. NAVY: I would say there's no more tension or edge. I would say there is a lot of relief and thankfulness that we've come through what we have in the Gulf. Of course, many of our troops are still over there.

GOODMAN: Some here are just back from Iraq, like this marine from Michigan on medical leave.

CORPORAL TRAVIS KOSTANKO, U.S. MARINE CORPS: ... especially after the war and still know what's going on and just hearing the national anthem, and it's pretty hard.

GOODMAN: The U. S. service members here at Rota say they're well aware of what a tense time it is in the world, but for this day, they're trying to do what most Americans back home do, kick back and relax. Some weren't afraid to get their feet wet, even to get down and dirty. And what would July Fourth be without -- well, they were lining up to get them.

KENT MARSHALL, NAVY RESERVIST: I'm sad that I'm not home with my friends and family, but I'm glad it be serving my country.

GOODMAN: And there could be more dangerous duty soon, even as Rota celebrates July Fourth, Pentagon sources say a contingent of marines stationed here could be sent to war-torn Liberia.

Al Goodman, CNN, Rota, Spain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com