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The New Iraq: A Longer Tour of Duty for Some Troops

Aired September 09, 2003 - 15:30   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: America's Army reservists and National Guard troops being asked to bear a little bit more of the burden in Iraq. The Pentagon is extending their tour of duty, saying it's just part of the high cost of war.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr now with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The army acknowledged today that some of the 20,000 Army National Guard and reserve troops in Iraq and Kuwait will be spending a bit longer in the Persian Gulf than they originally anticipated. Troops already deployed will now spend one year on the ground. So plus the trainup time and the time once they return home on active duty, they may wind up spending as much as 18 months serving in the military active duty force.

Today on Capitol Hill, General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained why.

RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: We've got to put predictability in the lives of our reserve component, for that matter, active component. But we also have to realize we are a nation at war, and we do what it takes in this case to win.

STARR: Some reservists are a bit dismayed at the prospect, but say they will get used to it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, it's going to be trying, we will get used to it eventually. We are kind of used to it actually right now. A lot of guys are thinking we would be back in six months, but another six months, we got a job to do and got to finish it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not a big deal to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I said it's a big deal, but we got to finish the job. That's what we here for.

STARR: The real message today from the Pentagon -- all of this is the cost of war.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(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 September 9, 2003 - 15:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: America's Army reservists and National Guard troops being asked to bear a little bit more of the burden in Iraq. The Pentagon is extending their tour of duty, saying it's just part of the high cost of war.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr now with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The army acknowledged today that some of the 20,000 Army National Guard and reserve troops in Iraq and Kuwait will be spending a bit longer in the Persian Gulf than they originally anticipated. Troops already deployed will now spend one year on the ground. So plus the trainup time and the time once they return home on active duty, they may wind up spending as much as 18 months serving in the military active duty force.

Today on Capitol Hill, General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained why.

RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: We've got to put predictability in the lives of our reserve component, for that matter, active component. But we also have to realize we are a nation at war, and we do what it takes in this case to win.

STARR: Some reservists are a bit dismayed at the prospect, but say they will get used to it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, it's going to be trying, we will get used to it eventually. We are kind of used to it actually right now. A lot of guys are thinking we would be back in six months, but another six months, we got a job to do and got to finish it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not a big deal to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I said it's a big deal, but we got to finish the job. That's what we here for.

STARR: The real message today from the Pentagon -- all of this is the cost of war.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(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