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American Morning

Serviceman's Wife Comes Up With Way for America's Far Flung Forces to Feel Closer to Home

Aired December 13, 2001 - 09:55   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Miles puts a great strain on military families. A serviceman's wife in California came up with a way for America's far flung forces to feel closer to home.

CNN's Thelma Guitierrez has more on this salute to the spirit of America.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "I want it come home more than you can imagine. I love you."

THELMA GUITIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A keyboard, monitor and a click of the mouse -- the only intimacy, the only connection for military wives like Melissa, and husbands like Brett, who are separated by distance and the prospect of war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "This is A message for you babe."

GUITIERREZ: This is the first major conflict with loved ones stationed on a warship are on the ground thousands of miles away can actually stay connected on a daily basis through e-mail. They say that makes a big difference in how they're able to cope with the separation.

DIANE, MILITARY WIFE: To log on to the computer and hear, you've got mail, and it's from him, it's just great.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you doing? Hey, Diane.

GUITIERREZ: Everyone in this room knows just how tough it is, and sometimes an occasional e-mail isn't enough.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you keep your marriage together during a six-month deployment? How do you teach your kids about what daddy is doing in Afghanistan?

GUITIERREZ: Meredith Levits (ph) says only a military wife can help answer those questions, so she came up with a meeting place on the Web.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: CINCHOUSE.COM gets about 40,000 visitors per month. GUITIERREZ: Cinchouse.com is an Internet support group for military families. It stands for commander-in-chief of the house.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To have the support, when everyone is away, that's awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When we get together, we have things to talk about, our frustrations our worries.

GUITIERREZ: Melissa is a newlywed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to miss his encouragement.

GUITIERREZ: But Brent is on a ship, headed for the Arabian Sea.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We also have a community of a very good friends, who come over and pick us up off the floor, and allow us that shoulder to cry on.

GUITIERREZ: And now, they also have this to reach out to loved ones and each other for comfort.

Thelma Guitierrez, CNN, Carlsbad Village, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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