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American Morning
Discussion of Threat of Chemical Weapons
Aired February 13, 2003 - 08:18 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back here live in the Kuwaiti desert, I'm Bill Hemmer at Camp Virginia. This is where the Fifth Corps of the U.S. Army has essentially transported 6,000 members of the Corps from Germany, all American troops based in Germany here to the Kuwaiti desert.
We're going to talk right now about what could be the most feared aspect of a possible war with Iraq.
And Sergeant Glenn Batzinger is here to talk about the threat of chemical weapons.
Good to see you.
Good afternoon.
SGT. GLENN BATZINGER, NBC TRAINER: Good afternoon.
HEMMER: We are watching essentially a drill that takes place almost daily. This is in the event of a chemical attack. If a contamination were to occur, this is how you'd decontaminate, essentially.
Tell us about what's happening here.
BATZINGER: Well, right now they're taking off their contaminated -- what would be a contaminated suit in a real world environment on doing it carefully enough so that they do not contaminate their BDUs, their regular uniform underneath, so they can get on brand new chemical suits and continue on with their mission.
HEMMER: Sergeant, what is the impact of a soldier in battle once there wearing these suits?
BATZINGER: Once they're in the suits, their body temperature rises. They start to -- they sweat a whole lot easier.
HEMMER: Body temperature rises how much?
BATZINGER: Roughly 20 to 25 degrees.
HEMMER: So it gets hot, huh?
BATZINGER: Yes.
HEMMER: Cumbersome? Does it slow them down?
BATZINGER: Yes, it does.
HEMMER: How much? Could you say?
BATZINGER: Well, these are some newer suits so there's a little more leeway with them. The older suits, it was hard to maneuver around because they were a lot thicker and heavier.
HEMMER: A bit more flexibility then, huh?
We wanted to swing over here quickly. These men have been working out for about 30 minutes or so. How does it feel inside one of these suits?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's normal to me. It is a little warm, though. Luckily today it's not too hot outside. Once you get used to breathing, taking deeper breaths inside the mask, you can only function as normal. You just have to take deeper breaths.
HEMMER: You say once you get used to the feeling of breathing, how long did that take?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You start doing this in basic training and I guess, I'd say a couple of times in the mask you learn to take deeper breaths and pace your breaths so that you can speak like I can now and work, do your mission.
HEMMER: What is the sensation inside? Is it one of claustrophobia? Do you feel trapped or -- what is the feeling you get initially?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't feel trapped. It is a little claustrophobic inside the mask because it's right on your face. It limits your field of vision. You can't see 180 degrees like you normally can. So you have to more look straight forward and look directly at where you want to be looking.
HEMMER: Yes. Yes. We should also point out that you essentially drink through a tube to get water in the event of a practice drill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, sir.
HEMMER: Hopefully the real thing does not come at some point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully not, sir.
HEMMER: Well, listen, thanks for your time.
We really appreciate it.
Again, Paula, these guys have been working out here for about the better part of 30 minutes. The drill continues, we're told, for about 35 minutes longer and oftentimes they train just about every day just in case they were to come in the field of battle and chemical weapons were to head toward them.
Much more from Camp Virginia in a matter of moments -- Paula, back to you now in New York.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, Bill.
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 February 13, 2003 - 08:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back here live in the Kuwaiti desert, I'm Bill Hemmer at Camp Virginia. This is where the Fifth Corps of the U.S. Army has essentially transported 6,000 members of the Corps from Germany, all American troops based in Germany here to the Kuwaiti desert.
We're going to talk right now about what could be the most feared aspect of a possible war with Iraq.
And Sergeant Glenn Batzinger is here to talk about the threat of chemical weapons.
Good to see you.
Good afternoon.
SGT. GLENN BATZINGER, NBC TRAINER: Good afternoon.
HEMMER: We are watching essentially a drill that takes place almost daily. This is in the event of a chemical attack. If a contamination were to occur, this is how you'd decontaminate, essentially.
Tell us about what's happening here.
BATZINGER: Well, right now they're taking off their contaminated -- what would be a contaminated suit in a real world environment on doing it carefully enough so that they do not contaminate their BDUs, their regular uniform underneath, so they can get on brand new chemical suits and continue on with their mission.
HEMMER: Sergeant, what is the impact of a soldier in battle once there wearing these suits?
BATZINGER: Once they're in the suits, their body temperature rises. They start to -- they sweat a whole lot easier.
HEMMER: Body temperature rises how much?
BATZINGER: Roughly 20 to 25 degrees.
HEMMER: So it gets hot, huh?
BATZINGER: Yes.
HEMMER: Cumbersome? Does it slow them down?
BATZINGER: Yes, it does.
HEMMER: How much? Could you say?
BATZINGER: Well, these are some newer suits so there's a little more leeway with them. The older suits, it was hard to maneuver around because they were a lot thicker and heavier.
HEMMER: A bit more flexibility then, huh?
We wanted to swing over here quickly. These men have been working out for about 30 minutes or so. How does it feel inside one of these suits?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's normal to me. It is a little warm, though. Luckily today it's not too hot outside. Once you get used to breathing, taking deeper breaths inside the mask, you can only function as normal. You just have to take deeper breaths.
HEMMER: You say once you get used to the feeling of breathing, how long did that take?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You start doing this in basic training and I guess, I'd say a couple of times in the mask you learn to take deeper breaths and pace your breaths so that you can speak like I can now and work, do your mission.
HEMMER: What is the sensation inside? Is it one of claustrophobia? Do you feel trapped or -- what is the feeling you get initially?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't feel trapped. It is a little claustrophobic inside the mask because it's right on your face. It limits your field of vision. You can't see 180 degrees like you normally can. So you have to more look straight forward and look directly at where you want to be looking.
HEMMER: Yes. Yes. We should also point out that you essentially drink through a tube to get water in the event of a practice drill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, sir.
HEMMER: Hopefully the real thing does not come at some point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully not, sir.
HEMMER: Well, listen, thanks for your time.
We really appreciate it.
Again, Paula, these guys have been working out here for about the better part of 30 minutes. The drill continues, we're told, for about 35 minutes longer and oftentimes they train just about every day just in case they were to come in the field of battle and chemical weapons were to head toward them.
Much more from Camp Virginia in a matter of moments -- Paula, back to you now in New York.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, Bill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
