Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Looking Homeward

Aired July 16, 2003 - 09:08   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: Among those still in Iraq is Specialist Kenneth Egger. Jenna Hamilton is engaged to Specialist Edgar. She's our guest now in Savannah, Georgia.
Good morning, Jenna. How are you?

JENNA HAMILTON, FIANCE'S DEPLOYMENT EXTENDED: I'm doing good. How are you?

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine. What have you heard from your fiance lately?

HAMILTON: Lately, I've just heard that they won't be coming home any time soon. They don't have a definite date of when they'll be home, and that he just wants to be home.

HEMMER: And for Specialist Egger, was that a delay, or is this something he thought all along?

HAMILTON: No, this was a definite delay. They thought that they'd be home by September 1st.

HEMMER: Yes, when did he leave?

HAMILTON: He left in January.

HEMMER: OK, so he's been gone, roughly, eight, coming up soon on nine months. Do you have any indication right now when you'll see him again?

HAMILTON: No. Actually, I just hope that he's here for Christmas.

HEMMER: How are you feeling about this?

HAMILTON: It's hard to take. It's unbelievable, astonishing.

HEMMER: How's he doing?

HAMILTON: He's exhausted. He's mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. He says he can't fight any longer. There's nothing in him that he can fight with.

HEMMER: You're soon to be the wife of a member of the U.S. military. It comes with the territory in many ways. What have you thought about how difficult this might be going forward in the future with him, knowing that the U.S. military's engaged in so many different hotspots around the world?

HAMILTON: We have actually, since this deployment began, we have decided that we will no longer be in the army.

HEMMER: Oh, he's getting out after this tour of duty in Iraq? How do feel about that?

HAMILTON: Yes, yes. He can't stand for it.

HEMMER: Why is that?

HAMILTON: I support him 100 percent.

HEMMER: Why do you say he can't stand it?

HAMILTON: It's hard on the families, it's hard on the soldiers, and it's especially hard to know that you put your faith and trust into a president, and they continue to lie to you, they break promises, and it's hard to fight for somebody like that.

HEMMER: Do you watch the news?

HAMILTON: Yes, I do, yes.

HEMMER: You do?

HAMILTON: I do.

HEMMER: Do you watch the news to get news from Baghdad, and if so, what is that like for you?

HAMILTON: I watch the news only to get news from Baghdad. It's good at times, when you think they're actually coming home. But it's horrible every morning when you wake up and there's another soldier killed and you don't know if it's yours.

HEMMER: I understand You're seeing a doctor for some of your anxiety, is that right?

HAMILTON: Yes, that's correct, trying to help out.

HEMMER: Yes. How long has that been going on?

HAMILTON: I actually just recently began seeing him after speaking with my physician.

HEMMER: OK. Well, listen, good luck to you, and I don't know when you're going to speak to your fiance again. Will it be this week?

HAMILTON: I'm hoping so. It's always nice to hear from him.

HEMMER: All right. Thanks, Jenna. Good luck. Jenna Hamilton in Savannah, Georgia.

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 16, 2003 - 09:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Among those still in Iraq is Specialist Kenneth Egger. Jenna Hamilton is engaged to Specialist Edgar. She's our guest now in Savannah, Georgia.
Good morning, Jenna. How are you?

JENNA HAMILTON, FIANCE'S DEPLOYMENT EXTENDED: I'm doing good. How are you?

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine. What have you heard from your fiance lately?

HAMILTON: Lately, I've just heard that they won't be coming home any time soon. They don't have a definite date of when they'll be home, and that he just wants to be home.

HEMMER: And for Specialist Egger, was that a delay, or is this something he thought all along?

HAMILTON: No, this was a definite delay. They thought that they'd be home by September 1st.

HEMMER: Yes, when did he leave?

HAMILTON: He left in January.

HEMMER: OK, so he's been gone, roughly, eight, coming up soon on nine months. Do you have any indication right now when you'll see him again?

HAMILTON: No. Actually, I just hope that he's here for Christmas.

HEMMER: How are you feeling about this?

HAMILTON: It's hard to take. It's unbelievable, astonishing.

HEMMER: How's he doing?

HAMILTON: He's exhausted. He's mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. He says he can't fight any longer. There's nothing in him that he can fight with.

HEMMER: You're soon to be the wife of a member of the U.S. military. It comes with the territory in many ways. What have you thought about how difficult this might be going forward in the future with him, knowing that the U.S. military's engaged in so many different hotspots around the world?

HAMILTON: We have actually, since this deployment began, we have decided that we will no longer be in the army.

HEMMER: Oh, he's getting out after this tour of duty in Iraq? How do feel about that?

HAMILTON: Yes, yes. He can't stand for it.

HEMMER: Why is that?

HAMILTON: I support him 100 percent.

HEMMER: Why do you say he can't stand it?

HAMILTON: It's hard on the families, it's hard on the soldiers, and it's especially hard to know that you put your faith and trust into a president, and they continue to lie to you, they break promises, and it's hard to fight for somebody like that.

HEMMER: Do you watch the news?

HAMILTON: Yes, I do, yes.

HEMMER: You do?

HAMILTON: I do.

HEMMER: Do you watch the news to get news from Baghdad, and if so, what is that like for you?

HAMILTON: I watch the news only to get news from Baghdad. It's good at times, when you think they're actually coming home. But it's horrible every morning when you wake up and there's another soldier killed and you don't know if it's yours.

HEMMER: I understand You're seeing a doctor for some of your anxiety, is that right?

HAMILTON: Yes, that's correct, trying to help out.

HEMMER: Yes. How long has that been going on?

HAMILTON: I actually just recently began seeing him after speaking with my physician.

HEMMER: OK. Well, listen, good luck to you, and I don't know when you're going to speak to your fiance again. Will it be this week?

HAMILTON: I'm hoping so. It's always nice to hear from him.

HEMMER: All right. Thanks, Jenna. Good luck. Jenna Hamilton in Savannah, Georgia.

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