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CNN Sunday Morning
Separation From Parents Take Toll on Children of Military
Aired February 09, 2003 - 07:32 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military tries to prepare for everything, but there's certainly one thing that's impossible to be entirely prepared for, and that's long separations from families. They take a toll, especially on the kids.
Reporter Leann Kim with CNN affiliate KGTV has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEANN KIM, KGTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Raising the American flag is an important ceremony at Hancock Elementary, where 98 percent of the students are from military families. More than half of them now have a parent who's deployed and it hurts.
CODY KING, STUDENT: I'm tired of him always leaving. And I miss him a lot because it's like he's just visiting for us because he always goes out to sea and stuff.
KIM: Feelings like that certainly affect the parent left behind.
DR. LOW, MARINE CORPS FAMILY COUNSELOR: Certainly that's going to bring on stress. Certainly that's going to create turmoil.
KIM: Dr. Low is a Marine Corps family counselor, one of many offering help to parents dealing with deployment and how to explain that to their children.
KIMBERLY JAIME, PARENT: It's difficult. I simply tell them that Daddy's doing his job. He'll be home.
KIM: It's been difficult for brothers Justin and Kyle, who typically count down the days until Daddy gets home. For this deployment there is not return date. And the questions keep growing.
HEATHER OLINGER, PARENT: Are we sure he's coming back? When's he coming back? He's going to war, does that mean he's going to die?
KIM: Those are questions that Cody and Crista King talk about at home and at school.
CODY KING: I'm angry and happy at the same time.
KIM: Okay, explain that.
CODY KING: Because I'm angry because he's always going out. But then I'm happy because he's protecting our country and protecting us and all of the other people.
KIM: Does it stress you out?
CRISTA KING, STUDENT: Yes, really a lot. Because like sometimes he's out for a month. And it just seems like a long time away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: I'm sure it does. That was reporter Leann Kim with CNN affiliate KGTV.
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 9, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military tries to prepare for everything, but there's certainly one thing that's impossible to be entirely prepared for, and that's long separations from families. They take a toll, especially on the kids.
Reporter Leann Kim with CNN affiliate KGTV has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEANN KIM, KGTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Raising the American flag is an important ceremony at Hancock Elementary, where 98 percent of the students are from military families. More than half of them now have a parent who's deployed and it hurts.
CODY KING, STUDENT: I'm tired of him always leaving. And I miss him a lot because it's like he's just visiting for us because he always goes out to sea and stuff.
KIM: Feelings like that certainly affect the parent left behind.
DR. LOW, MARINE CORPS FAMILY COUNSELOR: Certainly that's going to bring on stress. Certainly that's going to create turmoil.
KIM: Dr. Low is a Marine Corps family counselor, one of many offering help to parents dealing with deployment and how to explain that to their children.
KIMBERLY JAIME, PARENT: It's difficult. I simply tell them that Daddy's doing his job. He'll be home.
KIM: It's been difficult for brothers Justin and Kyle, who typically count down the days until Daddy gets home. For this deployment there is not return date. And the questions keep growing.
HEATHER OLINGER, PARENT: Are we sure he's coming back? When's he coming back? He's going to war, does that mean he's going to die?
KIM: Those are questions that Cody and Crista King talk about at home and at school.
CODY KING: I'm angry and happy at the same time.
KIM: Okay, explain that.
CODY KING: Because I'm angry because he's always going out. But then I'm happy because he's protecting our country and protecting us and all of the other people.
KIM: Does it stress you out?
CRISTA KING, STUDENT: Yes, really a lot. Because like sometimes he's out for a month. And it just seems like a long time away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: I'm sure it does. That was reporter Leann Kim with CNN affiliate KGTV.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
