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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview with Father-Son Team Cody, Travis Mosier

Aired March 15, 2003 - 07:47   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.


ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: Now if U.S. troops go marching off to war, some of them will have their fathers marching right along with them. In Tennessee, one unit of the Army National Guard has seven father-son teams serving together. They're being deployed to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and expect to go overseas soon.
And joining us now from Chattanooga are 1st Sergeant Cody Mosier and his son, Specialist Travis Mosier. I want to say good morning to both of you gentlemen. Thanks for being here.

1ST SGT. CODY MOSIER, TENNESSEE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Good morning.

SPECIALIST TRAVIS MOSIER, TENNESSEE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Good morning.

NEVILLE: OK. I'll start with the father first. Listen, you have an 18-year-old daughter, as well as a wife. How does she feel? How do they feel about the both of you going off at the same time?

C. MOSIER: Well, my wife, she's got a military background as a (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So she's taking it pretty good. My daughter, she don't like the fact that I'll probably miss her graduation and stuff like that. But they're doing OK.

NEVILLE: Yes. And, Travis, I'm sure you and your dad get to do a lot of father-son activities, though. Is this one that -- what do you feel about this particular father-son activity?

T. MOSIER: Well, this activity, it will stand out definitely in my mind. I mean not every son gets to go to war with his father. He'll take care of me, I'll be all right. I'm just ready to go and get the job done.

NEVILLE: So is it easier to go because your dad will be there?

T. MOSIER: It's much easier. I mean, I'm glad to know he's there, he'll be there. He'll be behind the scenes. He's my boss, but I know he'll take care of me, and that comforts me.

NEVILLE: And Cody, if you don't mind me calling you by your first name...

C. MOSIER: That's fine.

NEVILLE: OK, thank you. I wanted to ask you, though, then how is it for you having your son there. He just said that you will be the boss, but you're also the father. Do you separate the two in a situation like this?

C. MOSIER: I try not to. The father-son element is there, but I've got 91 other sons I feel like in my unit. And I've got those folks to take care of also.

NEVILLE: Now help us understand this: will you get to see each other? Because you're going to Kentucky first, correct?

C. MOSIER: Yes.

NEVILLE: You get to see each other a lot at that particular point of the deployment?

C. MOSIER: During our actual jobs, we'll be able to communicate with one another by radio. But seeing each other on a daily basis, just talking mainly.

NEVILLE: Just talking. And so, Travis, when you talk to your dad, what sort of -- again, in a situation like this, what sort of advice do you think you'll be seeking from your dad?

T. MOSIER: Well, he tells me how to do my job right. He's been there before; he's got experience. His presence as a 1st sergeant, as a father, it makes me a better soldier.

He tells me all the right things to do and how to go about doing them. He's teaching me a lot.

NEVILLE: And, Sergeant Mosier, you've been expecting this call, I understand. That there was a possibility that the two of you would be called for deployment.

C. MOSIER: Oh, yes. I've been in long enough to know what this is all about. I understand the commitment and some of the sacrifices. And I kind of felt that at some point in time this would come about.

NEVILLE: So what do you say to your son. This is his first time -- right, Travis? Your first time, right?

T. MOSIER: It's my first time.

NEVILLE: Yes. How old are you, Travis?

T. MOSIER: I'm 20 years old.

NEVILLE: OK. So back to the father, what do you say to your son going off possibly to war for the first time?

C. MOSIER: Well, I just tell him he needs to listen to his platoon sergeant, his (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And he's well trained, their well trained. I have a lot of confidence in my unit. We're a very professional unit. And he just needs to do what they ask him to do and I think everything will be OK.

NEVILLE: Well indeed. We want to thank you so much for joining us here this morning on CNN. And we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

C. MOSIER: Thank you.

NEVILLE: Sergeant Cody Mosier and Specialist Travis Mosier, thank you so much.

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 March 15, 2003 - 07:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: Now if U.S. troops go marching off to war, some of them will have their fathers marching right along with them. In Tennessee, one unit of the Army National Guard has seven father-son teams serving together. They're being deployed to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and expect to go overseas soon.
And joining us now from Chattanooga are 1st Sergeant Cody Mosier and his son, Specialist Travis Mosier. I want to say good morning to both of you gentlemen. Thanks for being here.

1ST SGT. CODY MOSIER, TENNESSEE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Good morning.

SPECIALIST TRAVIS MOSIER, TENNESSEE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: Good morning.

NEVILLE: OK. I'll start with the father first. Listen, you have an 18-year-old daughter, as well as a wife. How does she feel? How do they feel about the both of you going off at the same time?

C. MOSIER: Well, my wife, she's got a military background as a (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So she's taking it pretty good. My daughter, she don't like the fact that I'll probably miss her graduation and stuff like that. But they're doing OK.

NEVILLE: Yes. And, Travis, I'm sure you and your dad get to do a lot of father-son activities, though. Is this one that -- what do you feel about this particular father-son activity?

T. MOSIER: Well, this activity, it will stand out definitely in my mind. I mean not every son gets to go to war with his father. He'll take care of me, I'll be all right. I'm just ready to go and get the job done.

NEVILLE: So is it easier to go because your dad will be there?

T. MOSIER: It's much easier. I mean, I'm glad to know he's there, he'll be there. He'll be behind the scenes. He's my boss, but I know he'll take care of me, and that comforts me.

NEVILLE: And Cody, if you don't mind me calling you by your first name...

C. MOSIER: That's fine.

NEVILLE: OK, thank you. I wanted to ask you, though, then how is it for you having your son there. He just said that you will be the boss, but you're also the father. Do you separate the two in a situation like this?

C. MOSIER: I try not to. The father-son element is there, but I've got 91 other sons I feel like in my unit. And I've got those folks to take care of also.

NEVILLE: Now help us understand this: will you get to see each other? Because you're going to Kentucky first, correct?

C. MOSIER: Yes.

NEVILLE: You get to see each other a lot at that particular point of the deployment?

C. MOSIER: During our actual jobs, we'll be able to communicate with one another by radio. But seeing each other on a daily basis, just talking mainly.

NEVILLE: Just talking. And so, Travis, when you talk to your dad, what sort of -- again, in a situation like this, what sort of advice do you think you'll be seeking from your dad?

T. MOSIER: Well, he tells me how to do my job right. He's been there before; he's got experience. His presence as a 1st sergeant, as a father, it makes me a better soldier.

He tells me all the right things to do and how to go about doing them. He's teaching me a lot.

NEVILLE: And, Sergeant Mosier, you've been expecting this call, I understand. That there was a possibility that the two of you would be called for deployment.

C. MOSIER: Oh, yes. I've been in long enough to know what this is all about. I understand the commitment and some of the sacrifices. And I kind of felt that at some point in time this would come about.

NEVILLE: So what do you say to your son. This is his first time -- right, Travis? Your first time, right?

T. MOSIER: It's my first time.

NEVILLE: Yes. How old are you, Travis?

T. MOSIER: I'm 20 years old.

NEVILLE: OK. So back to the father, what do you say to your son going off possibly to war for the first time?

C. MOSIER: Well, I just tell him he needs to listen to his platoon sergeant, his (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And he's well trained, their well trained. I have a lot of confidence in my unit. We're a very professional unit. And he just needs to do what they ask him to do and I think everything will be OK.

NEVILLE: Well indeed. We want to thank you so much for joining us here this morning on CNN. And we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

C. MOSIER: Thank you.

NEVILLE: Sergeant Cody Mosier and Specialist Travis Mosier, thank you so much.

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