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CNN Saturday Morning News

Nearly 200 Soldiers Come Home from Iraq

Aired September 27, 2003 - 09:07   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.


SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: For the first time in months, nearly 200 American troops serving in Iraq are waking up in their own beds this morning and eating hot, home-cooked meals. They are the first to enjoy the military's new R&R vacation program.
Take a look at some family reunions as the troops arrived yesterday in Baltimore.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been waiting to see her since -- I don't even remember when I left, but I've been waiting to see her...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: March 22.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. It was March 22. And this is great. I've been waiting a long time. I've been waiting a long time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just wanted to go home because my wife (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the hospital, and she's going to have my little boy. So I just -- I wanted to try to get an early ticket, see if I can change it, and...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it feels great. It's just kind of overwhelming right now. Get me some good food here in a minute, and sleep in a bed tonight. So can't beat that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a long wait. They told us about this about four days ago, five days ago. And it seemed like about a year since then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To see my kids and spend some time with them, my mom, my dad, and try and go out and see as many sights as I can. Because when you're stuck in the desert, you know, there's not too much to see but dirt and sand, sun, that's it. But here, there's a lot of beauty here a lot of us take for granted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Sure they'll squeeze a lot in that two weeks.

The majority of the 130,000 American troops in Iraq are eligible for this two-week leave.

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 September 27, 2003 - 09:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: For the first time in months, nearly 200 American troops serving in Iraq are waking up in their own beds this morning and eating hot, home-cooked meals. They are the first to enjoy the military's new R&R vacation program.
Take a look at some family reunions as the troops arrived yesterday in Baltimore.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been waiting to see her since -- I don't even remember when I left, but I've been waiting to see her...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: March 22.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. It was March 22. And this is great. I've been waiting a long time. I've been waiting a long time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just wanted to go home because my wife (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the hospital, and she's going to have my little boy. So I just -- I wanted to try to get an early ticket, see if I can change it, and...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it feels great. It's just kind of overwhelming right now. Get me some good food here in a minute, and sleep in a bed tonight. So can't beat that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a long wait. They told us about this about four days ago, five days ago. And it seemed like about a year since then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To see my kids and spend some time with them, my mom, my dad, and try and go out and see as many sights as I can. Because when you're stuck in the desert, you know, there's not too much to see but dirt and sand, sun, that's it. But here, there's a lot of beauty here a lot of us take for granted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Sure they'll squeeze a lot in that two weeks.

The majority of the 130,000 American troops in Iraq are eligible for this two-week leave.

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