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CNN Live Sunday
A Tearful Goodbye As Soldiers Return To Iraq
Aired October 12, 2003 - 16:16 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, getting back to the situation in Iraq for just a second now. Few people have savored the past 15 days as much as soldier home from Iraq. It was September 26, when many of them were greeted with tearful welcomes in Baltimore.
Well, today that scene is coming full circle as soldiers on leave say goodbye and board planes back to Iraq. CNN's Patty Davis is there and joins us with a live report -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Renay, it is the absolute first group of soldiers that is returned to Iraq today after their 15 days off. Now, that's part of a Pentagon program for rest and relaxation, R and R. It's meant to boost morale. We're joined by two of those soldiers here. It is specialist Shutrell Johnson, you're a medic with the E.R. in Baghdad. And Chief Warrant Officer Eric Bull, a helicopter pilot. I have to ask, has it actually boosted your morale?
SPEC. SHUTRELL JOHNSON, U.S. ARMY: Yes it has. For the first time I got to see my son walk and talk. When I left he was crawling. So, it was a good break for me.
DAVIS: That must be hard.
And you, for the first time, saw your baby daughter. How old? And what was that like?
CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER ERIC BULL, U.S. ARMY: It was great. She was 3 and a half months. It's great for the first time touch her instead of just seeing pictures. Definitely boosted my morale as well.
DAVIS: What is it like now having to go back?
BULL: It's harder leaving this time, because the baby and everything. But I know what to expect in Iraq. I'm ready to get there and get the job done and get back home.
DAVIS: What about you? What's it like to have to go back after your incredible 15 days off? I'm sure it was the best vacation you ever had.
JOHNSON: I would say it's hard to go back too, but I still have my battle buddies out there that I miss. And I'm going to go out there and help them out and take care of the soldiers.
DAVIS: Lots of dangers out there. Now you're a helicopter pilot. You know the dangers out there. American soldiers being targeted. How do you deal with that?
BULL: You just do what you're trained to do. Stay focused on your mission. And do it as safe as you can. Protect your crew members in the aircraft with you and the people on the ground to make sure you're going to make it back home.
DAVIS: What about you? We saw another incident in Baghdad where people were killed. They lost their lives. How do you deal with it?
JOHNSON: I deal with it the way I've been dealing with it for the whole time. We have soldiers come in with shrapnel wounds, gunshot wounds. We take care of them, patch them up, send them home, or send them back to duty.
DAVIS: A lot of people we talked to today inside, saying that they are very much looking forward to their tours of duty being over with. Now the only people eligible for this R and R program are those who are serving 12-month tours of duty.
At the same time that we saw these people leaving today, we're also seeing a lot arriving for their rest and relaxation. Very emotional reunions for them -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: We wish them all success. Good luck and godspeed, those heading back over there. Patty Davis, thanks 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 October 12, 2003 - 16:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, getting back to the situation in Iraq for just a second now. Few people have savored the past 15 days as much as soldier home from Iraq. It was September 26, when many of them were greeted with tearful welcomes in Baltimore.
Well, today that scene is coming full circle as soldiers on leave say goodbye and board planes back to Iraq. CNN's Patty Davis is there and joins us with a live report -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Renay, it is the absolute first group of soldiers that is returned to Iraq today after their 15 days off. Now, that's part of a Pentagon program for rest and relaxation, R and R. It's meant to boost morale. We're joined by two of those soldiers here. It is specialist Shutrell Johnson, you're a medic with the E.R. in Baghdad. And Chief Warrant Officer Eric Bull, a helicopter pilot. I have to ask, has it actually boosted your morale?
SPEC. SHUTRELL JOHNSON, U.S. ARMY: Yes it has. For the first time I got to see my son walk and talk. When I left he was crawling. So, it was a good break for me.
DAVIS: That must be hard.
And you, for the first time, saw your baby daughter. How old? And what was that like?
CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER ERIC BULL, U.S. ARMY: It was great. She was 3 and a half months. It's great for the first time touch her instead of just seeing pictures. Definitely boosted my morale as well.
DAVIS: What is it like now having to go back?
BULL: It's harder leaving this time, because the baby and everything. But I know what to expect in Iraq. I'm ready to get there and get the job done and get back home.
DAVIS: What about you? What's it like to have to go back after your incredible 15 days off? I'm sure it was the best vacation you ever had.
JOHNSON: I would say it's hard to go back too, but I still have my battle buddies out there that I miss. And I'm going to go out there and help them out and take care of the soldiers.
DAVIS: Lots of dangers out there. Now you're a helicopter pilot. You know the dangers out there. American soldiers being targeted. How do you deal with that?
BULL: You just do what you're trained to do. Stay focused on your mission. And do it as safe as you can. Protect your crew members in the aircraft with you and the people on the ground to make sure you're going to make it back home.
DAVIS: What about you? We saw another incident in Baghdad where people were killed. They lost their lives. How do you deal with it?
JOHNSON: I deal with it the way I've been dealing with it for the whole time. We have soldiers come in with shrapnel wounds, gunshot wounds. We take care of them, patch them up, send them home, or send them back to duty.
DAVIS: A lot of people we talked to today inside, saying that they are very much looking forward to their tours of duty being over with. Now the only people eligible for this R and R program are those who are serving 12-month tours of duty.
At the same time that we saw these people leaving today, we're also seeing a lot arriving for their rest and relaxation. Very emotional reunions for them -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: We wish them all success. Good luck and godspeed, those heading back over there. Patty Davis, thanks 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
