Military Families Bear the Burden of War, Again

KAYLA: Those are the ready-to-go care packages, I actually was going to the post office on Tuesday. KAYLA STEWART IS A MARINE VETERAN. HER DAUGHTER JULISSA IS SERVING IN THE U.S. – ISRAELI WAR IN IRAN, CURRENTLY DEPLOYED WITH THE NAVY IN BAHRAIN. KAYLA: …She loves harry potter so I found a harry potter tooth brush…her favorite gummies…so I got the easter version of those…….these will get to her way after Easter, unfortunately. KAYLA: Just seeing the world, that’s what she wanted to do – see the world. KAYLA: And she chose the Navy. So I’m actually really proud of her. KAYLA: But // Never in a million years would I have thought I would have had a child in a war time situation. WE’RE IN JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, OUTSIDE CAMP LEJEUNE, THE LARGEST MILITARY TRAINING HUB ON THE EAST COAST. FOR SOME MILITARY FAMILIES HERE, WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS NOW IMPACTING A SECOND GENERATION KAYLA UPSOT: She’ll be happy to get when she opens those. KAYLA: THere’s my boot camp photo. KAYLA: September 11th happened when I was in boot camp. //they said America’s under attack. We didn’t know what that meant, you know, you’re a bunch of 18, 19 year old kids KAYLA: I pray for her safety everyday KAYLA: The Marine Corp taught me how to be numb. KAYLA: But at the same time, I’m a mom. // It takes a lot out of you. SCENE 2: BRUNCH SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, KAYLA HAS FOUND SUPPORT IN A GROUP OF MILITARY VETS, WIDOWS AND PARENTS OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICEMEMBERS. (Group oohs and ahs in greeting) CARLA ARANA SERVED TWO TOURS IN IRAQ CARLA: It’s like history repeating itself. CARLA: In 2003//I fought a war, for this generation t CARLA: Why are we still in the same position? This has been going on since 2003. CARLA: Why are people dying? CARLA: What’s the value? And at what cost? CARLA: Not a lot of people know what it’s like to be mortared. Running for your life. . KAYLA: …My daughter- the last known location that I knew her to be, there was a bomb, a missile strike. So I’m like, okay, I’ve been here before, I’ve been in the military, I know how these things work, it’s radio silence right now. MICHELLE: That was scary. It still is scary. (nods with concern.) KAYLA: Somebody said “have you heard anything from your daughter? And I said, So, um. ‘No one has knocked on my door yet, so all is good.” MASTER STRINGOUT: 3:14:05 KAYLA: And I know your son is just getting started…. SCENE 3: AT HOME WITH MICHELLE MICHELLE: It’s war//No matter what you always have to be ready.//But//the iran war it’s my baby.//If it got to a point where had to go//it would crush me.//I don’t even want to think about it. MICHELLE: He wanted to make his dad proud MICHELLE WINDLE’S SON DESMOND RECENTLY ENLISTED IN THE NAVY. HER HUSBAND DENNIS, A MARINE, SERVED MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENTS TO THE MIDDLE EAST. MICHELLE: I’m a military widow. // That’s the flag they gave me when my husband passed away. HE DIED AT THE AGE OF 45 FROM CANCER RELATED TO CHEMICAL EXPOSURE THERE//IN THE REGION MICHELLE: This is Dez’s boot camp picture, and this is my husband’s boot camp picture…They were both 18. MICHELLE HASN’T SEEN HER SON SINCE THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. MICHELLE: //I said, you know what? //I’m just going to keep my tree up because//this is scary//we don’t know what may happen//and just having it up makes me feel closer to them. MICHELLE: He said “mom//right now I’m safe.//but if I have to go, I have to go.” -END- 1:16:51 MICHELLE: He’s going to serve his county. And do what he can. MICHELLE: The Iran War..I think.. If it got to a point that he had to go….it would crush me.//I don’t even want to think about it. 04:14:24 MICHELLE: We don’t know what may happen. We don’t know. It is scary.