Cynthia Brabant & Pallas DeBettencourt w/ Moe

Okay good morning welcome to the 7 O'Clock hour of our Saturday morning get together. -- love you with -- every 76 to nine. We we discuss the future. Which reminds us that issues of the day dot com the name of our website you can not believe there anytime and picked up on a lot of things we're going to. Discussed between. We publish our -- virtually daily this week we took a few days off and we traveled down to.

South Carolina and had a wonderful trip which it was an excellent piece to write about when we came back WRKO dot com click on listen live followed the directions -- have -- your computer our phone number on the on the give -- the phone numbers right noted that to that little bit later ram because as always sunset in the morning we have our friends from Iraq. On with us in this morning is no different joining us right now as master sergeant palace Betancourt in specialist Cynthia reader brave men from -- it sergeant Betancourt is from Westminster sergeant Benton who are going to ask you this question. Westminster is that anywhere near what -- that mountain. It read it let out all okay that's -- the name ring a bell -- detonates that -- I know that name but I don't know lamb went absolutely terrific up. There was in the is that where you're from originally.

I'm originally from Franklin, Massachusetts but it graduate college get married and somehow ended up out there and I sleepy little town is that there is a great place and its recently moved. Right before deployment to elaborate islands police moved to Rhode Island bright red before I left behind doors and there and I bought it -- they're bought blatant midfield to greatly good food great right now -- the clock and work it now. Out housed the -- the Cosby is excellent and isn't it -- nine obligation they have great copy good food well.

Definitely think it really is it's a great -- not because we're working with the coalition forces in Baghdad which exposes that the so many different cultures and Iraqi in the Iraqi culture it felt that the -- thing though it -- that very well -- to be in this particular area working with all of these different forces. Makes enough to make this happen. What is it you know that he Jim you were doing. My job is to credentialed media and what I mean did we bring them into the country yet we worked pretty combined press information -- here in Baghdad and we needed we facilitate immediate comment out of the country though we instead of that we would secure all the paperwork but -- you want -- Belkin and the paperwork -- the that you can't -- into the country and then you know attach -- unit followed around these stories or whatever -- undercover informant transport them around -- all the paperwork and make sure that there you know viable -- legal legal it would make -- exactly and get the biometrics which which -- the retina -- I -- pages -- aren't going to -- Yeah I I would basically making it so that it was going to bring me here and we know it -- be television -- that.

If you do the talk show from the I actually love to invite you I -- No -- fatal alcohol at a law does it take to be able to be credential to go well I.

I eventually -- that the 15 minute depending on how are you get there I'll but the embed process to get you into the country. -- you know we have to do that background check according to -- you know if it was your affiliation actually we say you are common and once we get to in you pretty much -- to -- track -- throughout the country and we do this on a daily basis and that report you know go up to the Pentagon now it is very instinct and it's very important job in the end of the am smiling and -- did -- the day you.

There is there is to satisfaction to the job and get. Now I understand one of his mean that produce -- as a youth specialist agreement we -- actually cannot be bought she needs you're not the united. The year tourism is completed until we have. At except -- both of you on the same unit act. All -- than the so that you know he at least you have people that you the -- familiar with before you would before you depart.

Yet exactly that excitement and me and they're basically. Well lieutenant Loral up to an action that we can make -- me but yet the united. It out -- expected public affairs operations that aren't of course -- located the unit itself is out of Lexington Massachusetts you know where it all began shot heard -- the world there's. So you bring in the National Guard unit we all come to build with each other on a weekend -- defensively in the summer -- now you know where we're really going together in getting uniquely you fitness as a people person.

Now we have free time and I know free time is somewhat limited in theater what is -- able to do I would what kind of things can you do.

Well we haven't MW are programmed him -- his morale welfare recreation and it's an excellent they do every everywhere you go well get like those votes in the Aaron. It set at the movie theater they had karaoke all the dancing lessons doing dancing happened -- Though there's there's a lot of a lot of activity that you can do a lot of exercise that goes on physical fitness. Clip is very important step to get the fight sell a lot of people are taking the opportunity to try to get back stuff done a lot of folks just -- integrated food and then in the movies right let me you know enjoy their time to themselves alive you need a little -- again.

I was speaking with let's see sergeant -- fairly recently and he would tell me how he was in -- ten K race road race but she had. A thing will it -- they called the Turkey trot.

That's correct -- by these these these rhymes -- at all. You know throughout the year and it's great way to get any compete you know run exercise and equipment could get that --

So you have souvenir teachers from that knowledge how well I do he tell me he he came in second there was the.

He's very physically at a much -- second. Not all other significant part of a much are seeking his second -- Yes -- actually come along way -- I think an awful life he laughed lightly very very own and and it had sent soldiers I actually did exceptionally well.

Anomaly bully teasing about the secondly he didn't say that he told -- one on wall modestly -- regular viewer take part in the Turkey track.

I did not. I didn't -- my knees are a little rough the light attack that they get when -- really needed but I looked up daily thinking haven't taken a politically our public opinion -- that the guys in all the glory we had a I had about four people I met brought the unit. Would you I haven't had enough time dealing with it is the training at -- Running for that -- the statement that capacity because capacity.

Would you do me a favor. Could you send me some of those pictures -- And I would act. Opposed to mama website and -- it and I'm dead serious be happy to do at the net. -- what happens it's beckham we -- we speak with someone every. Weekend we don't know what they look like we don't and -- but somehow when there's a picture associated with the with the voice but with a person and he brings the whole idea of the the doing what we're doing. Is to bring you closer to home with to that we and yet we feel more part we feel somewhat involved with you but -- that way and pictures go.

and note I am out there as a regular onions. He's listening.

Now that's unsolicited that one week you can -- like that please thank you very much you will be.

Okay that's. You don't let me. I would really appreciate you haven't gone in you that you you know lies in the book but everybody's mind it is because we work with immediately understand -- very important it is that we do facility you and that we give you the opportunity to get help a year and talk with patented shots of the photos and video. Get the story called you know to the families that you know that the system places -- that work very very well it's not that situation but it's certainly. We couldn't do without folks like you on the -- back.

to say that because we couldn't be doing what we're doing without them our US military it's the new the and I'm sure you familiar with the -- I don't know what we're all living and that exactly and -- part of the same team in the long run you know the ones that -- our First Amendment rights that are not trampled on by -- an outside the country really that Internet. And -- you're welcome no thank you for doing which you're doing and sending me that thinks you I'm the one the benefits from a we all do here. On I -- this morning from a Baghdad. Our -- to such -- palace the Betancourt from Westminster now from Rhode Island that was the name of that restaurant Rhode Island.

It odd place and it is Smithfield Rhode Island we're about as I read at a school systems in Tikrit but it is great wonderful place in the -- excellent. McCarthy is the best by the Apple -- Alamo appetite though it did you know it private and let the estate up and he he could that he -- crazy. It felt that --

And no -- doesn't have to do that I'll sneak in some anger let's say Cynthia Rita bereavement from us. From drake it and you grow up and -- now by the way he decided to Betancourt you have a 19 year old son.

If that where is he now stationed in the regular army in Korea that we banana he's actually disparate views about now he joined after high school and yeah black -- great kid I have like mullet he's 19 he's using Korea and I am knocking on the door if the animals a year for health. -- ego but.

While 50 still a kid my book.

I don't know billick did I thought he was evicted but -- you've agreed to be doing well. And I look forward in -- than that but we can't.

What what motivated him to join the military was -- do the fact that here he you've been involved for so many years.

Well I think let me. And it felt that kind of I think he had seen that obviously what he would you know what you want to believe you have people would not begin with father was also in the military for years and you feed it and he realizes that it was in -- and the realization that is more polite and we beat out of -- and -- I'm anyone to feel a little bit of the world -- get a skill under his belt and is it seemed to be working well for an also the 15 year old daughter as a junior in high school outnumbered mapped out she's very proud of -- Bob -- the birth of.

Support she's probably listening to my 15 year old you know immediately visited Saturday -- a ripple of a it.

It's -- if you didn't get up in time to hear it should be able to hear rebroadcast of this from the WRKO audio vault. I'd do near as -- just go to issues of the day -- come I have a direct link to our audio vault to go -- has to do is click on the little -- says Iraq and then look for your name in and the special.

I'm -- thank -- let -- know that yes we do you know mall you can always find out what's going on over here I contacting or clicking on it and men. -- in Iraq dot com. And that -- a year which and it means that if Egypt is beautiful part of objects very plummeted to the folks back home to keep them abreast of what's happened over here.

You know I'm mailing that directly I used utilized it myself my new mailing list when -- say -- in the E mailing list and -- he has part of the way that we keep informed of what's happening it in Iraq do we talk a little bit about the visible near the -- munition there -- that is what is happening now what what what's taking place is what of the what what's the attitude of the of the so who's the troops and actually get out and it into this literally into the streets in -- in harm's way the you know on a daily basis they -- beginning to feel a little bit more comfortable lives there. It is there -- a sense that. -- you know we keep hearing where that winning this thing but -- let me tell you it's changed I've. I spoke with a fellow who came back after his second tour in and in Afghan and the key thing Afghanistan and Iraq and he said he that the trip the second time through. It was as though he was in a different country well.

Actually I'm. Not actually in the red zone -- I don't -- gone but we did have that initial orders from my unit followed a few engine infantry unit. And they actually helping and the Iraqi soldiers held out their own people. And in instances like that they actually feel like you're giving -- good that exactly completely different. Country from what it was before but we're where can -- make it so that they can take care of themselves.

Guys that know the -- we keep hearing about how we failed and we didn't plan. And so on and so forth the soldiers react to that when they hear things like that.

Well -- I think that as a whole and I you know I -- myself and you know -- perfect soldier or airman or marine every every you know truth that here. Obligated to the job and when people talk about winning it isn't in between crashing and then it thing about winning and really. Our effort here is to make make Iraq self sustainable and -- functioning and it's our job basically -- put ourselves out of a job. Jobs that we need to train up the true -- Iraqi army and its citizens to be aware and to take responsibility for. The that situation at hand and what we're seeing and that the reports from the field I just that we have our soldiers it both. Right in the 80s with the with the with the Iraqi people we have about 65000. I believe in operated and I'm not -- that I can -- that by boat people of China concerned local citizens on. You know operation which is it getting the local residents involved in taking care of their immediate area is much more responsibility on the part of the Iraqis right now because we've we've shown them what to do that given school to do it and we're seeing great things happen. It is happening it's a reconstructing and you know reformation going on right now but not like it crashing win at this dinner and the game winning this war going on here what we're seeing a trend happening and responsibility being shifted and basically that we get a bill.

Well I'll tell you when you guys get home I'd like to hear from -- number one number two that does anything you'd like to see published on on the web site that's -- clearly I I don't know how popular we can -- we get. Got a few thousands of its daily basis issues of the day dot com there's a link to a two might email there I'll be happy to publish anything though that year any messages that you want to get out there and if you do have pictures in particularly less sergeant -- his -- race on thanksgiving Morton. I spoke to him -- I spoke to right after the race -- we were driving home from Columbia, South Carolina fort Jackson as a matter of fact and you know he he was out of breath -- that's -- it was a -- at any rate the.

And he -- good idea that really. It out there isn't grades up and looks we're so excited about it.

I'm wrong and will an elected setup happily post them and they'll be there for ever. Ito the anytime you want let them -- or embarrass them you'll be able to do so yet it. But any gateway and any photograph if you want to -- the gift. I just emailed to me in the -- then that simple as that. Listen and -- thoroughly enjoyed having both of you this morning and again the fury if you have family who hasn't had an opportunity you didn't give up in time to hear of this they can access that through -- going to the WRKO website the audio -- the the link is already posted on my on my website the just click on that in the red into the wall. Just click on Iraq and look for your names in the find -- interviews and from -- started this a couple of weeks ago we going to keep all of the interviews there on known as long as close to permanent basis is we -- so they ago. Thank Aubrayo thank you very much oh thank you thank you for your service both the view jobless and -- out TP hadn't had a great keep the head down and don't take any of contingency TT and thank you my good fewest.

And then we talk about spirited I mean I have we have thousands of miles away from home in the and but at least at one point was a hell hole of the universe and you know serving their country probably -- decide to palace to Betancourt and specialists Cynthia -- a brave and both with the Massachusetts National Guard deployed in the in a Baghdad. Iraq -- laws here with you one Boston's talk station AM six AD WRKO