1st Lt. Russell Donahue and Debbie Donahue w/ Moe

" Hey good morning Jim -- with a one Boston's talk station AM 680. WRKO welcome to our number 2 of our Saturday morning get together every Saturday from six until nine we discussed the issues of the day. Among the issues that we just well we talking about snow in the first though we're waiting Poland from -- Baghdad in Iraq sometimes things can't don't happen quite as quickly Yuri."

" If promptly as we elect them back homered that we're accustomed to having that we're expecting to speak with -- lieutenant Donahue. I was stationed in Baghdad he's from the Massachusetts area and Hussein Kamel also have mrs. dying you on the line as well talked about the the impact of having. A a family member. In a combat area during the holidays -- becoming -- following that will speak with a following lieutenant Dunning you will speak with lieutenant Philip Ventura. He's my contact man in on Baghdad who ranges for all of these interviews and -- going to talk a little bit about the impact of these interviews have on the on the people who in with boots on the ground if you will in the in the tough areas and after that we'll get to speak with a good friend. Longtime friend now we first spoke with him when he was in Djibouti a few years ago teaching kids in Djibouti how to play baseball and that that was a fun experience and we've become friends with the sides and won gold marine sergeant major Oakland go look. And we'll talk to him about the preparations that he's making in in getting troops ready for deployment in in in Iraq in the war zone he'd do his job this preparing. Marines four in some instances second and third degree from fourth -- in the third and fourth the ones but I know said the with quite -- large number third deployments in the world volunteer. I joining us right now we have lieutenant venture okay good morning hey Phil good morning welcome to WRKO."

" Good morning but that is just Russian deputy all of I don't just the Senate majority is what oh that's okay I don't want him by ejecting him all the time dented you I have."

" Spoken with Hugo and I didn't catch your first name -- you can give Phil I'll give -- equity -- get him on the year he didn't give me your first name Horry or you're your better half first nine."

" All quite beautiful experiment Debra accord deputy my -- rust. -- did he did he do you NY rock all right listen Europe you're from a Massachusetts correct. And yet unlike unlike -- juror who is a belief from New Mexico something. Yet but we'll get. -- we can't control what we're born tell you what you're probably in better weather of the we are right now and you -- but he he beauty compared to what weekend -- efforts leniency stand at. I'll take the -- right now after the desert ago. No in all seriousness whereabouts and Massey from. Everywhere take out. I have where where where they can't execute it all done miles away -- over the line at on the salt river. All -- ever yes thought of much as a matter of fact my son her who who was injured in but they call Richard in this freshman year in baseball coached the -- the freshman team a couple of years ago seek -- high school. Well today. Well we had to -- I need to be honestly I'm originally from Rhode Island but we just moved to that's useful year adult language now would want to do that could. But I I hated the girl from Chico high school -- fifty and you bury your identity -- yet not formal doubtful. Are talking and -- now how long you've you've been deployed right."

" I guess I'm gonna 45 months now and Iraq. A London as -- the war a year year and a half. Well we were the first round of national Guardsmen who have bought 400 -- orders. So the orders are to exceed four days that's with you know go to fort Dixon and -- coming home. So what's going to be about nine months in Iraq what unit do you listen millions. -- with the 65 public affairs operations center out of while Lexington Massachusetts all all the way up there. Yet while the public catch with them I'm still in the -- National Guard -- policy which unit it's been very if it's complicated."

" Yeah didn't nominee as Debian very personal question is we went through this a couple of years ago with a asylum law in in Afghanistan what is do you have children first --"

" Yeah we have got two children daughter -- They just."

" But what ages are they."

" Yeah till eleven years old and your soul I think you -- media mania on when I get half of the domestic stuff I defer to the to the bullets in the thank you could be able to get in trouble. No but yeah how the kids are about that -- the children handling this."

" For the most part that -- pretty I'm very proud of it. Com they're cute and very positive that means it is ecstatic talk about it a lot but. And hearing them talk about it -- to -- friends there you know they're very proud that he's serving at racket and and then they're very plausible that I serve our country but they do really -- their -- especially in the year. Art have occurred at."

" So one of those but -- some of those things that you -- you have to do two kind of smooth that over with them."

" What I find that I have that it be obsolete but paid out there. I do a lot of that with -- And I picked -- topic. Maybe I should act and at least -- but. Debate we -- a lot of statements together try to keep them busy week a lot of movies. Top and it and I just try to keep up occupied at least that it you know but parents a lot because. Date you know they've -- Russian. Grandchildren are all they have we try to keep it it."

" Mrs. sounds like your pretty big. I don't believe it if it. Now bite my mother hello -- go to card -- thinks that I think she's with I just want to it's entitled. I sight mom."

" It's I've I district I just got a great wife and cricket there's a lot of -- that we do before. Yes and we talked to the kids about it -- being new -- at a time as gently greatness group RI Massachusetts is very supportive of kids because they have summer camps and programs advocates talks so. It's it's I've been a tourniquet but I I think -- have an outlet to talk to of the kids whose parents are deployed there have been deployed. National Guard -- those things is daddy. I'm sorry his dad the handle. -- handle it you know well there's a lot of -- it's it's cool now look at -- you know it was accurate that is storm and we only had letters. You know now this Internet fortunate to work an office or call home probably more than. Whether I should put -- emails and I finally figured out and I thank god it worked with some supplying young men and women at Pharmacia and he's a webcam. So every now available we'll get to fit them together into a webcam thing isn't actually get to see me and I see them so. So I'm -- I've missed some but you know it'd do what you gotta do."

" So you can so you do get a chance to talk and you get a chance to exchange pictures I recall -- some -- was in the in Afghanistan around the christmas season it was a really very easy to need to be able to communicate though someone -- believe Verizon was involved in this program you might know about this better than I do but they arranged four there could be a teleconference and new families with scheduled throughout the day and current Christmas Day. And you know mom with the kids showed up and they would be dead on a on a big wide screen and I would and I presume the same was true over in in Kumble he might forget where they were -- where he was in Afghanistan at the time. And off to a station in trouble. But you know they got they they literally got together electronically end you know while it's not that. Not the number one thing in their life it certainly helped smooth over the is that the pain of being apart."

" It'd definitely helps in we ask -- air force folks that are that are credible they do a lot of shout out speaking of shout outs and with video telephone conferencing. We can do the same thing I -- a lot of soldiers got together and but -- schools have done video teleconferencing logistics are pretty itself like you can make it happen. But with technology nowadays it's you know aside from the the physical. You know shake hands and -- against you'd still like to be able to indicated what some losses two front teeth and get to."

" It seems smiled. And keep them a little bit you know so it. Hello Lucy he's the eight year old would take peace and he's eight years old -- defeat of the window panes in front of his mouth he's about -- does -- play baseball by the way."

" No I don't want he's not you wouldn't support page. He loved baseball -- Red Sox it and but. He he doesn't he tried to place it was quite good -- it come -- they can't throw all around back at her and."

" You must have inherited my exports to icu one of the other one -- two left hands. Pretty much -- a complaint yes -- There's there's a little difference between attest -- maker ball but I am looking forward to -- thrown -- problem. I tell -- playing catch with a Q it is going to be the greatest thing in the world just a funny story is snow's story but we hit four daughters. And finally we had a son he was one of those the surprise in the rabbit died type of but kids. And I recall when he was about six or seven we've had a snowstorm. And and and and I think debuted -- identify with that -- of them and -- would at this point but the -- similar to what we just had last weekend. And in the morning. In the morning the sun comes enhancing my glove and he's got his glove and the ball and those club play catch dad -- said it's no -- he has -- today. He said yeah the -- came by. That's up. Oh it will forward though whoever played cats like to idiots. People thought we were playing catch with noble and you must -- it was amazing kids don't freeze which it was about the like in that. Two months ago when you are ahead. Don't let me get in the way."

" Did we say something what what what it's like here it's like where you are."

" Yeah I know when I was in the states you I was going to ask rest of this like of their right now as far as whether you know. Oh my god it's free and O'Leary gets -- high -- fifty below forty terrible you -- Arabic if breathing -- and -- you have to wear sweaters on business blues guys every day no sympathy for much. Yeah and a of for the it has no limit is now off. Well listen if you have access to a computer go to issues of the day dot com. And strolled back to a night in my publish that on Sunday of last week it's called this notion of there's even a photograph of me shoveling -- Our -- out issues of the day issues of the day debt cut them it's my own legal technicality cool yet know -- freeze and and that's really tools -- a -- out but I got to admit that big snowstorms and after doing so and so. W to the -- two children handy."

" No actually Mike -- photographer and they cannot Saturday. -- all right is he he didn't he was very good to be."

" By -- do what he'll be able to play this back for him on your computer if you go to wishes of the data com probably by tomorrow we'll have it posted and what we call the audio vault of WRKO. And I have a direct link on my idea -- on my website for that -- that purposely disco that -- London. -- girl in round four of the for the Donahue interview has that."

" Well okay. That's not -- appetite."

" Now and then but we did that for both for the families back home in four troops who are serving -- in Iraq might want to hear that some of these interviews that -- there -- there and perpetual basis the nearest thing to life as a radio station. Well I don't know. Maybe now I I did work for -- station no longer exists ovitz -- I at this particular list though but listen what what Motorola a share based radio but would we both do. I have the spread -- Yeah I mean -- they listen no one in this business ever get a hernia. Of action -- public affairs so we're not -- it. Yeah nobody authority -- that business either do late at all unless unless abducting stuff -- around the room -- Andy right listen I'm gonna shut give you guys have much time as you'd like to -- right now be my -- does that. What I've relied on him well on the pilots are able. -- nail polish and I was attacked it would -- wanted toxic heavy about a mother you know and and victims is cute I policemen and I will. I will nineties seemed -- Go ahead -- out. Means I don't know it you know it's I may just telling you lover would -- better christmas it's we've got married fifteen years we you know we we just that we distinct to each -- to speak anymore of -- have display you have to -- let me -- I've been married longer in the new to him we don't even have one as young as you two have been married -- 44 of them. So let me tell you keep talking don't ever stop talking the success and the marriage comes from constant contact in understanding. And put away I sound like do with the doctor that talks about marriage but look talked to --"

" A feeling or not Hillary Clinton mostly what sort of I call you know who would be -- my -- last week we have a really great tension. You know we've had a rough spots. She said it so so I guess you -- she volunteered to deploy so if you agree with that -- accidentally."

" Violated it. If it's I had hot streak -- he he had he had it all -- very much two years ago. I didn't need any break the there. That it definitely different a lot of time we can't I think maybe we're talking a little bit too much I think I -- More than once daily sometimes it can't it work like working."

" Ole hole or people that that went. Well the time difference using -- model worked over Arnold. It's it's money actually me you know we'd as a matter of fact you know fifteen years damaged fifteen years in. When a couple whipping going to read to our problems soon look forward to that -- the funeral it is certainly did sadly that indeed it Chaplin them available Bryant."

" It's. Is it really really hard to eight money you know alternate back and six. What I would like. I want have come back after we that never got to go on hunting not alone we ever got -- but I wanna. On a cruise hopefully."

" And -- an idea. Well well quit buying a kit so wasteful ways they get the small crews -- that right out of Bristol."

" Are still I -- that on the they go down to Costa Rica lawless definitely yup. Theory -- sound you could hitchhike to the marinara -- I can't think of while I believe the name. If you look at the winner Blount in in Bristol I know they're in the boat building business and make and they have a small cruise line. Well marina I know exactly where that is yeah do cruises I believe I do like new young lady who'd worked it was a -- and cruise directors from the of this major. Nature and she talked about how these two go two. Costa -- time so. -- the ago. You don't even have sound good you don't even have to take a plane to New York for a million whoever to catch a boat you'd just take you go from -- flat."

" Every every bit airplane and then I would think but -- the most matchmaker. Yeah out -- and a perfect that was again to my -- life. Listen -- tumble when all I -- initiative kid."

" Lieutenant Russell Donahue in his bride Debbie which you both the merry christmas. And god bless you and lieutenant thank you very much for your service please we say god bless you merry christmas to you. There christmas you I will thank you. And I know moment we're going to speak with the the guy standing net too far from you filled interior yeah until came back and I'll -- he's like clockwork him he hit it sort of a Jack in the box when it's supposed to -- the areas and he'll be with us -- they had -- been -- a little bit about the importance of doing what we're doing again -- keep keep safe the end. We'll get back to you just ahead on Boston talk station AM 680 WRKO"