U.S. Hands Over Camp Victory to Iraqis
HOLMES: Let's go "Globe Trekking" now. We go to Iraq where the United States has handed over control of one of the most high-profile American military facilities, Camp Victory. Just a few hours ago, the hand-over took place and U.S. troops are out of there. At one point, it housed as many as 40,000 U.S. service members. CNN's Martin Savidge joins us now from Baghdad. Martin, hello to you. What were these ceremonies like today? Must have been a heck of a moment.</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a heck of a moment, actually, T.J. You are absolutely right. This really shows that this withdrawal of U.S. forces now out of Iraq is moving and moving quickly. And today was a huge point in that draw-down. There wasn't a single camera there and there wasn't a reporter allowed to see it. It was extremely low key, which was really remarkable given, as you just pointed out, that this was the largest U.S. base during the entire Iraqi war. It was actually known as VBC, Victory Base Complex. It was a series of bases located outside the Iraqi airport, had a perimeter of some 27 mile. And at one point, as you pointed had, had 40,000 people that were there, U.S. soldiers. There were 20,000 contractors on top of that. So amazing, major facility, but it was closed down with little or no fanfare. It was about noon. A couple of soldiers for the U.S. climbed into their vehicles and documents were signed with the Iraqis, and that was it. They left.</s>HOLMES: That was it, they left, and they know they are not going to be going back. Martin, thank you. Want to share with our viewers what they're are seeing on the right corner of your screen there, that's a live picture, I believe, we are showing you out in California, a homecoming taking place out there. We show you this -- this is a little choppy but, hey, we'll deal with it right now because you have members of the 297th Military -- this is the National Guard, actually, a lot of members coming home from the 297th Medical Company. This is a final National Guard unit to return home from Iraq, and they know they won't be going back to Iraq. Again, all U.S. service members will be out of there. This is a nice picture. Can I listen to this for a moment, Mike?</s>SAVIDGE: Again, we're watching this scene. More will be taking place because so many -- so many of these service people over here are just looking forward to that same moment as they head south, as they get out of Iraq, as they get into Kuwait, they are waiting for their same reunions to take place. I can tell you, from talking with them, they are looking forward to having a scene just like this.</s>HOLMES: You know, Martin, the scene is different this time because many of them are hugging their loved ones, knowing they're not going to be going back. And that's different from a lot of these homecomings we've seen over the past several years.</s>SAVIDGE: And a lot of these soldiers, I know from talking with them, they are going to move on with life. Many of them are planning to get out of the military now. This is it for them. It is not just the end of a deployment. It is the end of their military careers. So you're right, it is a real moment in their lives, a real change for all of them and their families.</s>HOLMES: You just can't beat this. Again, this is out in San Mateo, California. We have a live camera inside the building they'll be going into as they are entering. You see it now there, a lot of families were outside greeting the family members. They couldn't wait until they got inside the building. They greeted them on the bus. But these things absolutely just never get old and this comes with a different -- this is a different symbolism now and there is a different mood here because, as Martin just said, many of these soldiers know they will not be going back to Iraq. People are welcoming their loved ones, their husbands, their wives in some cases, their mothers, their brothers, their sisters, their fathers, whatever you want to call it, welcoming them home, knowing they can hug them and hold on to them, quite frankly. They're not going to be deployed again. Won't be going back to Iraq. Sure, some other assignments they could get around the world, but they're not going back to this war zone in Iraq. And so this -- look at that. You just can't beat that. Just a wonderful thing we're able to bring to you live as these young men and women, these service members, who sacrifice so much over the past several years, knowing that the Iraq war is wrapping up and they will not be going back there. I'm going to shut up now and listen to some of these last sounds as we take you to break, listening to this and watching this homecoming of American service members.</s>UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What does he look like to you now?</s>UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLIDER: Like a little boy that's going to run around</s>UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What are you looking forward to doing most now that you're back?</s>UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Relaxing. Relaxing the next month.