A family photo that shows a little girl beside her father and his fellow soldiers in uniform as they prepare to go to war has resonated well beyond the tight knit Bennethum clan.
Four-year-old Paige Bennethum really, really didn’t want her daddy to go to Iraq.
So much so, that when Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum lined up in formation at his deployment this July, she couldn’t let go.
No one had the heart to pull her away.
Read more (video included) at A Soldier’s Perspective
I am 10 minutes late rushing off to work, but please check this out, regarding the soldiers at the two combat outposts that were overrun. They apparently lost everything except the clothes on their backs.
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
Deployments are tough on marriages and tougher on children, Active Duty or Reserve. The Spouse that stays home takes on an extra role. By the time my Daughter was 8 years old she had seen me Deploy and Return home about 4 times. The tears when you leave are hard. The Smiles and hugs when you return became almost a ritual. It is a roller coaster ride for the children.
It is worse if your child has friends that lose a parent. Military Families are different than Non Military ones. They close ranks and offer support that is immeasurably important on Deployments and on Losses they are a Lifeline. It is even tougher on Reservists or National Guard Families.
They live in a different community and have the “diversity” of views on Service in their schools and neighborhoods to contend with because their values differ.
If You have not lived on a Fort or a Base or near one you would not understand that. 15% of Americans serve in the Military to protect the rest of that 85% at this time.
Wordsmith, Thanks for the graphics and that reminder that never have the Many owed the Few so much for their sacrifice and to that 53% of The Many that voted for the worst Pretender in Chief in Our History, that jet sets and parties at Taxpayer expense and will not reinforce the Deployed while they are at risk because the 2016 Olympiad is of larger priority for his Cronies …
Expletive deleted out of courtesy.
This and other features should be required reading by the White House and Congress. We need to put a face on our troops and not just numbers.
God bless our soldiers and their families!
Brings back memories. When I left for Vietnam, we were at the airport in San Antonio. I was trying to say goodbye to my wife and our 3 year old daughter and our two week old son, and my daughter didn’t want to let go of my hand as I tried to leave. It was very hard to convince her that I would be back as soon as I could. My father-in-law (DD-757, USS Putnam, WWII, Pacific) picked her up and convinced her that she could watch me leave and wave to me better from the window, so as I gently pulled my hand from hers, she turn to me and said, “Come home soon, I love you, Daddy”…and I had to turn away and bite my lip and try to hold back tears as I told her over my shoulder that I would be back before she knew it. I got a window seat, and I can still see her waving with her face pressed against the glass as we taxied out. I held that image for a year until I could replace it with a happier one of her jumping up and down as we taxied in on my return. I know exactly how the Sgt felt in the photo. I pray he enjoys the satisfaction I had upon return.
With Best Regards,
Bruce Obermeyer
Former Captain, USAF
Vietnam veteran
Pilot, 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron
DaNang, South Vietnam; Nakhon Phanom and Ubon, Thailand
More time just flying missions over the killing fields of Cambodia
than John Kerry spent in his entire abbreviated “tour of duty”
…by the way, here is a more accurate definition of the term “swiftboating”
than the perjorative it has acquired through misunderstanding and intentional
distortion by media and pundits, (page 324 of “To Set The Record Straight”):
“Swiftboating: Exposing the lies, deceit and fraud of self-glorifying public officials
or candidates for public office who exaggerate their military service by lying about
their feats of heroism and combat wounds.”
…my concept of loyalty:
http://www.opaobie.com/promisekept.php
http://www.wintersoldier.com/
http://www.tstrs.com
I hope that little girl sees her daddy again and I hope all the children see their daddies again.
God Bless Our Soldiers and our Allies Serving in The Middle East.
@steve:
Feeling better now I hope.
Aye C, my jaw looks like I came out second best in a bar fight but there is very little pain. I am lucky like that, thanks for asking.
Tomorrow is another day, that is what Scarlet O’hara said.