Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum was ordered to Iraq in July. His four-year-old daughter Paige had a hard time letting go, so much that she held onto his hand in formation. No one, including the commanding officer, had the heart to pull her away. The picture of the incident, taken by Paige’s mother, has gone viral and touched people all over the country. Link -via Buzzfeed
(image credit: Abby Bennethum)
felixthecat
Sad, really. And she’ll grow-up to fight in the same pointless war, the war that has no end.
Eric Plourde
Ouch. My usually insensatez heart has been rendered asunder by this oustanding picture.
Aucan
Truly sad. The worst thing is what he died for… And other really sad thing is that you dont see pictures of people crying for foreign deads, do you? For every american death there is 100 non americans deaths… and they are all humans, even when they speak other languages and pray for other gods.
forcryeye
UH, Aucan…he isn’t dead. This is a touching photo, thank you for sharing it with us.
mutterhals
Jesus, that’s awful. I won’t turn this into some political thing, but I think it’s simplistic to be anti-war, that’s like being anti-death. These things are awful, but they are a part of life. It’s a shame this kid has to learn about the cruelty of life at such a young age.
ted
Shopped!
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Actually, this is a pretty good example of not having good control over your kid.
Jebediah
Ted – or it’s an example of having a heart and not tearing your 4 year old away from her daddy.
Zim
Well, they got torn apart eventually, unless she is in Iraq right now. And wether he is dead or not is sort of besides the point, which is that many children have experienced great sorrow and loss due to this stupid “war” in Iraq. Orphans born from lies.
Anonym
Family should come before someone’s country. If he cared about his daughter that much, he shouldn’t be putting himself at risk of death.
Aucan
Yep, i misunderstood… but it doesn’t change the meaning of what i said…
Kalel
That checked dress and blonde ponytail are really going to stand out in Afghanistan.
dashon
guys, this isn’t reddit. edit yourselves a little with the gallows humor.
HollywoodBob
Defending freedom!
…for mega corporations to make billions.
GO USA!!
G
Cute picture! I think it shows a compassionate family oriented side in the military rather than a picture for war commentary. It is just a picture of a really cute little girl not wanting to say goodbye. As my daughter does sometimes during business trips, clinging on, being extra cute, not wanting to let go. It’s always hard to be apart from family no matter what job you have. Those partings and reunions are so emotional though.
I will say when we were separated in 2003 with the Marines, all we had were handwritten letters. Now there’s webcams, email, phone access, instant updates…you actually know where your friends and family are overseas. And the hygiene situation, far superior than before, ha. But still, I hope they all come home safe.
ted
Jebediah:
So all the other parents are heartless because they said their goodbyes to their children at an appropriate time?
Kalel
I had hoped my comment was subtle enough, but lest it be dismissed as mere bad humor, let me clarify:
That child won’t be in Afghanistan, but others will be.
dutchboy
I could lay into some people here but this is Neatorama -No Controversy
Elagie
My son will be returning from Iraq soon, though he will have another tour of duty to go before he gets out of the military. He enlisted specifically because he felt that he wanted to help in some way to help the everyday men, women and children Iraq find some sort of normalcy in which to live. We should not have gone to war there, IMHO, but having done so, we owe them to help rebuild their country and their lives. The families of soldiers live with a pain, fear and worry in their hearts — but truly probably no more so than the families of police or fire fighters. But they do what must be done. Still and all, I think, however heartbreaking, the daughter in the picture should have said her goodbyes and been comforted without putting her father (and all the others who left children behind) through even futher hell.
heather
That’s so sad. I hope that little girl gets to hold her father’s hand again.
sefa
There are rules, and there are rules; not even the commanding officer would take action against this little girl.
If this image can’t get through to the hearts and thus minds of this site’s commentors… sigh, we’re lost.
mindpimp
Well, that’s going to mess her up good and proper; he’ll die in yet another american invasion and all his relatives (his daughter included) will wish they’d not let him go.
Geekazoid
Very sad. I find it sad because a little girl is going to be separated from her father, not for something that is worth fighting and dying for. 8 years already and nothing to show for it but lives lost and families broken and destroyed, on both sides of the globe. To think this man and others like him face risk for hubris.
legatoistheman
I know this person. He was supposed to deploy to Iraq with my unit the 925th Postal back in 2005 but he couldn’t because of a back or leg injury. We did a short two week training at Fort Indiantown Gap. In fact we were even at Fort Dix already doing pre mobilization training when he went home. I wonder how I can contact him to say hi. If you see this Bennethum my last name is Beshara. Hope that rings a bell.
Patriot 1 of many
It is a shame that such a large number of people don’t know the truth about our history or our current events. The truth is there for all who are willing to see it. We are the most non-agressive, non-imperialistic super-power the world has ever known. We were founded on godly principles of individual rights and the responsibilities that go with them. I thank God for those who are willing to lay their lives on the lines to defend the rest of us.
Concerned Citizen
I’m sure that most of you out there cursing the war and naively claiming Sadam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction (though it has been repeatedly proven otherwise) are the same ones that think we should do nothing to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons–and the same ones who before WWII would have insisted that we leave Hitler alone and mind our own business. May God have mercy on us all–and open the eyes of all who are willing to see.
Supai
I don’t usually cry at this sort of thing, but actual tears fell for this one. How do you explain to a four year old what is going on? I am 12 times her age and don’t understand why the hell we are over there. I just pray to the powers that be that her daddy comes home again. So many on either side of this have not. Yet even if he does, the scars of his leaving will run deep. Poor little child.
Kathy
All of you negative, war-bashing, Bush-bashing, everything-and-everyone-bashing people REALLY need to remember that it is men (and women) like the ones depicted in this picture that have GUARANTEED you the right to say what you want to say, the right to speak out against your government without fear of retribution, and sadly, the right to be ignorant about the facts and realities of life. War is necessary, it is awful and horrible and lives are lost, but it is a necessary part of life and always has been. So next time you want to complain about your President, your government, a recent past President, etc., just remember if it weren’t for war and men and women willing to lay their lives down for you, you would not have the right to speak your mind!!
A
“How do you explain to a four year old what is going on?”
The same way you explain to your 4 year old why soldiers from another country are in your country and killing your relatives.
Aucan
Kathy’s words: “next time you want to complain about your President, your government, a recent past President, etc., just remember if it weren’t for war and men and women willing to lay their lives down for you, you would not have the right to speak your mind” My god, they have done their brain washing work very well, i have to say… you really believe that killing huge amount of people abroad gives you freedom of speech? it gives you lots of money and oil for your hummers to work, thats for sure…
Miss Cellania
Before this goes any further, I want to remind you of Neatorama’s policy of no personal attacks in the comments. No name calling. However, you can go at it against something that someone had SAID here.
Shurik
OMG, Kathy, go diaf. People like you enable misery on a global scale through your god damned ignorance.
Larfin Jackarse
Ohhh this could get interesting. Wait while I get my popcorn.
Geekazoid
Indeed it is sad to see the usual mantra repeated here, of how people should be grateful because these troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are somehow allowing us to have our ‘freedoms’ in America.
I appreciate the military, being a former military myself. But I find it absolutely irrelevant what troops doing in the central asia theater of operations have to do with our personal freedoms and liberties in the U.S. 8 years wasted. EIGHT years! This is beyond ridiculous.
If it were a war worth fighting for, that DIRECTLY affected our freedoms, then yes, I am for it. But to waste 8 years and billions of dollars thousands of miles away when our own citizens cannot keep a house over their heads or food to feed their kids, is the height of absurdity.
Osama Bin Laden was killed long ago. Those who directly harbored him are no longer relevant. That is why I cry for this girl and others whose lives are torn for nothing but hubris and imperialist ambitions.
legatoistheman
To the people who don’t believe in the war and don’t think we should be over there, as someone who was over there I agree. But whether you agree or not the troops should be supported because there are a lot of people who don’t want to be over there and are fulfilling their obligation.
Dev
I’m 18 years old and I Know if this was me and my daughter I’d be so heartbroken that it had to happen this way , and that everyone is making it into some big fight about politics , seriously people when did the love of a family member become something we talk about when we talk about politics , Seriously this picture shows one thing : The love a 4 YEAR OLD GIRL has for her Daddy … that is it , stop trying to put fact into something that doesn’t need more explaining , The picture is worth more then a thousand words here people …
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