Fathers and sons and war, another chapter in an age-old story
Sgt. Chris Head holds his 11-month-old son Wyatt after a send-off ceremony Tuesday afternoon at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville. Head's unit, the 802nd Ordnance Company of the U.S. Army Reserve, is being deployed today to Afghanistan. AJC photo by Hyosub Shin
I was struck by this photo on the front page of the AJC’s Metro section today and thought I’d post it here, just as a reminder. There’s an awful lot happening in that photo.
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337 comments Add your comment
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:01 pm
Great photo. Put politics aside for just a moment.
Brad Steel
November 18th, 2009
12:02 pm
A baby in camo. Another casualty. Very sad.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
November 18th, 2009
12:03 pm
What’s his mission?
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:07 pm
Brad Steel
November 18th, 2009
12:02 pm
Good grief, dude, get over yourself. I suppose you’d like to intervene and tell this guy how to dress and raise his son, right? Classic liberal.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:09 pm
Where is Normal when you need him?
MR. PRESIDENT, BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:09 pm
I Report
You Whine 
mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
November 18th, 2009
12:03 pm
Point well taken. While we’re still waiting on a decision about troop staffing, it would be nice to have a clearly defined mission and objective.
Boogers for the Children Fund
November 18th, 2009
12:10 pm
If the kenyan had fullfilled his promises and brought home the troops then this photo wouldnt exist.
@@
November 18th, 2009
12:11 pm
I see pride, curiosity and courage, jay. What father doesn’t look at their son and hope they are a chip off the old block? Someone who will carry on his legacy?
Wonderful photo…wonderful sentiment.
GOP is Gone
November 18th, 2009
12:12 pm
I was that child 4 times when my Major Dad left for either overseas deployment or war. It is a feeling of emptiness and longing with a large dose of fear thrown in. Being a Marine, he also had a arduous duty of being a Casualty Officer prior to his last Vietnam Tour in 1967, so I knew full well there was a good chance of never seeing him again. The picture is moving to say the least. For anyone who might be interested I wanted to share a website, http://www.anysoldier.com . You can go on it and request the addresses of a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan. They post on the site to let you know what they may need, be it warmer socks or just a letter from home. I just wish I had known about it sooner. You may never get a response but I hope the packages are a help and get where I sent them. I tend to choose Marines, but I am partial to them.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:12 pm
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:09 pm
The sad thing is that Private Obama declared Afghanistan to be the right war. If it’s the right war, then it should be staffed and funded accordingly. State the mission and objective. It seems as though the current administration is unwilling or incapable of doing so. If they continue to delay, then I believe the majority of Americans, including myself, will echo your plea.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:13 pm
GOP is Gone
November 18th, 2009
12:12 pm
Thanks for the link. We should all save it.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!
November 18th, 2009
12:14 pm
The queens of government regulation, high taxes and idiotic ideas takes another gigantic financial hit, go figure-
KKKalifornia budget shortfall to top $21 billion
Nasty Pelosi, indeed.
Boogers for the Children Fund
November 18th, 2009
12:19 pm
Dont forget Ms Maxine “Mean & NASTY” Waters.
Disgusted
November 18th, 2009
12:20 pm
Gee, for a minute there I thought I was looking at a picture of a younger Dick Cheney. Then I remembered. Nah. Six deferments.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:20 pm
Well JC,if the prez wont bring them,the least he could do is lift the ROE’s. Dang!
@@
November 18th, 2009
12:22 pm
For Paul if he should show up here.
I left you a post downstairs. You know, all too well, that I’ve always read your posts with a suspicious eye.
Nothing personal, mind you. It’s my nature in all things political.
GOP is Gone
November 18th, 2009
12:24 pm
Your welcome Jimmy. I have become an addict to it. I no longer get the stuff mailed and I out looking for more stuff. The hardest part is choosing the Soldier. I am trying to recruit knitters to make military friendly colored beanies right now. Anybody knit?
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:25 pm
Scooter @ 12:09, Thank you! I couldn’t have said it better, but it’s worth repeating…
MR. PRESIDENT, BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:29 pm
Great photo. Put politics aside for just a moment.
Agreed.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:29 pm
You’re welcome Normal!
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:30 pm
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:29 pm
I knew we could agree on something.
Quick! Peanut butter sandwiches. With or without jelly?
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:31 pm
JC, did you hear the interview on NPR about the Striker Vechicle in Afghanistan. I Iraq it worked as advertised mainly because the roads are paved there. In Afghanistan, it has become a sitting duck because it gets stuck too often.
We are using equiptment not made for that theater. Why? Simple really, because we have nothing else. If we can’t equip them, they don’t belong there. By the way, what we pay for a Striker is criminal concidering it’s only an urban vechicle.
Bring our troops home now!
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:31 pm
Peanut butter sandwiches. With or without jelly?
Jelly, of course. Welch’s Grape or some reasonable facsimile.
md
November 18th, 2009
12:33 pm
I’ve always maintained that our military is backwards. We need to be sending the over 50 crowd and leaving the boys at home to at least have a chance to experience life. I understand the physical constraints, but at least the older ones had a good 30+ years to enjoy themselves.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:34 pm
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:31 pm
Ditto the grape.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:36 pm
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:31 pm
No surprise there. I remember when the troops were having to rig their vehicles in Iraq to blunt the ieds. Sad but true. Most of our weaponry was made to support yet another European style theater.
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:36 pm
Only semi related, and not especially partisan…
but if you think we can just antiseptically take care of our problems in that region with unmanned drones and you haven’t yet read this New Yorker piece, you really should.
(Being a New Yorker article, it does go on for approximately forever, but it is worth the effort.)
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:36 pm
GOP, I’m with JC. Great site and a hellava lot more meaningful than a magnetic “Support The Troops” ribbon, isn’t it?
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:39 pm
md
November 18th, 2009
12:33 pm
md, I agree.
I know more tricks as an old dog than a young pup has had time to learn…guile and cunning overcomes youth and strength every time…
Paul
November 18th, 2009
12:40 pm
Death is a risk when wearing that uniform.
I’d imagine many of them are thinking “If it happens, may it be for something critical, for which there was no other option.”
I’m not convinced.
@@
You? Suspicious? Of little ole me?
ISH
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:40 pm
md
November 18th, 2009
12:33 pm
Alot of us over 50 crowd have beentheredonethat dude. No thanks!
Paul
November 18th, 2009
12:41 pm
md
The over-50 crowd? Just who do you think did WWII, Korea, Vietnam and all those little police actions?
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
12:43 pm
Normal
**a hellava lot more meaningful than a magnetic “Support The Troops” ribbon, isn’t it?**
I like to think that people who put those ribbons on their vehicle are also doing other things to support the troops. That seems pretty logical.
md
November 18th, 2009
12:45 pm
scooter,
Had it been reversed, you wouldn’t have beentheredonethat yet.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
12:45 pm
Paul
better crank up those numbers. I’m over fifty and I was born during the Korean War. Time passes fast. I was saved from going to nam when Nixon ended the war, so even the Viet Nam vets are edging into their 60s.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:46 pm
Hey Normal, I thought that was “oldage and treachery”!
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
November 18th, 2009
12:47 pm
We need to be sending the over 50 crowd and leaving the boys at home to at least have a chance to experience life.
Well, this is the silliest idea I ever seen. If you send the over 50 crowd you wouldn’t have nobody in Congress to declare war. Right now it’s alot easier to declare war because they know they don’t have to fight it. They can just send somebody else’s kid. Like I said, just silly.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:47 pm
SFD, I still stand by the Predator. The terrorists are themselves terrified by them. If mistakes are made sometimes, that is the fog of war. But it keeps them looking up scared. That is a good thing.
Keeping our troops out of harms way is a better thing.
Paul
November 18th, 2009
12:48 pm
NIF
And they’re all over 50!
Y’know, if we’re gonna send someone into a situation where they can die or get maimed, it seems to me we owe it to them to be able to say, in one or two sentenced, “this is why.”
I’m still waiting for those one or two sentences.
getalife
November 18th, 2009
12:50 pm
md,
NO.
Looks like Obama convinced Asia to buy more debt and will send more troops soon. Hillary is there but he is worried about the debt and double dip recession.
Normal
November 18th, 2009
12:50 pm
NIF,
“I like to think that people who put those ribbons on their vehicle are also doing other things to support the troops. That seems pretty logical.”
If you took a poll, I would be willing to bet that 75% or more who display that ribbon on their cars have done nothing but lip service for the troops.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:50 pm
md,
You have a point there. I think. ????
Brad Steel
November 18th, 2009
12:51 pm
“Classic liberal”
There’s your sign. (nod to G)
jconservative
November 18th, 2009
12:51 pm
Nothing Is Free
“I like to think that people who put those ribbons on their vehicle are also doing other things to support the troops. That seems pretty logical.”
I would like to believe the same thing, but my experience is that once they put that ribbon on their car they figure they have done their share.
Thousands put the ribbon on the car, dozens show up to support the troops in person, dozens contribute to military support causes.
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:53 pm
The terrorists are themselves terrified by them. If mistakes are made sometimes, that is the fog of war. But it keeps them looking up scared. That is a good thing.
Oh, don’t get me wrong–I didn’t cite that article to say that we should not use these drone aircraft; obviously it can do the job with ruthless efficiency. But it’s not antiseptic; the people who are on the piloting end of this process are not unaffected (it’s starting to look like they actually have MORE stress to deal with than actual bomber pilots, from anecdotal evidence I’ve seen/heard) and we are in uncharted territory as to how effective this will be as part of an overall effort that is supposed to be winning hearts and minds.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
12:54 pm
Paul
The problem with that idea is that all military has taken advantage of the indestructibility of youth. Old guys will look at the commander and say: What? You run across that field and let them shoot at you. I’m comfortable right hear behind this nice, big rock. Watch how many I can shoot from right here.
I learned how people are killed in battle while we were working on a very tall bridge. We had to cross a 600 foot drop on an old extension ladder that was tied to the scaffolding. None of us wanted to do it until the little short guy said: I’ll do it. We had to do it after the short guy said that he would.
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
12:55 pm
A sadly beautiful photo…..I wish Sgt Head and his comrades the very best and thank them for their service.
That said…
Mr. President bring our troops home!
and
I don’t approve of “cammo” on children. It’s always been on my list of
inappropriate clothing for my children. Each to their own tho….
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
12:56 pm
More troops with there hands tied behind thier backs wont do Jack Squat!
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
12:56 pm
Brad Steel
November 18th, 2009
12:51 pm
Hahahaha! Just can’t think for yourself, can you? Using the tired old ’sign’ drivel used by Mrs. G. As I said earlier, classic liberal.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
12:57 pm
jconservative
I don’t know of anyone who has those ribbons that doesn’t actually have a family member in action. That’s a pretty big sacrifice.
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
12:57 pm
It’s always been on my list of
inappropriate clothing for my children. Each to their own tho….
I figure if it helps this child bond with his dad, it’s a good thing.
Paul
November 18th, 2009
12:58 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
Good morning!
I could never understand it as a fashion statement for women, either. Or men, for that matter.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
12:58 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
**I don’t approve of “cammo” on children. It’s always been on my list of
inappropriate clothing for my children. Each to their own tho….**
How will they be able to hide when the liberals come to take them away?
getalife
November 18th, 2009
12:59 pm
Just saw this on CNN:
“Kabul, Nov. 18 : A minister in Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s cabinet has been accused of accepting roughly 30-million-dollar bribe to award the country’s largest development project to a Chinese mining firm, a US official has claimed.”
Yeah, I think Obama got money from China.
China wants their resources.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
1:00 pm
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
12:58 pm
HAHAHA! Good one.
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:00 pm
Nothing is Free
except your opinion, and we aren’t getting much value at that.
md
November 18th, 2009
1:02 pm
And many don’t approve of “tramp stamps” and b**b jobs, but down the road it will be very interesting at the local nursing homes when the 80 year olds stand at attention as they try to read each others sagging tattoos.
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:03 pm
md
the first was also on my list, the other based on genetics not required.
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
1:03 pm
the 80 year olds stand at attention
if they’re lucky and the Viagra don’t kill ‘em.
Normal
November 18th, 2009
1:04 pm
SFD, I hear that “Winning their hearts and minds” tripe all the time, but that is politic speak. You are not going to win anything over there but misery, because they have memories too long. They don’t trust us and never will. We don’t see eye to eye on anything and never will, as far as I can see. Keep them bottled up and let them handle their own affairs.
As to the Predator pilots, you are right. It’s not like WWII when B-17s dropped bombs. The B-17 crew didn’t see the damage done. The Predator pilot sees his mistakes. When that happens, remove that pilot to another job and begin therapy. It’s all we can do.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
1:05 pm
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
1:03 pm
No, no, no. The Viagra HELPS them stand at attention.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
1:05 pm
DB
IMHO, winning hearts and minds wont help over there.Thier people have no sayso at all.
Doggone/GA
November 18th, 2009
1:05 pm
“If you took a poll, I would be willing to bet that 75% or more who display that ribbon on their cars have done nothing but lip service for the troops”
And I’d bet if you polled those, the majority of them would think some of the money they forked over for those ribbons goes to the troops, somehow.
AmVet
November 18th, 2009
1:05 pm
George Bush II sends tens of thousands of more troops to Afghanistan and the conned are still not appeased.
It is only meaningful to them if he man who does so has an R after his name.
Up until Jan. 21, 2009 I can assure you NONE, as in NOT A SINGLE ONE of the neo-cons here had any issues whatsoever with the prosecution of the so-called war in Afghanistan.
Show me one post prior to then countermanding this claim. Just ONE post. It does not exist.
But as usual given the chance, come January 22, they show their true Party First colors.
To the revulsion of the reasoned and reasonable people who see through their faketriotism.
And I suppose Normal is correct about the bumper sticker ribbon crowd.
By and large, the disinterested, uninvolved, intentionally uninformed, never-served, never-will, loving their vicarious bloodlust and violence and their incessant neo-con chest-pounding disguised as Support the Troops.
I saw through that cr^p thirty five years ago and still do…
Paul
November 18th, 2009
1:06 pm
sfd
Viagra? I don’t think that’s what md meant by ’standing at attention.’
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
1:06 pm
md
They can hide the tramp stamps. It’s the arms completely covered and the huge tribal tatts on their necks that I wonder about.
Mrs. Godzilla.
lighten up. We never had to put cammo on the kids. We just had a secret room in the basement to hide them from the liberals. Worked pretty well.
Greg
November 18th, 2009
1:06 pm
Palin/Prejean 2012. They’ll bring our boys home. Maybe entertain them in the White House.
Normal
November 18th, 2009
1:07 pm
NIF: “How will they be able to hide when the liberals come to take them away?”
Smile when you say tha5t, pard…
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
1:07 pm
Guys, “hearts and minds” is cynical shorthand; I am well aware of the bloody history behind the use of that particular phrase.
But we can all agree that there is a mission for the State Department as well as for the DoD in the region, at least, yes?
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:08 pm
Nothing is Free
Punkin – I am MS. Sweetness and light, but no pushover.
Our kids never had to hide from conservatives – they always had the ovaries to face them!
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
1:09 pm
AmVet
I’m not sure that anyone is hell bent on staying in that theatre. I would just as soon send in special forces and bring home the regular Army.
But we need a decision. Support them or bring them home.
Bosch
November 18th, 2009
1:10 pm
Well damn. What a great photo.
I always get verklempt when I see the soldiers at Hartsfield.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
1:11 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:08 pm
They probably wanted to marry conservatives since they are independent and self supporting.
Paul
November 18th, 2009
1:11 pm
sfd
My opinion, State keeping hands off and not wanting to get involved was one of the reasons we had the post-Saddam fiasco in Iraq. And problems in Afg. They aren’t real big on nation building.
Normal
November 18th, 2009
1:11 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:08 pm
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
1:11 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:08 pm
I know my previous post is going to rile you.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
1:12 pm
Greg
**They’ll bring our boys home. Maybe entertain them in the White House.**
Nothing sexist about that. After all, both women are conservatives, so no respect is required.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
1:14 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
**they always had the ovaries to face them!**
Yeesh!! You win.
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:14 pm
PATTI
Nope…..they managed first to support themselves and then be partners
to their spouses. Way I was raised too…..
‘Course #1 married a much better cook. The heaven that is my son in laws’ ravioli with vodka sauce! Makes his own pasta and shoots 18 in the low 70’s.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
1:15 pm
Normal
I WAS smiling.
So where do you get those little faces?
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:15 pm
NIF
No doubt.
Greg
November 18th, 2009
1:16 pm
I really mean it, Nothing Is Free. I want Palin and Prejean to be the President and Vice President. No disrespect intended. I believe they would be great. They have a lot of common sense, which is needed.
Bosch
November 18th, 2009
1:16 pm
NIF,
“So where do you get those little faces?”
From the little face store.
stands for decibels
November 18th, 2009
1:16 pm
One other thought and then I really do have to make like a tree and get out of here.
The Predator pilot sees his mistakes.
Yes. Not only do they see their mistakes, they also may have a good long time to see the people they’re going to kill. Obviously, this is something shared by warriors in other realms of combat, but not (generally) bomber pilots.
And as one expert in the field put it, the drone pilot finishes the shift, then goes home and maybe gets yelled at for being late for a kid’s soccer game… Taking into account this kind of cognitive dissonance, I’m not saying it’s worse, or more profound, than other types of PTSD, just that it, too, is uncharted territory.
Later, all.
Nothing Is Free
November 18th, 2009
1:17 pm
Mrs. Godzilla
**The heaven that is my son in laws’ ravioli with vodka sauce! Makes his own pasta and shoots 18 in the low 70’s.**
That ain’t nuthin’. I can shoot 70 in the first nine.
Common Sense
November 18th, 2009
1:21 pm
To Brad Steel @ 12:02 :
Like so many others on these posts, you are kept by better men than yourself.
Brad Steel
November 18th, 2009
1:22 pm
jimmy carter,
“classic liberal” now THAT is original name call’n. you should add bed-wetting or bleeding-heart to add to your originally.
as for yourself, douchebag definitely fits best.
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
1:22 pm
“Karl Rove memoir coming in March”
This is sure to get the libs frothing at the mouth.
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:22 pm
One more thought on this….
My pop (doing well by the way) did his service before my brothers were born and it was his wish for them, as it is for his grandchildren,
that they never have to do what he did.
You ladies and gentlemen who have served in combat – is that what you wish for your younglings?
Doggone/GA
November 18th, 2009
1:22 pm
“winning hearts and minds” primarily means one important thing: our soldiers will only have the insurgents trying to kill them…not the whole damn population
Jimmy Carter
November 18th, 2009
1:22 pm
Brad Steel
November 18th, 2009
1:22 pm
Is that the best you got? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Again, classic liberal.
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:25 pm
Classic…..actually that’s a compliment.
Classic beef wellington, classic Mustang, reading the classics, classical music….
Mrs. Godzilla
November 18th, 2009
1:26 pm
ordinary conservative….now that’s not so complimentary
Normal
November 18th, 2009
1:28 pm
NIF: Here…
http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Smilies
AmVet
November 18th, 2009
1:28 pm
NIF at 1:09, well said. My view is the same as it was six years ago.
Bush did a helluva thing by killing a boatload of those Taliban slimeballs. And I publicly cheered him on.
But then the neo-cons made an enormous mistake.
They stayed there. The same as in that botched invasion and occupation in Iraq.
Smoke ‘em and leave. Repeat as necessary.
Those people are not worth one more American life. Not one.
When the equation changes from 80% of the fight being taken to the thugs and murderers by the local people and 20% by the US military – and NOT the other way around like it is now – I can get behind that.
But we all know it’s never gonna happen.
And besides what would happen to the profits of BlackWater, Lockheed, DynCorp and KBR ad infinitum, ad nauseum and their 100,000 people in Iraq alone?
That is the MOST important part of this equation, is it not?
Who else is gonna pay to keep their lackeys and servants in office in Washington?
Bosch
November 18th, 2009
1:29 pm
Mrs. G.,
Glad to hear your Pop is doing better!
Common Sense
November 18th, 2009
1:30 pm
To Mrs. Godzilla:
No. Not if that means giving up freedom. Peace is never acceptable if all it means is the “absence of war” without freedom.
Kamchak
November 18th, 2009
1:30 pm
They have a lot of common sense, which is needed.
Good sense is never common.
Scooter
November 18th, 2009
1:30 pm
That ain’t nuthin’. I can shoot 70 in the first nine.
That ain’t nuthin either! I can shoot 70 at the 19th.
Normal
November 18th, 2009
1:30 pm
Mrs. G. “You ladies and gentlemen who have served in combat – is that what you wish for your younglings?”
Absolutely NOT!