Abu Muqawama retains its autonomy and the views and beliefs expressed within the blog do not reflect those of CNAS.
This may seem a little incongruous today given the terrible news out of Texas. But as our hearts go out to the families of the victims there, maybe this can serve as an antidote to the tragedy for the rest of us. Because this little girl is about to give a report to her fourth-grade class on her father, who she thinks is still serving in Iraq. And I'm not going to lie, gang, you'll want to keep a box of tissues handy for this one... (h/t AS)
EMBED-Tricked On Halloween - Watch more free videos
Damn dirt in my eyes.
ur a real jerk... I watched this in front of people. Men aren't supposed to cry in public!
This little girl's face really tells us all how much KIDS carry on behalf of military service. So brave and proud one moment, then purely human in the safety of her dad's arms. Thanks for the reminder. The whole country needs reminding.
I'm sorry...but I'm going to have to disagree with everyone...I would NEVER do that to my child or allow my husband "surprise" my son like that. Take your child to met their parent at the green ramp like everybody else. The countdown and anticipation to a spouse or parent returning helps make the transition so much easier. Shock isn't an appropriate response to seeing a parent again. It should be of happy anticipation and giddy excitement watching your husband or dad walk off that plane. I had a girlfriend whose SF husband wanted to "surprise" her by coming home in the middle of the night. She felt his presence at the foot of their bed and she immediately went for the Glock in the nightstand. NOT the way you want to surprise the wife to have to wrestle her to the floor and get the weapon out of her hand because she didn't really believe it was you...don't do the equivalent to a child...sorry...bad idea.
I will beat you for this Ex. On several levels. This destroyed me. Bastard. I hate crying.
@ Mernah
Pretty sure that cute little girl didn't have a gun on her.
I don't have the heart to even look.
Sorry...still going to stick to my guns (no pun intended to my earlier post) on this. I totally get the emotion, but I disagree with shocking your child with your return. I've called some of my fellow SF wives about this video...and they all agree with me, do the green ramp. Transitions are very difficult for kids and especially spouses. Reunions should be private, in the corner of the hanger, away from the eyes of peers, not with everyone watching with a camera in your face to boot...sorry....bad idea...makes for great voyeuristic moments though.
So now we're supposed to buy into your COIN dogma?
I'll second the comments about not surprising your kid with something like this. My oldest son is 10, and I know he gets very worried when I'm away; he doesn't show it but you can tell. And I think it's clear from this video how much worry and concern this girl has bottled up inside her for her Dad, which she doesn't want to show around the class room either.
And it all came pouring out right there.
You Are A Fucking Idiot
You are trying to sell McChrytal's Plan and you are playing videos of a 10-year-old-girl
You are clearly insane and anybody who has ever been involved with you is heading for the escape hatches
Are you fucking kidding me?
My Grandfather died flying missions over the Hump and you think this shit is funny.
WHAT THE FUCK is WRONG WITH YOU?
Dodge all you like.
I have a contract on your pain. I'm going to start selling it publicly.
Starting price. You Bid, Douche.
Does anybody have any idea what the last two comments were about?
@ Schmedlap,
I laughed pretty hard when I had to struggle to imagine what type of person would pound and smash away at their keyboard with such intense, unguided vitriol.
"I have a contract on your pain" = ???
Johnny Rico and his double JR have AM's pain-contract. That pro-Hamas Zionist SOB who uses touching footage of a girl and her dad to make America swoon over General McChrystal is an insane douche because of JR's hump and his lovely lady lumps, and I am heading for the escape hatches before someone sells my pain, too. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THAT FUNNY SHIT?
Hi there. Army spouse here, nearing the end of my husband's first deployment of our marriage. Is there any further context available to this link? I understand other commenters' concerns about the "right way" to do redeployment reintegration, but sometimes things in the Army don't exactly go as planned (heh) and schedules change and so on. It's entirely possible Dad got home earlier or at a different time than expected, and in that case, going with the "surprise" reunion seems to me more acceptable.
Heck, I don't think it's unacceptable even if this wasn't the case. As long as you know your kid, have a sense of what they're comfortable with, and consider that when planning the surprise -- why should someone who *doesn't* know anything about any of that judge you?
Having worked with children for a while, would like to second the point that tghis is not a recomended way of reintroducing your kid to your self. If you fall out, say 5 years later, memories like that can be problematic. Do it quietly, out of respect for the child.
But I cried too. Its a very powerful video.
It's the parents decision, and they know more about it than we do. Now *if* I was asked..no..tell the kid. But I wasn't.
@ Mandy..."Things in the Army don't go exactly as planned."
Ahem. The 1/34 BCT or at least the NJ NG 160 strong contingent was informed of their extension by...their wives, who were told by the FRG several hours before they were....and we were short at 5 weeks.
HAH!! Really funny joke!! Which I hope no one else ever hears, really. Even if they piss me off.
Now it's entirely possible this guys luck went the other way. Good for him.
@ Contract on your pain. DUDE. Either put it down and turn off the PC, go for a walk. OR go see the doc.
This gets better. Apparently that's a real medical term from Pain Management specialists.
Bad for AM. He'll have to get his meds from a Doctor who clearly doesn't like him.
"I have a contract on your pain."
What movie is that from? If it's not from a movie, it should be. That would be great line in a Dirty Harry flick.
I agree with mernah. This father, whose service I commend, should have spoken with a child psychiatrist before doing this. I'm not a child psychiatrist, but I think that if this had happened to me as a child, I would remember it is as traumatic, not happy. Think about the trust issues involved: For whatever period of time this man knew he was coming home, he lied to his daughter, preserving the anxiety she must feel about her father being deployed. If she doesn't feel manipulated now, she might feel that way later in life when she develops the emotional intelligence to realize that, on some level, her father's actions displayed a lack of consideration for her feelings.
Aw, man. That was tough to watch. Adorable child. She obviously missed her dad and was terribly worried about him. :(
1. Touching.
2. People are thinking about this way too much.
3. Caring has to be enough.
4. None of the 'expert' courses of action turn out to be very useful.
V/R JWest
Add your comment