Posted: 4/9/03

6 weeks after sonís birth, dad goes to war

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Andrew Benoit was only six weeks old when his dad, Army Sgt. Dustin Benoit went off to war. Almost daily, Summer Benoit, Dustinís wife and Andrewís mom, replays a home phone message left by Dustin so the baby can hear his dadís voice.

Itís one of the small ways that this Wyoming woman is coping with the absence of her husband and Andrewís father who is now serving in the war against Iraq.

ìThe last we heard they were somewhere in southern Iraq,î Summer Benoit said of the letter that came from Dustin late last month.

ìIt was pretty general,î she said of his words home. ìThey were trying to sleep as much as they can.î

Sgt. Dustin Benoit is with the Army Reserve 13th Psychological Operations Battalion from Arden Hills. His unit was activated on Jan. 2 and left for Kuwait on March 20, the day after the war against Iraq commenced.

Benoitís activation notice came three days after little Andrew was born on Dec. 30, 2002. Six weeks later on Feb. 14, Benoit and the 120 members of his battalion were sent to Fort Bragg, NC, to prepare for deployment in the Middle East.

Sgt. Benoit, 27, has spent 10 years in the Army Reserves. He is a 1994 graduate of Coon Rapids High School and joined the Army while still in high school.

What her husband is doing in the war operation is a bit of a mystery to Summer.

ìTo this day I still donít know what he really does,î she said.

Much of the psychological operations detail of the Army Reserve battalion is classified, she said, and spouses are often kept in the dark. It is likely, she said, her husband may be involved with prisoner of war control or the various psychological operations that are on-going in the conflict with Iraq.

Met in military

The trials of a reservist is not something new for Summer Benoit, a 1993 Forest Lake High School graduate. She met her husband-to-be while serving in the Army Reserves.

She spent eight years in all in the Reserves before leaving the service in 2001. Summer and Dustin have known each other for about 10 years and started dating some three years before their marriage on April 29, 2000.

They bought a house in Wyoming and Dustin has spent the past two years as a volunteer with the Wyoming Fire Department.

When the war is over, Dustin expects to resume his roofing business and may continue his college education with a goal of working in law enforcement, his wife said.

Summerís military experience taught her to expect the activation notice for Dustin but when it came, it was a shock. With the notice coming just three days after Andrewís birth, it was even more of a jolt, she said.

ìThat was pretty shocking,î she said. ìItís always the ultimate (duty) when you are in the Reserves.î

Benoit said the call to active duty is something that all military families come to accept and respect.

ìHeís very patriotic,î she said of her husband. ìHe joined first and foremost to serve his country. Itís so neat to be married to someone like that. It makes me feel very proud to say heís my husband.î

Making adjustments

Summer Benoit has been forced to make adjustments in her life since Feb. 14 when Dustin left for North Carolina.

After taking a maternity leave, she is now back at work part-time with US Filter in Roseville spending 25 hours a week in customer service. Her job, caring for Andrew and taking care of the household duties on her own is more than enough to fill her days, she says.

The constant bombardment of news from the war is not a constant for this woman. Far from it. She watches only the 10 p.m. news on television for updates on the war.

ìI try not to watch the news,î she says. ìI canít. I would go absolutely crazy not knowing what is really going on.î

She understands that Dustin may be gone for some time, but she takes his absence on a daily basis, thinking of him as being on a long hunting or fishing trip.

Living in a newly constructed home has taken away some of the maintenance woes she might otherwise face. Neighbors and family are at her side, too.

Neighbors have helped clear snow from the driveway in the late winter and others have volunteered to help with grass duty and other outside chores this spring and summer.

Her mom, Pam Lorey, lives in Forest Lake, and Dustinís parents, Mike and Shari Benoit, are close by in Coon Rapids.

Summer is part of a Reserve Unit support group in Arden Hills and has met with Colleen Dettmer of Forest Lake whose husband, Bob, and two sons are in the military and part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Bob Dettmer, a teacher and coach activated in November of 2001, is at Camp Doha in Kuwait with a military intelligence unit. He was an early mentor as a teacher and a wrestling coach where Summer was team statistician her senior year in high school, she said.

ìItís hard with the baby but Iím glad Dustin was here for the birth and the first six weeks. Mainly Iím trying to be strong for Andrew and our family.î

Having family and good friends close by is of comfort, she says. The two family hunting dogs, Maximus and Maggie, are constant companions. Every night, Summer says, Max waits by the stairs for Dustin to walk through the door.

ìThey sleep on the bed with me,î she said of the two hounds. ìThey are very good guard dogs.î

Background helps

Summer Benoit believes she is coping in large part to her own military background. As a former Reservist, she says she understands much of what a military family must endure.

Eight years in the Army Reserves did much to help her mature into adulthood, she said. She is drawing on that experience today and believes it would be of help to everyone.

After high school, she spent part of a year at St. Cloud State before moving on. She joined the Army Reserves and learned much about life, she said.

ìI wouldnít change a thing,î she said. ìI learned so much about myself.

ìEvery kid who graduates from high school should get on a bus and head for boot camp. I just grew up. Basic training whipped me into shape and made me a stronger person.î

She is stronger today, she says, but like Max the golden lab, she waits for the day when Dustin will walk through the door at home.

Friends of Dustin and Summer Benoit may write to Dustin at: SGT Benoit Dustin P., Theater Support Command, ATTN/80th MP BDE/13th POB, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, APO AE 09366.

Top of Page