My guess is Warren is like the Norman Thayer character played by Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond. Deep down he is probably a really nice guy, albeit a little old fashioned in his thinking. Let's all give him a blogger's group hug.

I can not believe this person saying that women with tattoos are trashy. Does that make men that have tattoo's trashy as well? I think not. As a military wife, and a "trashy tattooed woman" I am apauled that someone would think this. People get tatoo's for various reasons, some to show their individuality others to commemorate things, events or people in our lives. I have a tattoo that meant something to my friend and I, one to show how proud I am to be my dad's daughter, another to symbolize graduating high school and one that is for something that I think is beautiful. But if you walked up to me right now and started a conversation with me, you would never know they were there. Would you still think I was trashy then? This is not the 1950's when women were not as independant as we are now. This is 2008 and whether you like it or not most women are getting tattoo's. I hope one day your daughter, or it sounds like I should say granddaughter comes home with a tattoo of something that is important to her. Would you tell her she is trashy and will always be trashy because of that? Step down from that pedastool because you don't belong on it.

"a woman wish tattoos conveys the message that she is a tramp and intends to stay that way all the days of her life."

I would like to take this moment to thank the legions of tramps across the world. Maybe Warren would be a bit more even tempered if his gal went out and got inked?

As a member of a very conservative Baptist church which definitely teaches modesty I find the hot pink shoes in the homecoming photo to be . . . Cute and fun!!!

Maybe it's because I missed the movie and show "Sex and the City" but I totally miss the subliminals that everyone else seems to be getting from the shoes. I see a cute wife waiting for her third class sailor to appear on the dock. She may have only paid $20 for the shoes, but I can't see well enough to read the tag she inadvertantly left on them.

Personally, I don't like tattoos on either gender, but we have gals in our church who have them and no one tells them to get them removed.

I would call this a non-issue, except that perhaps Mr. Facun should get an award for the photo. Sincerely, Mary G. Martin

Do you live in a bubble?

Wow, another gross judgmental reaction to absolutely nothing of any consequence. I'll be sure to think of myself that way from here on out and let all my friends in their 40's, 50's and 60's know that because they have a little ink on their bodies they are tramps too. Warren's world must be closing in on him, what with all the tramps out there of all ages and walks of life having a little ink.

A tattoo does not equal tramp in any way shape or form. Yes, some tramps have tattoos, but the two are not synonymous. I have been married 28 years, have two grown children and decided to get a couple of small tattoos when I was in my early 30's. They are tasteful and in areas that are not easily viewed by the public (unless I want them seen). Does having a bit of ink make this otherwise respectable 44 year old wife and mother a tramp? I don't think so.

In the picture, the woman appears to have a tattoo on her left ankle.

I agree with the writer. Forgive me for my old fashioned attitude but, to me, a woman wish tattoos conveys the message that she is a tramp and intends to stay that way all the days of her life.

I thought the shoe picture was outstanding. It did appear to be more of a "Neon Pink" as opposed to a "Hot Pink" It looked better on the front page of the paper than online. It deserved to be the featured photo, in my opinion...Nothing wrong with a gal dressed to impress. Her sailor is a lucky guy! My dad is a retired Naval Officer..I was born nine months to the day he returned from a Wespac cruise. My brother was born 9 months & 1 day after Dad's return from a Med cruise..I have no idea what color shoes my mom wore to meet him at the pier....lol

Over my 27 year career in the U.S. Navy and completing anywhere from 7-14 month deployments (a total of eleven)...the last thing I wanted to see was my bride of 23 years wearing would've been her wearing Marge Simpson clothing.
What would you rather have? A pair of rubber boots, 3 pairs of workout clothes...anything similar to that worn by a female combination of Don Knotts and Mrs. Kravitz? Over the chest waders/flannel shirt and a wool cap?
My bride/wife and I knew to ensure someone was going to watch our children before we reaquainted ourselves over a three or four day weekend.
Spouses are not the backbone of the military. They are important, but they are not the backbone of the military...regardless of what bumper sticker anyone may have on their vehicle.

The "real backbone" of the military would be the junior enlisted men and women.

Note - they're not kids nor are they children.

JulieAnn has the right to give her opinion, and I have mine. As a retired navyman (22 years), I have had the opportunity to see my wife on the pier dressed up beautifully for me with our two young children holding both hands. She dressed up for me and am so proud of her and the kids. The photo taken by Rich-Joseph Facun is not intended to deface nor to humiliate the wife of the returning sailor. It was in good taste and my wife even approved the picture. Can you imagine Mrs. JulieAnn writing Victoria Secrets, JC Penney, Sears, Macy's, Dillard, and so on with women wearing underwear and brassiere, to take them off the advertisement sections of Virginian Pilot?

As soon as I saw the unique angled photo of the return of the USS Truman, my memory took me back to a day 'many' years ago when I too waited on the pier for my sailor (my husband & lover)to be home after seven months away from me. I remembered the feelings as a young Navy wife, that may also have been felt by the young woman in those pink shoes, of anticipation, trepidation, love and relief. In those days we only had letters & tapes to communicate with our loved ones serving the country at sea. It is very difficult, with a time lag of weeks, to really express yourself and expect to have your sailor to also find time in the 24 hr workday to express his feelings accurately. So you dress up to meet him in your prettiest outfit and you might choose something pink since it is the color of love. However, you still worry that the relationship may have changed while his attention was on his job, and he was living a life that is so different from what you know and understand. You hope that when he sees you in that outfit that all that has happened during the deployment would be blown away by the winds and he will only have eyes for you - waiting for him --in new pink shoes.

From an artistic viewpoint it is an excellent photo. I'll go so far as to say I wish I had taken it. As a 20 year veteran of more depolyments than I care to think of, I think it legitimately reflects an important part of the homecoming experience.

That said, not being a military wife it is not my place to say what is or is not an appropriate response to the photo by one who is. Mrs. Smith was disturbed by it enough to write a letter and express her views. She did so in a thoughtful manner, and even made suggestions as to what she felt might be a more appropriate front page photo. JulieAnn is just one of us. Not the mayor or a public servant with whom we have public interest. She does not deserve the snide comments. Whose business is it what place she is in right now? Anyone who disagrees with her should be lady or gentleman enough to do so in a civil manner. There are more appropriate issues and people vent anger toward other than our neighbor. Civil disagreement between people of good will is sorely lacking in this forum.

I thought the "pink shoes" pix was an outstanding work of art. The only improvement I would have made was to take the price tag off the sole.

I am truly impressed by the artistry of some of the Pilot's photos; I could imagine a Navy wife who got "dolled-up" to meet her man at the port. Beautiful imagery.

Keep up the great work, people!

As I looked at that picture over my first cup of coffee, I thought “this is a neat picture, but someone who looks for new reasons to be offended will take issue.” I suppose there would be reasons to be offended if the Pilot ran a picture of a hooker – I’m sorry JulieAnn, a ‘Sex Care Provider’ - in clear heels waiting at the pier with the news caption “Fleet’s In!”, but this photo, at least for me, is a subtle and unique portrayal of the joy a wife is experiencing over the arrival of her husband.

I can't imagine that the staff of the Virginian Pilot thought, "Hey, the Truman Strike Group is back! Let's insult the Navy wives!" I firmly believe that the husband in question would rather his wife showed up to greet him in those heels than a clunky pair of comfortable shoes. I hope you give your students more journalistic expression than you are willing to give to the Virginian Pilot.

I have to disagree with your assessment of the photo. Having stood pier-side myself I could almost feel Candice Knilans anticipation and anxiousness while waiting to see her husband after 7 months. She probably planned her outfit for days prior to the homecoming, wanting to look her best for her husband. I can imagine a pretty sundress or shorts set that matched those pink shoes out of the camera shot. I saw nothing “cheap or trashy” about her shoes. Perhaps her shoes were inexpensive (her husband is a third class after all) so what, that does not make her “cheap” for wearing them.

I remember how outraged I felt with Cyndi Lauper's song, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" because at the time I felt it diminished women. It didn't! I am guessing your disdain for the pink shoes is sort of similar. I have to disagree with you though. I think the shoes are sassy and fun and this young woman appears to simply be letting her man and everyone else know that she is happy he is back and good times are about to begin. What's the big deal? If people need to be blatently told how challenging the role of military spouse and mother is, they are not really sensitive enough to hang with. And remember, Sex and the City has just opened. It's okay for women/ladies to be a little more overt in their sexuality, isn't it?

When I saw the photo of the shoes (and the little girl in the sailor dress) I thought, here we go again-VA Pilot photographers are totally kicking butt again.
These folks have clicked off some of the most memorable, innovative pictures ever taken at our home ports.
These artists deserve champagne and ribbons not retributions.

In the space of less than two weeks, the Pilot has had two of the finest front-page spreads ever. First, the Memorial Day piece on the gravestone rubbing of CMOH recipient Lt. Ruppert Sargent,and now this one.

All I have to say is keep up the good work.