Army releases controversial photo showing photographer's last moment

An emotional, gut-wrenching photo taken by an Army combat photographer is dividing social media.

The picture, which was taken by Army specialist Hilda Clayton, was snapped in the final moments of her life.

Specialist Clayton was one of five soldiers who died when a mortar tube accidentally exploded during a training exercise in Afghanistan.

An alternate photo was taken by one of the Afghan soldiers at the moment of the explosion and shows a different angle of this deadly accident.

The military says sharing Clayton's final photograph, showing the final moments of the 22-year-old specialist's life, is a tribute to her and a reminder of the dangers both genders face in combat.

Clayton was the first combat documentation and production specialist to be killed in Afghanistan.

Critics are horrified, taking to social media and calling the decision to publish this picture tasteless, insensitive, cruel and disrespectful to her family.

Her family approved the release of the photo.

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