We Will Never Forget

"That day, I was the First Sergeant for the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Buckley AFB, Co. I remember driving to work in Colorado and getting a call on my cell phone from my wife. I, like many, heard that it was a small, out-of-control plane that hit the WTC. Later, I was at work with others around the unit TV and watched the second - and large - plane hit. Buckley AFB leadership kept non-essential personnel at home, and I personally tracked down all personnel on leave or TDY to ensure they were okay and where they were stuck at when all flight travel was halted. The Airmen were full of fear, but suddenly that changed to a desire for justice!!!"

SMSgt (Ret) J.S. Ross

"I had just returned home from a college class in the late morning on September 11, 2001. My mother was watching the news and I remember learning that the Twin Towers had been attacked. A sickening feeling came to my stomach and I remember feeling a mix of fear, confusion, and concern on what the extent of the attack was, who was responsible, and the implications for the United States and the rest of the world. I couldn't have known on that day that this event would forever change how the U.S. deals with foreign policy and domestic/international security."

MSgt J. Bernal

"A day I will never forget! I remember watching the second plane hitting the Towers on TV and not knowing that my NYPD brother was standing at the base of the North Tower 15 minutes prior to it coming down! Luckily, he moved his team uptown to control access and they all escaped injury, unlike a lot of others! Ten days later after a delayed TDY to the States, I went home to NYC and was humbled to walk the still smoldering Ground Zero site with my brother, and it seemed so surreal! This could not have happened. The dust covered everything and was thick on the ground, and the shops and the fire station that weren't destroyed were deserted and covered in the dust and rubble. That hour that I spent walking the site will never leave me, and whenever I go home and visit the now completed 9/11 memorial I think back to that day and still can't believe it happened!"

SMSgt (Ret) G. Fazah

"These attacks were meant to break our spirit; instead, we emerged much stronger and felt unified. This day forever changed the course of our country and the entire world."

B. Jones

"While I was only in 10th grade, I will never forget the fear that crossed my mind on September 11th, nor will I ever forget the lives lost. Their memory continues to inspire me, and others, to stand united, to cherish our freedom, and to strive for a world filled with peace and understanding."

CMSgt A. Scheving