Where were you during 9/11? What has changed in 20 years?

I was just heading to work @ BAMC PMO in Ft Sam when I heard about the 1st plane hitting as I pulled into the parking lot, by the time I got into the office, they were already replaying the 1st, then the 2nd plane hitting the tower. The entire base was on lock down within 30 minutes with no one leaving or coming in until higher orders and disaster plans went into effect. I remember the new checks that started taking place for the hospital gate because of the rumors that ambulances were being stolen to sneak bombs into military facilities.

I was in the motor pool.  The news was so surreal.  Several soldiers starting saying, "We're going to war."  Fast forward 12 years later and I was a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom I and III.  I've been out of the military since 2006, but looking at the Air National Guard.  Any suggestions?

25th Infantry Division, Discom, Schofield Barracks, HI.  I was in Bed, Hawaii was 6 hours behind the news, but we were woken up at 3am with the news.   

On Sept 11th, I was already retired due to a back injury, and I was at home, contemplating "What do I do now?"  When I got a call to turn on the TV, and I don't think I moved for the next five hours.The first thought, of course, was that I couldn't pass a PFT, but maybe there was still something I could do, because I had no doubt that this meant war, and I knew as well, what that meant.What I did, was what I could do... mailing off goodies for my old unit and my old friends, and lots and lots of praying.   My husband who was also a retired Marine, signed up to be a Govt Contractor, and went back to the "Sandbox" working on Blackhawks for the Army.

doing PT on an AFB, winks

Mannheim, Germany, on active duty, in my office at Turley Barracks.

In chronological sequence: My son was in New York with a meeting scheduled in the Twin Towers which had been cancelled at the last minute. My daughter had an appointment in the Pentagon on 9/11 and she got sick the night before and stayed home. I was in the Dulles International airport on the morning of 9/11 getting ready to board a UAL flight with my final destination being Salt Lake City where I was working on the preparations for the
Winter Olympics. We departed that morning not knowing we were behind AA #77 which soon thereafter crashed into the Pentagon. My UAL flight had just taken off and within minutes the pilot advised us that there was a “national emergency” with no further details and said we have been diverted
to Pittsburgh. Recall in those days, even for those who had cell phones, you didn’t dare use them while in flight. As we continued on our redirected flight to Pittsburgh, we did not know at that time that all flights were being grounded by the FAA because of this national emergency. My family watching these events unfold on TV called UAL to get my flight status and they were told that my flight had been rerouted to Pittsburgh. Moments later my family watched as the networks reported that a UAL flight had crashed outside of
Pittsburgh. My family was devastated thinking that was my flight. With that fourth airline crash just outside of Pittsburgh, our pilot received another notification from the FAA. He then told us that our flight had now been diverted to Indianapolis. Again, no details on what was happening in the world around us and again we made no attempt to use our cell phones to call to find out what was going on. It wasn't until two hours later after we landed did we know what had happened in the world around us. For all intents purposes, we were two hours behind the rest of the world.

Active duty with 3rd ACR at Fort Carson, CO. I had the honor of deploying with them the first time. I served along the finest people the military ever produced. We lost 2 from out Air Cav Troop. I met the family of one of the fallen at the 10 yr anniversary of the tragedy at graveside and we all hugged and cried. It was the best healing experience to date. Great question CWO4 Maria Pettus . Very appropriate.

I was in the Washington Air National Guard. Was just getting ready for my civilian job, as the first plane hit the tower. I watched like the rest of the nation as the second plane went in. I just went numb, for the first time in my life I was lost. I didn't know where I was, time just slowed down and I became depressed. How could this happen to America. Do they not know who we are? My wife had never seen me like this before and was very concerned about me. It took me a couple months to finely comprehend the magnitude of what we as a nation where going through. Then I was pissed and wanted revenge. Somebody had to pay for this cowardly act. I backed the actions of the President and still do today. But we have not went far enough. We will never again be at peace until these devils of mankind are destroyed for good. God Bless America the greatest nation on earth.

I was in School haha. I was young. And I went home and my father was very upset after seeing the news. Being a foreigner and all, he does love America very much. But was too old for enlistment.