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

I was on the 2/4 MEU out in the Med 2nd BN 8th Marines Special Operations Capable 0311 Saw Gunner.  we were doing peace keeping operations in Kosovo near the Macedonia border.  It was funny because the Navy guys kept telling us the USS Kearsarge is a cursed ship and that everytime it goes on float something happens.  that day, we were on another peace keeping op when the radio came to life and proclaimed "Radio Silence" 3 times which was SOP that commo has been compromised.  I remember thinking "Holy Shit"  what's going on.  5 minutes later the TOC ordered all patrols back to Seminole (COP Marines the Army built for us).  Running...we got back to Seminole and  the Marine on ECP claimed the twin towers, the white house and the pentagon was hit in a terrorist attack.  Never believing what one Marine says we were like "Bullshit"!!!  Than after hearing it from officers also it was true to us.  Immediately our CO ordered roving patrols inside the perimeter of Seminole and he pieced together a small radio that broadcasted news.  I remember feeling like WTF  are we doing in Kosovo...we have to go NOW!!!.  2 hours later the CO informs us that we will be the tip of the spear for America's strike and that we had 24 hours to be back on the USS Kearsarge.  Immediately a CH-47 landed took us back to Camp Bondsteel...off to Sardigna and back on the Kearsarge.  I remember we had a formation on the flight deck where the ship's Captain officially raised the war flag.  Proudest moment of my military career was when the chants of USA USA USA was coming from New York on AFN and we were the ones to get that revenge!!!!! 
That's where I was on Sept 11 2001.

I was a PFC at Fort Bliss. Just finished PT for the morning. A morning just the same as nearly every single morning before. I can remember the cries of "We're going to war!" and hushed whispers of disbelief and horror as we watched the second plane hit in NYC on live TV.

i was on day 3 of home town recruiting at the parma ohio recruiting office, none of the recruiters showed up,and i waited outside the office for 3 hours before giving up and going home to my wife. i got a phone call from a buddy from bct  telling me to turn onthe tv, shortly there after ssg webster(recruiter) called and told me to stay home and wait for him to call.

I was headed to law class as a firstie (senior) at West Point. I ran into my roommate and he told me had happened. I thought he was joking. When I got to class, the TV was on showing what happened. In Robinson Auditorium they put it on the huge screen. After class we went by and just as I walked in, one of the towers went down. We realized that we would be one of the first classes to know that we would be in combat right after graduation since the Vietnam War.

On The Morning of Sept. 11 , I Was watching T.V. While Doing Push Ups, I got Up an Thought new Movie Started; Bad Surprise It was in every Chanel. Finally Enlisted 2002. Hoooaaa....

I was in the National Guard at that time with 38th signal bat. I was on my way to work in Indianapolis Indiana when I heard about the first plane. I called into work and told them that I may be getting a call. Not 30 seconds after I had hung up with them I got a call. The phone tree had been activated. I just turned around and headed home to get my gear. It was more for training I think seeing how we didn't go any where. we all showed up and got all of our gear together. Not long after that I went to the reserves with 3/411. then went active with 3/411 down in Camp Atterbury Indiana. We built 3 F.O.B.s and were in charge of vehicle training and much more for the troops leaving for over seas. And just let me tell you, I have major respect for those in charge of training. It hit me hard when I trained some more than once, and some didn't come back. I seen a change in some of them that was scary. On a lighter note during training, I did kick 2 captains out of my vehicle onto the side of the road during the night driving training because they decided to think that because their pay grade was higher than mine they were in charge and could do what ever they wanted. So they lit up a couple of smokes. So I kicked them out of the vehicle and drove away with an E-3. I went back and got them after we were done. Yes they were very mad and talked to my Col. I thought for sure he was going to have my butt. But instead he got my back. all that I heard was him going off on them. and then they had to retake training. With me as the trainer again. Not a word was said the whole time. (besides training Q&A). That felt good.

I was stationed in Sinai, Egypt as a SGT(P).  I was on top of UH-1 Huey, helicopter, and we were putting the rotor blades back on.  My 1SG came running through the hangar and gathered all of us up to come watch the news.  

I was stationed at Suwon AB, Korea, when the attacks happened.  My family was living in base housing at Barksdale, my prior assignment.  We were on lockdown for a long period of time, and when we ventured out weeks later to Osan AB, it took hours in line to get through the only gate operating.  Every single vehicle had to be manually inspected.  Missed a few appointments that way, but a small price for security.  

I was a Specialist in 17th SWignal Battalion stationed on Larson Barracks, Kitzingen Germany. I was walking the line as we were preparing to rail load our trucks the next day for a field exercise in Poland. As I walked towards the MP gate, SGT Brown walked in, told us his wife just called him and said the Tower had a plane fly into it. We ran into the team room, turned on the tv and minutes later saw the second plane go into the second tower. we sat that for a moment analyzing what just happened, then we grabbed our stuff and headed for the arms room cause we knew we were going to be put into THREATCON Delta. Sure enough, we are sitting outside the arms room when 1SG walks up, looks at us and asks what we are doing, we told him waiting on our next set of orders cause we figured we would be on guard duty. he told us we were right and he had just gotten the call from the BN CSM to get a guard roster started. Post was locked down and we were the first ones on the gate.

I was a SPC, in the Army for 2 years helping start up the first Stryker Brigade. I'd gotten a call before I left my apartment to come in early and go to sick call and check on a squadmate. I walked into the building, made sure my battle was OK, and saw the news on my way out. I called my NCO and told him what was going on, he told me to go home to my family until work call and come back in. Then next month we were informed of our pending deployment and that we needed to prepare the Army's newest Brigade for combat qualification.