Where were you during 9/11? What has changed in 20 years?
History (Major)
Terrorism
Osama Bin Laden
Al Qaeda
Experience
I am in the National Guard.
My civilian employer had the district manager come see me to explain
that I was taking too much time off for the National Guard. I worked security
on the weekends back then and a drill required me to have to have someone fill
my time on the weekends. Sometime very hard to get done but it was drill so
they had to let me off for it. I
explained how I could not be fired for my service in the National Guard but the
district manager said that he could only give overtime and some of the better
locations to those he could count on.
The next month September 11 happened. I couldn’t believe it, no one really could. I
showed up for work and they asked why I had come in. They had expected me to have been alerted. I
simply said “I was not among the ones who got called up to go to ground zero.”
I never heard another word about issues with working for the
National Guard. That district manager
soon left the company and I ended up staying with them until 2004.
For those who did not serve
before 9/11 it really was a different world; especially in the National
Guard. This was before all the new
equipment or the great training we received on the numerous deployments that
have occurred. Before 9/11 the concept
of the plug and play units between the active Army, National Guard and Reserves
really didn’t work that well. However today I would put the units in the
National Guard against any from the other components. That would be the biggest
change I have seen since 9/11.
I (SSG Davis-then) was at Fort Lewis, Washington on Range 39 at the Defensive Livefire, Range conducting a Squad Live Fire Exercise. I was the Battalion Ammunition Land Manager for the 57th Transportation Battalion. I was going back to take some residue and put it in the motorpool. It was about 630 in the morning. I saw a lot of traffic backed up on I-5, I asked somebody in traffic, and turned the radio on and it was on every radio station. I was devastated and in shock, the chain of command had a talk with us and let us know about the terrorist attack, training was postpone. The post was in paranoia, we had to show IDs to get in the company areas, and put up barriers in the work parking lots(trailers). It was weird, but that was the state of mind everybody was in. I have since been to Iraq 3 times, Kuwait 1 time and Afghanistan. Yes I have put my time in to make a difference and contribute to freedom/democracy. I would do it all over also in the last 13 years, it was a honor.
Yes! Very experienced. I had just finished PT and the biggest fight every with my wife. I had just dropped her off from work then home for a shower after turning on the T.V. I seen the devastation of the second tower being hit. My CO called and gave me instructions, I was in the 3RD ACR and was the Squadrons Master Air Load Planner so I packed a 72 hour bag and took off to start setting up for movement of the Squadron.
Are you experienced? Where were you during 11 Sept 2001? " but , no problem. I happened to be mobilizing at Fort Dix, NJ. I was going to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Ammunition Specialist.
I remember the drive into work: it was a very beautiful morning; watching the sun rise up above the Twin Towers.
Around 8:50 that morning, I was told that one of the towers was on fire. When I walked down onto the dock, I just couldn't believe my eyes. Unfortunately the worse was yet to come.
Approximately 12 minutes, I saw a passenger airplane flying low and fast right above me. I knew that was not good. somehow, I knew that it was the second plane, but I didn't know where it was heading to until I saw the bright flash when United flight 175 hit the South Tower. 20 seconds later was when I heard the explosion.
You stand there helpless while both towers are on fire. One could only feel for the lives that were lost at that moment, still not knowing that more would perish.
Less than an hour later was when I saw the first tower come down. It collapsed in silence, but only to hear the sound of the collapsing tower about 20 seconds later. I could not comprehend what that sound was until I saw the second tower collapse. It sounded like a runaway train erupting from Hell.
After that second tower collapsed, I was in pure and utter disbelief. After the Pentagon was hit, the barge crew members got to their rental cars and just drove back home to be with their families down South. I drove back to my place a couple of hours later, just in complete shock.
Several weeks earlier, I had just signed up as a volunteer firefighter. That afternoon on 9/11, I was sitting in the fire house watching the news with the other volunteer fire fighters. Our department was not called for the recovery efforts.
I will always remember 9/11. My heart still goes out to those innocent souls who had perished and to their families.
NEVER FORGET
I was on my way to 3rd MP Battalion, Fort Stewart GA to work at the S1 when I was listening to the radio and the news came through about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center.
Later after the Pentagon was hit, I was preparing movement orders for one of the Companies to move to the Pentagon for Security. I remember the next day, was crazy as the day before. It took about 3 hours to get to post in the traffic. I ended up parking about 1/2 mile away and walking on. That was something that will never be forgotten. God Bless all who was involved in this sad event.
On another note, if you ever get a chance to go to the 911 memorial it is "breath-taking"
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