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

I was at work in a Wayne County (Michigan) building, listening to the radio as it unfolded.  Word was quickly passed around for everyone to go home just in case the attacks became more widespread.

Chief, funny you ask that question, I was in 7th grade in Spanish class. They had stopped class and turned on the news and we watched the news the rest of the day.

Traveling on a commuter bus to my Job, retired 5 years at that point, will never forget that day.<br>

<p>Chief,</p><p><br></p><p>That is funny because I had a few friends that were already retired or had gotten out in the previous year (2001) that were either called back to duty since there was still contract obligations or were offered the opportunity to come back in based on specialty and shortages.</p><p><br></p><p>I myself was already at my 18 year mark at the time of the attacks and had considered medical retirement about a year earlier due to some previous injuries but had had another surgery to do further repairs to be able to stay in.</p>

I was stationed onboard USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) and was walking out of the reactor spaces when the XO came across the 1MC and announced the attacks and that we were on lock down and immediate orders to possibly deploy. We were locked down for 3 days and ended up deploying to the North Arabian Sea on 19 Nov 2001. Spent the next 159 days at sea launching aircraft and dropping a ton of ordnance.

I was in Staten Island in the guard. I have already did my initial enlistment on active duty from Fort Bragg 96-99. I was working for my brother installing hardwood floors. One of the guys working with us was a firefighter who was stationed in midtown Manhattan. He lost most of his company. I reenlisted back on active duty status 1 mon later. 

I was stationed at Fort Campbell and coming back from the DFAC. I saw numerous personnel run, yelling and telling us to head back to companies. We then started to turn on the radio's and listen to what was going on. Once SHTF, we started prepping our gear and waiting for orders to come on down to load up. We were about to head to JRTC. We spent the next few days on lockdown conducting patrols on the base, then got released by platoons to get the rest of our gear. If you left post, you were not coming back on post that day. Once everyone got their A/B bag's we left for JRTC, I think we were in the box for 10 days, total time down there I do believe around three weeks. We then got back and continued to conduct patrols on foot and D Co ( WPN Company) did mounted patrols in the Housing Areas. It was crazy since .50 cal, M240's were mounted and the other companies laid in fighting positions at intersections. Craziness....... but it was interesting and an experience I or WE will never forget.

I was stationed in Des Moines, IA and was attending a class on some STAMIS computer.  Our building went on lock down, and we started having gate guards at our Reserve Center.  My unit did not deploy until January 2003.

My best friend and I were in second grade, when the invasion happened we both swore to join the Army, fast forward ten years and we did.