September 11, 2001….A Service Member Perspective

Where were you on that faithful morning? I was in the Deployment Control Center at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. We had just kicked off one of our yearly military deployment exercises. We were rolling along and my transportation officer came into the control center and told me an airplane had hit one of the Twin Towers. My first reaction was…oh a “Little Cessna”; it might have been cloudy at the higher floors. Soon after he came back into the center and told me; Hey, we have two now! At that point we turned on the TV and saw what was happening. We were all in shock. I had all kinds of emotions running through my mind. I soon received a phone call from my Wing Commander (Big boss on the base) telling me he was on his way down to the Center to see me…we need to have a discussion. He arrived and of course we stopped the Exercise and went into a Real World situation. The base was in lockdown and we were monitoring everything. Then the call came in that the President was on his way….WOW!!  If the attacks were not enough, now the President was arriving. All of this before NOON--Thus changing my military career forever. We had an enemy that attacked us on the home land. Anger was at the top of the list for all of the military. We were all ready to get on a plane and come face to face with the enemy.   I could not call my wife immediately and once I could, the only thing I could tell her was I was safe and not sure when I would be home. Deployment was certainly a possibility. I remember thinking…am I ready? Imagine if you could only call and tell your spouse/significant other you were leaving for an undetermined amount of time? That is what happens with our Special Operations military members every day. They go into work each morning not sure if they will deploy or not. 

We all paused (or did we……that is a different blog posting) on September 11^th 2012 to remember the attacks. TV stations played the entire morning over again. Was that really necessary? Showing the Memorials and the respect I thought was the more honorable thing to do. During the day I reflected on changed lives. Not just the families that lost loved ones, but the military members that have been called to the fight the last 11 years. Those that went to Afghanistan and later Iraq who did not return or returned completely changed either mentally or physically. My family certainly changed. I was now a military member of a country at WAR. My family now had a father/son/nephew/grandson serving in a WAR. Now, let me take you to what my eyes have seen and my ears have heard these last 11 years.

As many of you know, one of my responsibilities is deploying forces to locations worldwide. I have seen my fair share of Airmen leaving for the fight through the years. I have processed them through deployment readiness lines, watched them step on the plane, turn and look at their family member (s). They stand tall and proud, but at the same time with a look of sadness. I then look out at the spouse and child they are leaving behind. Both have tears streaming down their face. I hear a faint “I Love You” shouted out for the family member to hear (Not knowing if it is the last time). The wife/husband who is now responsible for everything at home, their mate has left for months. The child in her/his arms waving with tears…DADDY or MOMMY is leaving. For the younger ones, they could not completely comprehend the situation. In the early stages of the deployments we were not sure how long they would be gone. Could be a couple of months or maybe a year, depending on what the requirement was. The celebration of the homecoming is a delight. I have seen over and over again men and women returning to open arms, smiles, tears of joy and children just running into their parents arms. That is the happy times.     

My first turn at deploying was in February of 2005. I was going to Afghanistan. My turn at the good bys. My turn to see the tears. My turn to stand tall. My turn to wave and blow the kiss. My turn to say “I Love You”.  I would do it again in April of 2007 (I had a month of combat training before going to Iraq) But, I do it proudly for our country. I have been blessed.

My Afghanistan deployment brought sights of joy and devastation. Joy was the times I would pack a C-17 full of Army soldiers, heading home from a year deployment. They were so excited to be able to see their families again. Some had been in Afghanistan multiple times already. Some had children that were going to kindergarten but had not enjoyed the embrace of their father or mother for 3 or less of those years. I saw the soldiers getting off the same C-17 for their year stay. Proud and standing tall, ready for what was ahead. Devastation was the sight of caskets with American Flag’s draped over them. In one incident we had an entire C-17 lined with them. You can now see what I saw. There was an honored and dignified ceremony as we lifted and walked them into the plane, gently placing them in place for their final flight home. We did this several times during my deployment just not to this number. They PROUDLY served and defended OUR FREEDOM.

My Iraq deployment brought again sights of joy and devastation. Joy was the hard work we were doing to repair and start new Electrical Grids that provided up to 8 hours of electricity for the Iraqi people, when they were getting much less. The establishment of Sewer Treatment Plants for cleaner water.  We provided huge supply routes to get supplies to many locations throughout the country. Devastation was the rocket attacks we were hit with both day and night. I heard them coming in and the crackle of the explosions. The day and night arrival of medical helicopters at the combat hospital on base….when they came in we knew what was arriving and when they left we knew what the cargo was going to be. Through it all we Stood Proud, knowing the good we were doing even though it was being portrayed in a different way through the media.

Yes, serving in the military is a sacrifice and I PROUDLY accept the way of life!

This is just a small snap shot through my eyes of the last 11 years. I could go on but I think you know what sacrifices and what the PROUD Men and Women of the Armed Forces have done and are currently doing for this great Nation.

Shall WE Never Forget!