HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --
Throughout history there are few singular events that carry forward over generations because of the powerful feelings and emotions they invoke, good or bad. Some of these cause us to reflect as individuals on the significance of our existence while others affect us as part of a larger collective, such as the national pride felt when Americans watched Neil Armstrong take his first step on the moon. Who hasn't heard of the battle cry "Remember the Alamo", especially you Texans, or when someone mentions Pearl Harbor and December 7th, what do most Americans think of? Why do these occasions stand out? As we observe this anniversary of September 11, 2001, what is it that we will reflect on as individuals; as a military; as a nation? I don't believe it is the tragedy itself that makes these events memorable, but rather it is what we did as individuals and as a nation in response.
For some of our youngest Airmen, 9/11 may not be a memory etched in their minds. As for me, I remember exactly where I was...right here at Holloman. I was a captain assigned to the 7th Combat Training Squadron and had just completed my formal instructor upgrade in the F-117. That morning I had just briefed up a basic surface attack mission with my student and arrived at the ops [operations] desk to get my step brief when I noticed everyone staring intently at the TV, which was showing one of the World Trade Center towers on fire. Suddenly another airliner flew into the picture on the screen and slammed into the second tower. Everyone at the ops desk just stood there in a silenced awe for a moment and then I just turned around and walked back into life support and hung my flight gear back up. For some reason I instinctively knew that we would not be flying our mission that day. The full impact of that day and the other attacks on our Pentagon and United Flight 93 would not be felt for some time, but we all knew then that life as we had been accustomed to, especially as a military member, had changed.
As I reflect back on that day, I realized that it is ingrained in my memory for multiple reasons. Sure, there was the initial shock of an attack on our own soil, which drove a desire for payback and justice, so that those that had perpetrated the attack would be held accountable. But over the last thirteen years, that has evolved into something much more meaningful as I recognized the changes not just in myself, but in our military community and our nation. Most importantly for me as an individual that is the day that I decided to make the Air Force a career and not just a job.
That mindset change opened up so many opportunities for me. No longer did I approach things from the standpoint of doing things because I liked to do them or they made me feel good, but because they needed to be done in order to move the mission forward. As a part of the military community, I witnessed acts of heroism and personal sacrifice. I saw how we enhanced our understanding of resilience and witnessed the teamwork that brought several technological advancements to the battlefield not solely designed to take lives, but to preserve them. Finally, as a nation, I observed an unwavering desire to stay true to our founding principles and that all responses start by keeping the rights of an individual in mind. It wasn't about imperialistic motivations or factional superiority; it was about promoting the mindset that any extremism designed to violate personal freedoms will not be tolerated.
So, today, I ask that you remember 9/11, not just to honor those that lost their lives that day, but like the Alamo and Pearl Harbor, it should invoke in us a measured satisfaction because of how we responded as individuals, as a military and as a nation. By doing so, we remain vigilant of our principles and we increase self-awareness of our own actions and responsibilities so that many years from now we give reason for future generations to look back at 9/11 not with fear, but with pride. I know I am proud to serve with you as a Fightin' 49er!