It was a perfect Tuesday morning back in 2001...

[Stonewall]

That's when they attacked.  Yes, I'm talking about September 11, 2001.  September 11th happened just two weeks after I called it quits from 10 years as an infantryman.  I first served on active and then the Army National Guard where I finished as an infantry squad leader. 

Paul and I met in the mid-nineties when he volunteered from another battalion to join my company for our deployment to Bosnia.  Within minutes Paul and I became inseparable.  He, a former Marine infantryman, the same age, and similar mindset, people often mistook us for each other although we looked nothing alike.  Halfway through our deployment the platoon sergeant, a veteran Ranger from Operation Urgent Fury, had to separate us due to the shenanigans we often got caught up in.  We were the guys he loved to hate.  Always on point and ready for action, but when boredom set in, we were busy getting into trouble.  As an example, I had Ron Jon Surf Shop send me hundreds of Ron Jon stickers.  Soon, every Yugo in Srpski Brod Bosnia had a sticker on the back bumper.  Paul stayed in first platoon and I went over to the quick reaction force (QRF).  Even then, they couldn't keep us apart. 

On December 15th of that year, a few Serbs hijacked a NATO tanker truck and held two men hostage.  The bell sounded so we donned our battle rattle and took off in a sprint to surround the building.  It was on the intra-squad radio that I said "keep your head down around Zucker", his squad leader (my former) who didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.  That line came from the movie Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood.  Zucker had given me my first and only counseling statement in my career.  You see, some of us learned from the Rangers' experience in Somalia in 1993; who went out on a daytime raid leaving their night vision behind, yet found themselves in an 18 hour firefight that took the lives of 18 special operations soldiers.  Paul and I didn't need another Somalia to learn from their mistake and carried our night vision goggles (NVGs) in our butt-pack 24/7.  Fearing that we would lose or damage them, Zucker demanded that we keep them in the padded cases for accountability and to ensure nothing happened to them, but we didn't listen.  It was the night of December 15th that our insubordination paid off.  Out of his entire squad and the QRF response element, Paul and I were the only two with NVGs.

After Bosnia, in 1998, Paul moved up to Northern Virginia where we shared a house, attended college together and I got him a job with me where we worked as contractors for the US Government.  It was a cool gig that was both flexible and paid well.  Not to mention we learned some trade-craft that you just can't acquire anywhere else.  It was Sunday, September 9th, 2001, a gorgeous afternoon when Paul and I were headed back home to Virginia from Northern Maryland where we had spent the weekend camping.  I was out of the Guard and he still had some time on his enlistment, but he was planning on getting out, too.  We were chatting about how complacent our country had gotten as far as its security and the global threat of terrorism.  We agreed that it was just a matter of time before something happened on American soil and one of us; neither of us remember who, said "what this country needs is a wake-up call, something to happen in the United States, before anyone really gets it." 

Tuesday morning, Paul and I were just starting a training evolution with a couple of surveillance teams where some "new hires" for the organization we worked for were about to get their final skills evaluation at the end of their 11 week hostile environment trade-craft course before heading overseas to their assignments.  During our morning briefing we learned that a plane had hit one of the Towers in New York.  I don't recall if we found out about the second plane hitting Tower 2 before leaving, but we were exiting the building to the top level of a parking garage at around 9:30 am when a colleague said "[darn], that plane is pretty low", even though it was common to see low flying aircraft in the area due to our proximity to Reagan National and Dulles.  Although we were that close, we didn't know stick around to see the plane hit the Pentagon, not that we could have seen it from where we stood anyway.  A few minutes later, in Rosslyn Virginia, we noticed a sea of people evacuating high rise buildings and suddenly, we notice the plume of smoke coming from the Pentagon, less than a mile from where we sat in our car, adjacent to the Iwo Jima Memorial.  A call came over our radios to RTB, return to base, and turn in our equipment.  We did so, and within minutes found ourselves stuck in traffic on I-66 trying to head west towards Fairfax.

Paul and I were in separate vehicles and couldn't reach each other by cell phone, but we were both thinking the same thing.  We met back at the house, collected our gear and loaded our weapons.  At that point, we didn't know what was happening, but we knew America was under attack and we just saw the Pentagon on fire.  We staged our gear in our trucks and stood by the TV as everything unfolded.  We remained awake and glued to the TV for the next few days as we weren't allowed to return to work.  We were both finishing up an EMT course (for fun) and had the final test that Thursday, but other than that, we were just waiting around.  He got called from his unit and was placed on orders for a few months.  I had recently been hired on by the World Bank to work on the President's protection detail and had an October 1st start date.  That's why I left the Guard, because I would be traveling extensively with the new job and the Guard wasn't excited about me missing drills, otherwise I would have stayed.

By early 2002 Paul had left the Guard and I was working for the Bank.  We hated not being a part of the war effort so we decided to join the Navy as corpsman and try out for the Special Boat Teams.  We swore in and I quit my job.  We were to leave June of 2002.  Both of us lost rank and had to go in as E-3s, but there was a $30,000 bonus involved so we were okay with it.  Two weeks before we were to ship out we got a call that the bonus wasn't guaranteed, nor was SWCC School, the school boat team guys have to go to.  I called the Bank and they were willing to take me back.  Paul took the risk and went anyway.  Turned out he got the bonus and the school, but I don't regret my decision.  I only regret not being there for Paul.  I spent the next five years living one dream while Paul lived another.  I visited more than 50 countries, got deputized by the Marshal Service, flew everywhere in first class, and carried an issued Sig Sauer P229 and a badge everywhere I went, even on commercial flights.  Something was missing though; I missed wearing a uniform.  I talked to a friend from the Army who had joined the Air National Guard and explained that they were much more flexible than the Army Guard as far as missing drill weekends.  A week later I was in as an Air Crew Life Support technician.  Not high speed, but I got to play with survival equipment and managed to get myself a slot in SERE school.  After five years of living the dream, I moved home where my wife and I started a family.  I became a police officer and joined the Air National Guard, but this time as a Security Forces member. 

Today, three days before the twelfth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I found myself leading guard mount for the day shift with the men and women, Airmen and contract security, who protect the base.  I reflected on that Tuesday morning in 2001 and how I remember that it was a perfect Tuesday.  No one suspected a thing; we were just living life and enjoying our freedoms when a group of terrorists caught us off guard.  I reminded the team that today is no different than September 11, 2001, in that today, or any day, it can happen.  Whether it be a crazed drug user with a gun, or an Islamic Extremist who decided to move to our rather insignificant city and pay back the infidels who bombed his homeland by driving his car through the gate of our small National Guard base, it's not a matter of "if", but "when".

Twelve years later Paul and I are E-7s, he a Chief and I a Master Sergeant; I've been to Afghanistan and while he has been all over the world in his Navy career, he is just now headed to the fight in Afghanistan for the first time in a few months.  This goes to show, that no matter your career field, duty station, or life choices, you truly never know where life will take you, or when.  It is our duty, regardless of our status, to maintain a high level of vigilance and fight the natural urge to become complacent because "nothing ever happens here".

I continue to stress this mantra because all too often I either witness or hear my fellow Defenders complain about our duties of simply standing post.  Sometimes there is an identity crisis as whether we're "cops" or "grunts".  Are we law enforcement or air base defenders?  Should we train for deployments to war zones or prepare ourselves to write tickets on base?  The fact is, we do both, and we should be proficient in both, to an extent.  I think it's just too difficult for part-time Defenders to master any one skill, but the one thing we must maintain is our sense of duty and our ability to remain flexible enough, and passionate enough, about learning all we can about our responsibilities as Security Forces Airmen.  Regardless of our label, cops or grunts, at the end of the day we are Defenders of the Force.  We protect people, assets, and resources.  Whether on patrol at home station or patrolling outside the wire in a war zone, our mission is the same, to remain vigilant and keep our Air Force protected from those who wish to do us harm.

September 11th was just another Tuesday in 2001, or so we thought.  Which day will we wake up to the next attack?  Will it be tomorrow or two years from now?  For any American who has served in uniform, there hasn't been a period of 20 years that the United States hasn't been involved in combat.  Spanning over anyone's military experience over the past 40 years, there have been a number of combat actions since I've been alive or serving in uniform: Vietnam up to 1975, Grenada in 1983, Panama in 1989, Iraq in 1991, Somalia in 1993, and 12 years of war since 2001.  If you enlist and think you'll simply get a bonus and some college money, you may want to reconsider.  There will likely be another "perfect Tuesday morning" in your lifetime.

Note:  "Paul" and "Zucker" are pseudonyms.

-Stonewall

Paul and I standing under the Sava River bridge in Serpski Brod Bosnia where we lived in "Troll Village" for just over six months.

[ol'fido]

HOOOOAAAHHHH!!!!

[Private Investigator]

Thanks for sharing 

[Flying Pig]

Very interesting how what seem like small decisions make major life changes when you have the years behind you to look at and evaluate.   A friend of mine and I were dead set on joining the French Foreign Legion after we got out of the Marines.  No talking about it.... We were going to do it!  When time came, neither  one of us could afford a plane ticket to France

[stillamarine]

Very interesting how what seem like small decisions make major life changes when you have the years behind you to look at and evaluate.   A friend of mine and I were dead set on joining the French Foreign Legion after we got out of the Marines.  No talking about it.... We were going to do it!  When time came, neither  one of us could afford a plane ticket to France

A buddy of mine and me were dead set on getting out of the Corps and opening a bar in Croatia after our twilight cruise. We even spoke to a realtor and lawyer during a port call in Dubrovnik. Had it all planned out. During our transatlantic back he reenlisted for the tax free bonus they offered him. I got out a month later and 8 months later was the Tuesday mentioned. A year later he was KIA and I had been recalled to AD.

[Mitchell 1969]

Very interesting how what seem like small decisions make major life changes when you have the years behind you to look at and evaluate.   A friend of mine and I were dead set on joining the French Foreign Legion after we got out of the Marines.  No talking about it.... We were going to do it!  When time came, neither  one of us could afford a plane ticket to France

I went to New Zealand on IACE. Actually started the process to join RNZAF (they took pilot candidates at age 18 and I had some interesting citizenship advantages).  What sunk me was the cost of a ticket back there, the 9 month selection process and not much hope of getting a job in the meantime. So, I moved on.

Fast forward to RNZAF engaging in massive cutbacks, dropping all strike capability and being cut out of major ANZUS connections and I see how I lucked out.

[ProdigalJim]

I wrote this on the 10-year anniversary, and I still feel the same way. Conflicted, somber, grateful.

>>>> I had a similar experience. Aviation Week, of course, had to cover all of this as it unfolded, and I had folks deployed in NY and DC trying to make sense of what was going on. We were updating our web coverage every couple of minutes, for hours on end. After I'd stayed at work for about 16 hours, I made my way back to the firehouse for my other job.

Our truck company responded to the Pentagon, and our engine company back-filled in Arlington. I was then just a firefighter, not a medic, and they were looking mostly for medics. Eventually, they cobbled us together into a couple more engine companies, and off we went to back fill Arlington County units...probably three or four firehouses in all. Responded to a handful of heart attacks, anxiety attacks, that sort of thing. A guy fell off a lander and cracked his head open while he was trying to "secure" his upper-story windows against what thought was going to be another strike. Meanwhile, our guys at the Pentagon kept us up to date on what they were finding there. It was a very somber three or four days. I worked a little more than 36 hours straight, running weirdly routine calls during a very non-routine tour.

And I had that same experience you had...a woman rushing up to me in the shopping center parking lot, seeing me in my fire service uniform headed for the firehouse for another shift. Shaking my hand, crying, thanking me for my service. I tried to tell her there were lots of other people worth thanking...all I did was run routine stuff. She wouldn't have it. To this day I feel more than a twinge about that episode; I've seen fire, crawled into dangerous places, done CPR on long-gone patients, the whole thing. But to my mind the Brothers and Sisters in Manhattan and the Pentagon that day climbed up about 10 notches above all the rest of us ordinary firefighters. I knew some guys who earlier had quit our department to go north and put on the FDNY shirt...for about 2/3 the pay...just to say they were FDNY. A couple of those guys lost their lives that day.

Terrible, helpless, conflicted memories. I'll be glad when this anniversary period is behind us. I remember every detail...I hope our fellow citizens don't forget. <<<<

[a2capt]

I hope I never hear part of this again, for real.
http://17500mph.com/M3/CRQATIS.mp3 <-- From 1850Z 11-Sept, 2001.

Attention All Aircraft - By Order of the Federal Aviation Command Center all airports, aerodromes are not authorized for (ops?) or takeoff until further notice. Advise initial contact you have information Tango

From another thread where I posted that morning's recap similar to like here.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=13809.msg250229#msg250229

[LegacyAirman]

We heard it while in the air, trying to return home from a mission in the Caribbean. It seemed at the moment like a "Twighlight Zone" episode come to life.

I hope I never hear part of this again, for real.
http://17500mph.com/M3/CRQATIS.mp3 <-- From 1850Z 11-Sept, 2001.

Attention All Aircraft - By Order of the Federal Aviation Command Center all airports, aerodromes are not authorized for (ops?) or takeoff until further notice. Advise initial contact you have information Tango

From another thread where I posted that morning's recap similar to like here.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=13809.msg250229#msg250229

[Mitchell 1969]

I was at LAX for 26 years. The only time I ever heard birds chirping there was September 11-13, 2001.

[ColonelJack]

I hope I never hear part of this again, for real.
http://17500mph.com/M3/CRQATIS.mp3 <-- From 1850Z 11-Sept, 2001.

Attention All Aircraft - By Order of the Federal Aviation Command Center all airports, aerodromes are not authorized for (ops?) or takeoff until further notice. Advise initial contact you have information Tango

From another thread where I posted that morning's recap similar to like here.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=13809.msg250229#msg250229

Sounded to me like the voice said "not authorized for landings or takeoffs until further notice."

Jack

[abdsp51]

On that day 12 years ago I was sitting in a liason post in Kuwait.  I learned of the events through my British counterparts coming into the trailer in a panic before I learned anything from our side.  I still recall the sweeps being done and wearing all that alert gear required to be kept on post.

[SARDOC]

I've not forgotten.

[PHall]

A bunch of us were watching TV at work when the second plane hit the second tower.
My boss's boss was there and about a minute later told me "I guess we won't be seeing you for awhile"
About 30 seconds later my personal cell phone rang, it was my Air Force Reserve unit wanting to know my availability...

[Critical AOA]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit? 

[Ranger75]

I was sitting at my computer working my way through the daily intelligence take related to my responsibilities as a Special Advisor for National Security Affairs in the Office of the Vice
President.  When informed of the first strike on the towers, I immediately ran from my office in the EEOB to the Situation Room in the basement of the West Wing.  I joined the other members of the the interagency Counterterrorism Security Group as the second plane struck.  I became one of a small group of less than twenty that remained in the WH complex following its evacuation.  It was eight hours of consequence management before I stepped out of the SitRm for a breather.  I remember standing on West Executive Drive feeling like I was the last man standing.  The scene was one of complete silence, no traffic, no aircraft overhead, no visible presence of the SS on the grounds, a surreal scene.  I left the WH after 24 hours, gathered in several hours of sleep, and returned to the fray.  In one position or another since 9/11, I have dealt with its aftermath.  I hung up the uniform after 32 years and joined one of the three-letter agencies in WashDC.  I currently work at the Pentagon with responsibility for providing direct intelligence support to the OSD.  My office is in one of the wings reconstructed following the attack.  Many a morning, before the workforce arrives, I find myself standing alone at ground zero in the center courtyard, again surrounded by silence.  The memories of that perfect morning never fail to come flooding back.

[PHall]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit?

A minute and a half after the SECOND plane hit. Of course if you had actually read my post you would have caught that...

[SARDOC]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit?

A minute and a half after the SECOND plane hit. Of course if you had actually read my post you would have caught that...

I got my call about twenty minutes after the Second Plane hit from my reserve unit.  I was totally expecting the call too.  It wasn't until about four days later when I actually got called up to active duty for about nine months.  For those three days in between though I was on ADT orders though.

[PHall]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit?

A minute and a half after the SECOND plane hit. Of course if you had actually read my post you would have caught that...

I got my call about twenty minutes after the Second Plane hit from my reserve unit.  I was totally expecting the call too.  It wasn't until about four days later when I actually got called up to active duty for about nine months.  For those three days in between though I was on ADT orders though.

I went on 30 day orders that were extended to 90 day orders. Unit got activated for 24 months just before the 30 day orders expired.
I was in a Airlift Squadron flying C-141's so we were just a little busy!

[Critical AOA]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit?

A minute and a half after the SECOND plane hit. Of course if you had actually read my post you would have caught that...

Yes, I did read your post. I'm not sure why you felt the need to imply I didn't or to add your unhappy face.  I am just a bit surprised that reservists were being called that soon.  That is why I questioned it. 

[MSG Mac]

It took a little over a year to activate me from the IRR for a year which ended up being 39 months. Served briefly in Djibouti, then to HQ USCENTCOM, and another very  brief assignment in Iraq.

[PHall]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit?

A minute and a half after the SECOND plane hit. Of course if you had actually read my post you would have caught that...

Yes, I did read your post. I'm not sure why you felt the need to imply I didn't or to add your unhappy face.  I am just a bit surprised that reservists were being called that soon.  That is why I questioned it.

Strat Airlift Units are high demand units. The unit called me when they did because they knew that the Tanker/Airlift Control Center would be calling shortly wanting to know how many aircraft and crews we could provide within the next 24 and 48 hours.

[Eclipse]

It took a little over a year to activate me from the IRR for a year which ended up being 39 months. Served briefly in Djibouti, then to HQ USCENTCOM, and another very  brief assignment in Iraq.

Was that a hardship or welcomed?  I would imagine being out a year you'd have started to move on mentally and physically.

[stillamarine]

I was IRR as well. I received my first phone call 3 days after the attack. So actually today 12 years ago. I was recalled about a month later. Anyone in my MOS in the IRR was recalled as far as I know.

[SARDOC]

You were called a minute and a half after the second plane hit?

A minute and a half after the SECOND plane hit. Of course if you had actually read my post you would have caught that...

Yes, I did read your post. I'm not sure why you felt the need to imply I didn't or to add your unhappy face.  I am just a bit surprised that reservists were being called that soon.  That is why I questioned it.

My unit at the time was a combination Reserve/Active helicopter squadron which was deployable to anywhere in the world within 72 hours.  So this kind of call wasn't really unusual in practice.  This is just the first time I actually got that kind of call.  We Specialized in CSAR and NSW Support however, we sent a single helicopter up to the pentagon to help with logistics, I was not part of that DET despite my best effort.  I got called in really quick to start to ensure that the squadron was ready medically for a prolonged deployment... so my first three days was primarily reviewing medical records and sending people to medical for a variety of reasons. Not real exciting, but that's the business.

[NEBoom]

I was at LAX for 26 years. The only time I ever heard birds chirping there was September 11-13, 2001.

It was also the only time in my life when I saw the Nebraska sky with absolutely no contrails.

[SunDog]

I've been out for a while now, but from sometime in the 1980 's and on, the majority of USAF flying hours have been Reserve and Guard.

Many (most) competetions (fighter, tactical airlift) were won by Guard and Reserve units - generally those units had crews with AD time, folks that "fled" AD and took thier experience with them.

[MSG Mac]

It took a little over a year to activate me from the IRR for a year which ended up being 39 months. Served briefly in Djibouti, then to HQ USCENTCOM, and another very  brief assignment in Iraq.

Was that a hardship or welcomed?  I would imagine being out a year you'd have started to move on mentally and physically.

It was welcomed, the time at Centcom was good and the per diem was like a 50% bonus. My only regret is that I turned down an offer to work with the Joint Staff.

[a2capt]

Hindsight .. we know that saying. :|