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

[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. :|