9/11... 11 years that have gone by fast

[AngelWings]

Tomorrow is the 11th anniversary of 9/11. We must never forget 9/11, and for many of us, we cannot forget it. I remember being young with no set ambitions on any true job and then feeling horrified by what happened I have been inspired to become a member of the USAF.

I know many members here are current/former military who have fought in the ensuing wars, and I'd like to say thank you for your service.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Next year we will have cadets who were not even born before 9/11. Some middle school units probably already do. Just like Pearl Harbor this is soon going to become a footnote in the history books for the larger period the event brought.

[Garibaldi]

Our unit is having a brief memorial at our meeting tomorrow evening.

[Eclipse]

This Higgins drawing has been on my wall for 11 years...

[a2capt]

This is on the wall here..

[Eclipse]

Both sons (4th and 5th grade) indicated there was no mention of it in school today.

((*sigh*))

[a2capt]

The local schools seemed to have, and the middle school near me certainly did, I heard it on the PA.

The newspaper site has JROTC lowering a flag and mentions Sept. 11th. at the nearby high school.

[PhoenixRisen]

My CAP unit provided a color guard at our host high school this morning for their annual Patriot Day assembly.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Both sons (4th and 5th grade) indicated there was no mention of it in school today.

((*sigh*))

I think that the school may be thinking they are too young to know (and they are), and are not ready to learn. Go figure.

[CAP4117]

I was a little surprised and disappointed that there was no mention of it made at my squadron meeting tonight. I informally talked to a few cadets, but there was nothing planned. I seem to remember last year taking some time to discuss it. I had kind of been thinking that doing something special during opening formation might be appropriate. Then again, I have been out sick for the past 2 1/2 months (this was my first meeting back) so I'm not sure if there was a specific reason behind this or not.
For those of you who had squadron meetings tonight, how did you commemorate?

[Garibaldi]

We were SUPPOSED to have a small memorial service, but an unexpected but welcome visit from the Wing CC kinda threw our agenda into the shredder. I don't know if the cadets did anything or not, since I wasn't there.

[a2capt]

We closed our meeting with a really nice talk on heroism from our Deputy Commander of Cadets, and a cadet who's an accomplished piper played Amazing Grace, to a room with just over 100 people.

Next year we'll start seeing cadets who were not even born, in addition to the most recent ones that now were still sucking on bottles at the time in 2001.  The topic was brought up, raise your hand if you do not remember when it happened. That majority of the shorter ones, the newer ones, were embedded in the loose formation we had so it was kind of hard to see the hands at first. But they were there.

[Luis R. Ramos]

My squadron meets on Tuesday...

So there was a little ceremony during Opening Formation.

Unexpectedly on Monday, I was told I had an opening to give two hours training on ES. So I had a remembrance of my own...

I was a newly-hired Library Teacher at a Brooklyn HS, and was to be introduced at a school assembly when the deed happened. I could see the buildings clearly from my sixth-floor windows, the gaping window holes, and the smoke. I introduced my class on what I experienced that day, the mission some cadets and me participated on the following two days packing food donations, and training for another mission later on the week (this mission went on w/o my assistance).

I then proceeded to state about Hurricanes Irene, Isaac, Michael; Tropical Storm Leslie; and the Long Island mission that searched for the lost fisherman. And culminated on how I am getting old, I am 57 and that they need to train to carry the torch, as things can happen anytime.

Take care,

Flyer

[RRLE]

Patriots Day will very soon become like Labor Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day - some official holiday that most people do not remember why it is celebrated - and without a day off from work.

The commemorations will cease, especially in areas that were without survivors, and eventually even in those places. Life will go on and yes we will forget.

Think about this carefully. This year is the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812. How many commemorations of that have you seen and/or participated in?  2,260 patriots and soldiers were KIA, 4,505 were WIA and 15,000 died from all causes in that war. Last year began the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. That anniversary has 3 more years to run. Almost every battle had more casualties, a lot more, then 9/11 but battle commemorations have been few and far between.

Life goes on.

[Critical AOA]

I do not believe we will ever really forget as we should not.  However we will become less obsessed and most but not all annual commemorations and commiserations will eventually cease.  Even now, I see no need for it to be mentioned at each and every gathering of people who just happen to be together on September 11.

So it was not mentioned at your school, so what?  It was not mentioned at your CAP meeting, so what?  I doubt if anyone who picked up a newspaper or turned on the TV or radio was not reminded of what happened on that day 11 years ago. 

I just had to look at the date to remember and feel a bit of sorrow as well as anger.  No one needed to remind me and I certainly did not need to listen to a prayer or religious song or have a moment of silence to personally reflect on the events of that day and its lasting effects that plague us even today. 

The events of the past few days in Libya, Egypt and Yemen (starting on the 11th) also remind us of the threat we face from the very same people and their sickening vulgar belief system. 

By Joe Biden constantly reminding us that Obama personally killed Osama, we are reminded. That was a bit of sarcasm by the way.

You want to use a few minutes of your CAP meeting time to pay homage to something or someone each week?  How about reading the names of the US servicemen who gave their lives the past week overseas in the ongoing struggle against the filthy bastards?

[CAP4117]

The fact is that this didn't happen 200 years ago. Millions of people remember it like it was yesterday, and the emotions are still strong. Remembrances and ceremonies help people. No one said they had to be religious.
Instead of focusing our hatred on who we blame for this, this day should be about paying respect to all those who lost their lives. In my mind, that includes the people who have died in the ensuing wars. If people want to take a few minutes out of a CAP meeting for a moment of silence, what's wrong with that? 

[Майор Хаткевич]

The events of the past few days Centuries in Libya, Egypt and Yemen (starting on the 11th) also remind us of the threat we face from the very same people and their sickening vulgar belief system.

I can think of that in terms of another religion. Can you?

[Critical AOA]

The events of the past few days Centuries in Libya, Egypt and Yemen (starting on the 11th) also remind us of the threat we face from the very same people and their sickening vulgar belief system.

I can think of that in terms of another religion. Can you?

All that I have at least a basic understanding of.