Like most people, I recall clearly where I was and what I was doing on 9/11. I was a recently commissioned lieutenant in flight school working on a systems simulator when an instructor came in and said, "They just hit the pentagon too." Of course that got our attention, so we turned on the TV and watched as the towers fell. In that moment I realized that these events had set a path before me and everyone else in that room. I turned to my stick buddy and said, "So much for a quiet career", as we all knew things were about to get busy.
I went off to Korea for my first assignment as the events in Afghanistan unfolded and watched and listened as the Iraq debate heated up and eventually resulted in the invasion. I listened to the war coverage on the radio as we we're conducting a gunnery in a field environment so we didn't have CNN. I was on assignment to a unit that was templated as the reserve force for the initial invasion, and within weeks of returning from Korea I was enroute to Baghdad. The rest is a blur and I can't believe ten years has passed. I think often of the friends and fellow Soldiers that gave their lives. Sometimes I get the question about what Iraq had to do with 9/11. It's a good question and worth discussing because I think it's important for people to understand how we got there politically and strategically. It's not all good news. However, regardless of any debates, I'll tell you that I think every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine that has given his life did so in the name of fighting Terrorism and defending our way of life.
I'm not the wax romantic type but I wanted to do something today and could think of no better thing than flying. With much deliberation I gave up operational flying a couple of years ago and bought an RV when I did. I put "IZ" on the tale as a commemorative touch as "IZ" is the country code that represents Iraq. The flight was even more fitting now that I?m stationed near our nation?s capital. I was amused with some of the discussion going on in some other forums this week about the increased security at the DC area airports and the possibility of TFRs restricting our ability to fly on 9/11. 9/11 changed our lives, but it didn't take away our fundamental freedom. A terrorist's strategic goal is make us live in fear, distrust and question our security to simply go about our lives. We're winning if we don't let that happen. Charlie Sheen has that much right.
As I strapped in my four year old son I was thanking all of those that will never get to see the pure joy on his face as he was getting to go fly with Dad. We spent 30 minutes "making his tummy feel funny". He asked me if he was a good co-pilot. I told him he was the best I've ever had, and those are big shoes to fill.
RIP- Corry, Dennis, Brian, Steve and 4,470 other brave souls.
I went off to Korea for my first assignment as the events in Afghanistan unfolded and watched and listened as the Iraq debate heated up and eventually resulted in the invasion. I listened to the war coverage on the radio as we we're conducting a gunnery in a field environment so we didn't have CNN. I was on assignment to a unit that was templated as the reserve force for the initial invasion, and within weeks of returning from Korea I was enroute to Baghdad. The rest is a blur and I can't believe ten years has passed. I think often of the friends and fellow Soldiers that gave their lives. Sometimes I get the question about what Iraq had to do with 9/11. It's a good question and worth discussing because I think it's important for people to understand how we got there politically and strategically. It's not all good news. However, regardless of any debates, I'll tell you that I think every Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine that has given his life did so in the name of fighting Terrorism and defending our way of life.
I'm not the wax romantic type but I wanted to do something today and could think of no better thing than flying. With much deliberation I gave up operational flying a couple of years ago and bought an RV when I did. I put "IZ" on the tale as a commemorative touch as "IZ" is the country code that represents Iraq. The flight was even more fitting now that I?m stationed near our nation?s capital. I was amused with some of the discussion going on in some other forums this week about the increased security at the DC area airports and the possibility of TFRs restricting our ability to fly on 9/11. 9/11 changed our lives, but it didn't take away our fundamental freedom. A terrorist's strategic goal is make us live in fear, distrust and question our security to simply go about our lives. We're winning if we don't let that happen. Charlie Sheen has that much right.
As I strapped in my four year old son I was thanking all of those that will never get to see the pure joy on his face as he was getting to go fly with Dad. We spent 30 minutes "making his tummy feel funny". He asked me if he was a good co-pilot. I told him he was the best I've ever had, and those are big shoes to fill.
RIP- Corry, Dennis, Brian, Steve and 4,470 other brave souls.
