9/11 Reflect, React, Reaffirm

Reflect, react, and reaffirm … twenty years later.?This weekend, most Americans, I hope, are taking some time to reflect, react, and reaffirm.?This is not a political missive, rather my own thoughts about that bright, blue, beautiful morning in New York, in Washington DC, and in a place most have never heard of, let alone find on a map; Shanksville, Pennsylvania; when and where all bore painful witness to the worst attack on the American homeland since Pearl Harbor.?Being historically accurate, Hawaii was not yet a state, but we think of that attack as on our soil and certainly upon our blood and treasure.?Hard to fathom 20 years have passed since that September day.?Harder still to process all we have witnessed and worn over those same years.?Everyone has their own memories of that day; and their own experiences in connection following.??

My own actions that day were pretty pedestrian, at first. My wife and I were just returning to our “stairwell apartment” in American family housing at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, following a post-surgical appointment for me at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center about 90 minutes away.?I was in our bedroom when she asked (if not alerted) me to come see what she was seeing on the TV.?Germany is six hours ahead of EST, so it was middle of the afternoon for us.?We watched, grasping to comprehend what we were seeing as the first; then the second, World Trade Center Tower collapsed.?Within minutes, the home phone rang (precursor to the ubiquity of cell phones today), informing the Disaster Control Group was forming, and I was to be on alert.?My squadron commander (and boss at the time), as I recall, actually went to the Command Post that afternoon and evening; I would relieve her the next morning.?We initiated squadron accountability recall to ensure we knew where everyone was and the base locked down.??

As the minutes, hours, then days ticked by, more and more reports came in, detailing more about what we knew, came to know, including who we understood was responsible.?The world had just changed, and in ways I think few really could foretell in those early days.?All of us Americans, at Spangdahlem, appreciated the outpouring from our German counterparts.?By early the following morning, the base gates base were alighted and awash in a sea of prayer candles in votives and flowers showing sympathies, and, solidarity with us.?Twenty years on, I still reflect, react and reaffirm. I’m no longer angry or confused or frightened by those events.?I do, like many of you, know people connected to those we lost in the Towers, in the Pentagon, and on United Airlines Flight 93, and we continue mourning and honoring their lives.??

Two decades of war, in places I never thought I’d set foot, unfolded following.?So many volumes have been written about Afghanistan, Iraq, the War on Terror, and everything connected and corollary to them.?Many of you know my plan is to one day write a volume of my own (I have the chapter titles and working book title framed out … the rest will have to wait until I have time to really process how I’d like that to flow and time to dedicate to the process).?It will include stories about my own experiences in Central Asia (at least a few places that end in “-stan” including Afghanistan), the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Turkey … there are leadership lessons for me flowing from those experiences.?It’s a book about leadership; applicable anywhere, not about the art and science, or a historical chronical or critique, of the past 20 years of war.??

There are many opinions flowing of late with the end of US boots on the ground in Afghanistan.?Many of you have heard my stories about the responsibility I had for ensuring our fallen there, and across the broader conflict regions, were returned home with dignity, honor, and respect while serving as the Joint Mortuary Affairs Officer for United States Central Command from July 2007 to March 2009.?More than 2,000 American names came across my desk during that time … we returned everyone home; and everyone within the timelines we established for the dignified return.?I have heard it said, and seen in various written form; the soul of a nation can be judged by how they treat their fallen.?There is no place on earth that works as hard to ensure their fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, Coast Guardsmen, and our civilians lost in conflict are returned home in a fitting fashion, than our Country.??

This twentieth remembrance, I am ignoring the pundits, politicians, posers and those posturing to share their “expert” opinions about Afghanistan in particular, to instead reflect, react, and reaffirm that my brothers and sisters shall not have lost their lives for nothing.?From the victims on 9/11, to those paying both with limbs, and lives given in their last full measure of devotion to this great Nation, we owe debts to them we cannot begin to calculate, let alone repay.?I have stood shoulder to shoulder with many of you reading this, some in those places most people cannot pronounce.?For others, we sat and shared stories of sacrifices poured out.?For others still, your support was not short in supply or feigned or a flat “thank you for your service”.?When we just needed a hat tip, a hug or a handshake, or the more challenging support to help us with our wounds; seen and unseen, you were there.?Many remain vigilantly there … thank you.??

My small ask of all who take the time to humor my musings here.?Take even a few minutes to reflect, react, and reaffirm.?I optimistically believe America remains, as President Reagan said; “a shining city on a hill”.?Our best is yet ahead of us; if we are willing to reflect, react, and reaffirm our fealty to this Constitutional Republic, and to the things that made us the most prosperous, powerful, and promising place on earth.??