I Remember

On this day, 19 years ago, I was mentoring a new Explosives Trace Detection trainer at a small airport in Sawyer, Michigan. During training, class was interrupted after the first plane struck the tower. We watched in awe, never realizing that more horror was to come. A second interruption, a second plane, the towers fell...everyone knew at this point we were under attack.

Planes across the country were grounded anywhere they could land. The FBI got wind of what we were doing in Sawyer with this "ETD technology," and picked us up. From Sawyer, we had a high speed escort, lights and sirens blazing, north to Marquette, where many planes had grounded. The FBI was interested in one plane in particular. Inside was a very tall young man of Russian descent, who was running up and down the aisle frantically gesturing and screaming. Wrong day to flip out.

The confused passengers from that plane were led out to a holding room, and the Russian gentleman was separated from the rest. They brought him in to a small room where he was strip searched. Every single item belonging to him was sampled with our ETDs. Nothing alarmed. No contraband was found.

It was discovered that this young man was giving a lecture at an American university, spoke very little English, didn't know what was happening, and had a panic attack. With nothing of note found on his person, and no alarms, they had no choice but to let him go. But they segregated him from some of the angry and suspicious passengers.

We were taken back to Sawyer, where we tried to finish the day. But the mood wasn't there, and there were so many new psychological stressors that we all had to process. Everyone was numb. We instinctively knew we were living in history. And my colleague, new to this line of work, pulled me aside.

"Is every day like this?" he asked, sincerely.

(In loving memory of those who gave their lives that day.)