Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001?

[sigmtnman]

Sitting cross legged on the floor of our living room, debugging a perl script.

[sigmtnman]

...After it was realized that 19 of the suiciders were Saudis I figured we were headed to Saudi and kick some ass...funny how that didn't happen.

American justice is blind.

[canadienmike]

I was driving to work when I heard on the radio about the first plane, then the second plane hitting and realizing that this was a deliberate attack and not an accident. I had just moved down here from NYC the year before and spent the morning trying to call friends back in NY to make sure they were safe (one worked in WTC 7 but was out of town on business, though we didn't find that out until later that morning). I remember finally reaching one friend on the phone and praying with her. I also remember feeling a little guilt that I wasn't able to be there with them.

When I was living/working in NY, the WTC was my subway stop for a number of months. I visited ground zero the following year and remember just how empty that area looked.

[kieefer]

Sitting in my car listening to the radio at Horizons Computer Training Center when the first plane hit. I was signed up for a day course that I don't even remember or use anymore. Once in class I stayed on the internet watching events unfold in disbelief. Seemed everyone but me was oblivious to what was happening, the instructor never made a comment.

[E4 No More]

In bed asleep. I worked night shift. One of my kids woke me up to see the news.

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

At that time I was still driving over the road as an owner operator for Heartland Express. I had begged to be sent home the night before so that I could have some dental work done, I had one wisdom tooth that was killing me and as it turned out I ended up having two cut out that morning.

As I was trying to find the dentist's office my wife called me on the cell to tell me that a plane had crashed into the trade center, I didnt think very much of it and to be honest all I cared about at that moment was getting that tooth that was hurting me out! so I kinda blew her off. I figured that it was just a small plane and an accident.

While I was in the dentist chair the second plane hit and before I was finished both towers had fallen. The folks at the dentist office had rolled the waiting room TV into a position so that my dentist was working on me and stopping to stick his head out into the hallway to watch the TV every few minutes. I am sure that I would have been finished sooner had all that not been going on at the same time. Stil he did fine work, which was also a bit of concern to me at that moment. I heard him tell one of the ladies to call and cancel any appointments for the rest of the day for anyone who was not already there.

Once I got home my wifes first question was whether or not it was going to have any effect on me as far as the military and I responded with a resounding NO. I told her that my initial commitment had been completed many years before and they would not come and get me and that I had no intention of joining back up and that even if I did want to reenlist that I was probably too old. I did not even consider the idea at the time to be even a remote possibility.

As the Guard units started to deploy it started to bother me more and more. I saw all those young faces and I knew that I had skills that could be used and then I found out that I was indeed still young enough to get back in at age 46. The military subtracts any years of service that a person already has to find their "military age". At 46 years old and with 12 years of service I was only 34 to them so I reenlisted in Feb 04, went on full time temporary orders within a week or two and stayed on them until I deployed in Sep of 04.

My wife was not happy with that decison and I tolf her that I could not explain it to her because I could not explain it even to myself....I just HAD to go. I am still very glad that I did.

I had intended to stay in the Guard until I got my 20 years in but after returning and then finding out that they could not fix the nerve damage that I had suffered over there in my back and neck I was forced to take a medical discharge in Feb 08. I was not given a choice. Having to take a medical devastated me but it was, in hindsight the right thing for them to do as I have, just as the Docs said that I would, gotten much much worse.

I dont know if the invasion of Iraq will be looked on in the history books as being right or wrong and I dont really not care. I went to help the soldiers of the TN National Guard and that is just what I did. I was there for the first Free Elections in that country and can remember how proud those people were and how a lot of them kept going back and re-inking their fingers when the ink would wear off so that they could remember a bit longer, I remember a few who worked on our base who still had purple fingertips two months later, they were that proud. I will never forget that election day anymore than I will forget the day that those cowards killed all those innocent Americans.

My wife had gone to college with one person who was in tower 2. But while I was not there and did not know anyone that was involved personally that day changed my life forever just as it has for most all of us.

If I could not prevent the attack itself from happening the only two things I would change about the aftermath would be how a lot of folks in our country have forgotten how we all felt in those few weeks after that day and the fact that I got hurt. But I would gladly be much more hurt and would even give my life to see our country ALWAYS feel and act like we all did in those few weeks following the attacks.

Getting ready for work. Just sold my house and the only thing left in the den was a folding chair and the TV. For some odd reason I had the TV on while getting dressed. I heard the news talking about a small aircraft had hit the WTC. I began watching and was sitting there watching live TV when the 2nd plane hit. I knew at that instant our world had just changed, and not for the better. For what it's worth I was sitting in the American Cafe eating dinner when President Bush gave his address to the nation that night. Politics aside, I've always been extremely proud to be an American, but after his speech you probably could have put a rifle in my hand and shipped me overseas that very night. I'm pretty sure there were a lot of other folks who felt the same way, and some of us still do.

God Bless America.

Those attacks caused me to re-think my chosen profession and I sold my truck in Nov. of 01 and decided that being home with family was more important no matter how hard the construction business was becoming.

But when "W" made that speech I was still driving and had the radio on. I ended up having to pull over in tears of pride and tears over the losses that our country had suffered that day. I may have cried the day it happened but I dont remember doing anything except being in shock like everyone else and staying glued to the TV for a couple of days until I had to leave out again. I made up my mind on the side of the road that night to sell the truck and stay closer to home to make a living.

But it still took a couple more years before I realized that I had to go do my little part to help.

And Yes Sir..You Bet!... I would go again tomorrow if they would let me, damaged nerves and all.

DUTY HONOR COUNTRY:)

[dralarms]

At that time I was still driving over the road as an owner operator for Heartland Express. I had begged to be sent home the night before so that I could have some dental work done, I had one wisdom tooth that was killing me and as it turned out I ended up having two cut out that morning.

As I was trying to find the dentist's office my wife called me on the cell to tell me that a plane had crashed into the trade center, I didnt think very much of it and to be honest all I cared about at that moment was getting that tooth that was hurting me out! so I kinda blew her off. I figured that it was just a small plane and an accident.

While I was in the dentist chair the second plane hit and before I was finished both towers had fallen. The folks at the dentist office had rolled the waiting room TV into a position so that my dentist was working on me and stopping to stick his head out into the hallway to watch the TV every few minutes. I am sure that I would have been finished sooner had all that not been going on at the same time. Stil he did fine work, which was also a bit of concern to me at that moment. I heard him tell one of the ladies to call and cancel any appointments for the rest of the day for anyone who was not already there.

Once I got home my wifes first question was whether or not it was going to have any effect on me as far as the military and I responded with a resounding NO. I told her that my initial commitment had been completed many years before and they would not come and get me and that I had no intention of joining back up and that even if I did want to reenlist that I was probably too old. I did not even consider the idea at the time to be even a remote possibility.

As the Guard units started to deploy it started to bother me more and more. I saw all those young faces and I knew that I had skills that could be used and then I found out that I was indeed still young enough to get back in at age 46. The military subtracts any years of service that a person already has to find their "military age". At 46 years old and with 12 years of service I was only 34 to them so I reenlisted in Feb 04, went on full time temporary orders within a week or two and stayed on them until I deployed in Sep of 04.

My wife was not happy with that decison and I tolf her that I could not explain it to her because I could not explain it even to myself....I just HAD to go. I am still very glad that I did.

I had intended to stay in the Guard until I got my 20 years in but after returning and then finding out that they could not fix the nerve damage that I had suffered over there in my back and neck I was forced to take a medical discharge in Feb 08. I was not given a choice. Having to take a medical devastated me but it was, in hindsight the right thing for them to do as I have, just as the Docs said that I would, gotten much much worse.

I dont know if the invasion of Iraq will be looked on in the history books as being right or wrong and I dont really not care. I went to help the soldiers of the TN National Guard and that is just what I did. I was there for the first Free Elections in that country and can remember how proud those people were and how a lot of them kept going back and re-inking their fingers when the ink would wear off so that they could remember a bit longer, I remember a few who worked on our base who still had purple fingertips two months later, they were that proud. I will never forget that election day anymore than I will forget the day that those cowards killed all those innocent Americans.

My wife had gone to college with one person who was in tower 2. But while I was not there and did not know anyone that was involved personally that day changed my life forever just as it has for most all of us.

If I could not prevent the attack itself from happening the only two things I would change about the aftermath would be how a lot of folks in our country have forgotten how we all felt in those few weeks after that day and the fact that I got hurt. But I would gladly be much more hurt and would even give my life to see our country ALWAYS feel and act like we all did in those few weeks following the attacks.

Those attacks caused me to re-think my chosen profession and I sold my truck in Nov. of 01 and decided that being home with family was more important no matter how hard the construction business was becoming.

But when "W" made that speech I was still driving and had the radio on. I ended up having to pull over in tears of pride and tears over the losses that our country had suffered that day. I may have cried the day it happened but I dont remember doing anything except being in shock like everyone else and staying glued to the TV for a couple of days until I had to leave out again. I made up my mind on the side of the road that night to sell the truck and stay closer to home to make a living.

But it still took a couple more years before I realized that I had to go do my little part to help.

And Yes Sir..You Bet!... I would go again tomorrow if they would let me, damaged nerves and all.

DUTY HONOR COUNTRY:)

My wife asked me if I was going? And at my age at the time 40, I would have gone if they would have me but I only served 5 years (actually 5 1/2) and in my physical shape there was no way.

[hipower]

Sgt. Joe, first thanks for your service; both first and second time around. That attitude and commitment is what has made this a counrty worth living in and fighting for. And my belated sympathies to your wife for the loss of her friend.

Secondly, like probably the entire population of this country, I can recount in vivid detail exactly what I was doing and continued to do that first day. It's not really important what I was doing, just that I bonded with and comiserated with everyone I had contact with that day. It was an experience I will never forget.

As like you, I remember the national uniting around that still-flying tattered flag; with "W" and the firemen. The rousing words of his speech. And the tears shed many times that day.

One stand-out memory is talking with my wife, a nurse, who had contacted her friends at Vanderbuit's Trauma and Burn Center. They had been put on standby to recieve victims and she was volunteering to go in and assist. I was having a had time explaining that due to the known details at that time, I did't think many, if any, would be sent here. As the night went on, she began to see why. And seeing that understanding come to her was terrible.

But we endured, as a people and a country. With the efforts of many, many like you.

My sincere Thanks to you and all the other heroes of that day and those followng.