Today is 9/11, so we only feel it appropriate to face it head on and talk about it. My DH joined the Air Force in 2001, commissioning on a Friday, graduating college on a Saturday, and us getting married on that following Wednesday. It was a whirlwind of activities. He was headed into Navigator training in Texas, where he would eventually quit that program, and we would move on to a new base. We arrived in Texas around June/July time frame and set up our first apartment as a married couple. I remember those days mainly with long hours of him never home and our first check from the military being 36cents. They had messed something up (btw, this was one of about 20 paycheck screw ups over the years), and we had to borrow money off of a future check to pay the bills and then payback our own money. Wierd, huh.
So when Sept came, it wasn’t much different then any other months. We were newbies in the military, newly married, and Chris was working 18 hours a day on school that he hated. The only positive thing that came out of that experience was that he met his now best friend whom lived across from us in the same apartment. They are still best buds after all these years. *and he is super hot, cough, cough*
I remember laying in bed and my phone rang. Back then, sleeping till 10am wasn’t a big deal. No kids, husband gone to work, I had struggled to find a job right out college myself, and had about given up. My grandmother called “Are you watching the news?” “No, why?” “Turn the news on!!!” I get up, and flick it on to see a tower on fire. “Oh, crap, whats going on?” “A plane hit it” “Stupid pilot”.
It was then on live TV I saw the 2nd tower hit by another plane, standing there in my pajamas with my grandmother on the phone. It was just dumbfounding. I think terrorism was the furthest from everyones mind still. It was an absolute tragedy. Then the news started flowing about plane hijacked, and the pentagon, and America under attack.
Then again, on live TV, I watched the towers fall. All I could do was cry. All those people.
My mind switched. My DH. Was he ok? Why hadn’t he called? Where was he? How would this affect his job? And it did. It now made him face war. No more were the delusions of grandeur in traveling and having an easy way of education through the military, but serving was actually SERVING.
My neighbors wife came over, she was frantic. They had a few kids and she hadn’t heard from her husband either. It was about 6 hours later before we got a call telling us everything was fine, the base was locked down, they were stuck in classrooms and not allowed to leave and had no idea when, where, or if they were going to be let out.
As a military wife, I served too. We spent from 2001-Feb 2008 in the military. I loved much of it, and I hated much of it. The politics, the policies, the ass kissing, the chain of command, the arrogance, the government system- I could do with ALL of that. But the kindness of the people, the opportunity to assist directly with our nation, the volunteering-that part I loved.
We lived in Texas, South Carolina, and Ohio and my DH did one tour to Afghanistan when Charlotte was 9 months old.
How easy we get caught up in gas prices and elections and what “shoulda, coulda, woulda”, but after over 7 years in the military with those men and women, we have to continue to support, love, and work on being a PROUD part of America.
I will never forget.
~Trisha
Where were you on 9/11? And do you have family that serves? Tell us about them. Feel free to add your 9/11 posts in Mr. Linky.
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I remember that day vividly too. I was in college that day totally unaware.
Thanks to you and your husband for serving our country and promoting democracy. I’m a firm believer that it is not just the soldier but the soldiers’ families that serve also. My baby brother is currently in Iraq serving in the Army. While we’ve always been proud of America – this has been an enlightening couple years for us.
*and I am super single, cough, cough* LOL
I was in eastern Ohio. I was driving a semi truck with my trainer. My dh called around 8:30 and told me a plane hit the WTC. Wow, tragic, with no realization of what would come not long after. We saw a tad bit on TV in the rest area we were at. Most of it we got from days of coverage on the radio. The evening of 9-11 we had to drive through NY, about an hour north of NYC. I had never seen so many cops on the roadways prior to that day. I just remember the days that followed were just a haze of despair, mourning, disbelief and fear.
I wrote about how it has affected me.
I was in NY on that day. I’ve never really shared my story in its entirity until today. It feels incredibly therapeutic to get it all out there. Thanks for letting me share the link to my story.
I talked about 9/11 on my blog on my oldest sons birthday, because he was born on the first. My Dh was in the Corp at the time. I remember looking down at D and wondering what kind of world I had just bought a child into. My Dh would later go to Iraq twice, and two other locations for training purposes. He was gone for most of our oldest sons first 3 years of life.
I don’t think any of us will ever forget where we were that day much as our parents have their memories of JFK’s death. Life definitely goes on but I hope everyone takes a moment today to honor those who died, the families left behind and the men and women in our armed forces who are still dealing with the aftermath of that awful day. I didn’t post my own “where was I,” but a column written by Dave Barry for the Miami Herald. It was published 2 days after 9/11 and it really resonated with me.
I wont forget, we were in Gym class(8th grade) and were all dressed waiting for Ms. Mac to come and she was late, she finally came out of her office crying, we all had no idea what was going on that day, until she told us. we were all shocked, how could that possibly happen? She excused us from class, and the school let us all out early that day to be with our families…It was so scary to watch on tv, i couldnt even believe what i was looking at, so sad. I cant believe it was 7 years ago
I was in class when everything happened, and hubby was in the Marines at the time. I’ve posted a bit about our stories in my blog.
I was making a morning snack for my daughter today and I happened to look the microwave clock: 9:11am. In this house, we all paused to remember that dreadful day and the bereaved families who have to think about 9/11 every day.
I was in college. I wrote my whole experience on my post, but all I can say is, “I’m proud to be and American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the U.S.A.”
I was working at Wal-Mart when the planes hit and I remember just gathering around the service desk trying to listen to the radio and our stupid store manager telling us to get back to work! Yeah like our jobs were that important! It was so hard to concentrate on anything that day I just wanted to be home with my family. Trying to explain to my 3 year old what had happened and to try and answer his questions was a very hard thing. I hope that we all remeber that freedom isn’t free and that we are the Land of the Free because of the brave!
I forgot to mention that we had Electronic Warfare school in my building with several foreign military students attendign. They got locked down for two days until everything got sorted out. It was for their protection of retaliation and for the bases protection.
My husband was on deployment in the middle east when 9/11 happened. He was in the Navy. He was active duty for 16 years until they retired him because of his back. He would have done at least 20…
Anyhow, that was a very rough time for me. He wasn’t on the ground, he was on an aircraft carrier, but it was still frightening.
I have to dig out and scan in some of his pictures. They are amazing…
Nothing I can say about this day is as powerful as the prayer in my post.
I remember the day vividly. I was in Navigator training working on computer based training. Some one stuck their head in the door and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center. We were all thinking what kind of drunk asshole flies into the World Trade Center? At the time we were thinking it was a Cesna. We went back to studying. A little later someone announced a second plane hit. We were think WTF. Two in one day?
There were no TVs in our building so we hd no idea what was going on. All of a sudden we were told not to leave the building. The enitre base was on placed on Delta (the highest level of security). This equated to an attack. Still being new, none of us had any clue what was going on. Eventually we were told what was going on. At some point I finally go to call home and talk with Trisha. I remember her telling me my best friends wife and one of my classmates fiance was over at the apartment. They were both flipping out. Trisha was trying to stay strong for them, but broke down in tears over the phone once she heard my voice.
Eventually they let us out of the building to eat and I finally saw the TV images, 4-5 hours later. I saw the towers fall live before I saw video of the planes hit.
I rememebr all of us wondering if they were going to speed up training. We all knew we were going to war soon. I was prouder than I had ever been to be part of my nation’s military. I was worried for my wife and family, but was ready to kick some ass. I am out now, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t secretly wish I still served this great nation. My time has passed, but if America ever needs me I will never hesitate to defend it.
God bless your family.
I remembered 9/11 in my post today, and wrote about my brother-in-law, who is about to become a US Citizen.
Thank you for both of your services. You are very appreciated and should be honored.
I remembered today by featuring little kid’s drawings…..
I wrote a post about my experience in the midst of the chaos that day in NYC. It is too much to recap here. But here is a link to my post http://tiny.cc/CV9xV