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9/11 Is Coming Round Again

HayesGreener

HayesGreener

Ronin
I retired from my PD in 2000 and we moved to our ranch where I intended to raise cattle and breed horses.

I was still a reserve agent in Air Force OSI, and was taking some short term assignments from time to time. I was given a week long assignment to give a threat briefing in the midwest to a deploying unit that was supporting Northern Watch over Iraq. I was in process of building a barn and told Mrs Greener this was my last trip of the year. The briefing was on 9/11/01 in the morning and I was to fly home that afternoon. I gave my briefing then walked into the intel office to destroy my classified and go home. As I walked into the intel office I watched the second plane fly into the building on the TV screen. I was immediately mobilized for 16 months, and spent a total of more than 6 years gone on active duty over the next 10 years. I never bought the cattle and never bred the horses. I had to hire someone to put the roof on my barn along with a very long list of things I could not be there to work on.

But my story is not unique. Countless reservists and guardsmen answered the call along with their active duty counterparts. Everyone including civilians was impacted in this country in profound ways. Our world was fundamentally changed by extremists and would never be the same. The great reward to me was the opportunity to serve again, to travel around the world, and to work with so many magnificent patriots serving in our military. Mandatory retirement in 2011 was bittersweet. I miss the people, but it was time.

It is hard to comprehend that it has been 23 years. There are young lieutenants and fighter pilots who were not yet born on 9/11. Advances in technology since then are stunning. Our security is much better in some ways, and worse in others. But the threat is still there-today perhaps greater than ever due to world tensions and millions of illegals in our country. I fear the potential for even greater terrorist attacks and how it might affect my children and grandchildren. We cannot become complacent. To use the words of the late Toby Keith, "Have you forgotten?"

Buy ammo. Teach your grandkids about firearms. Vote wisely.
 
great post good sir. We won't forget. As I've noted I fall into the X generation and have taken care to inform the millennials and GenZ of that event and much much more. Some were attentive. It works if you are respectful and knowledgeable in whatever you are relating to them. They have grown up in a world of armed leos in schools, t- attacks everywhere, over blown gov, spying on citizenry like never seen before and so on. They were taught/forced to OSC. Obey Submit Comply. Now many are waking up and want a chance to push back. Let's give them the info and reason to do so.
 
That was a terrible day and time, thsnk you for your service Hayes. I remember it well, I had quit the
Manufacting computers environment, after Y2K and the thousands of hours spent that year prior, was burned out and was doing consulting work. I was home that morning and saw the second just like you, what a kick in the jewels that was. I was There and had stayed in Trade Center Three with meetings in Two just a couple weeks prior. The thought of all those I had met and entertained with those nights possibly being dead was overwhelming.

My wife was working and I drifted around ending up here

20240726_143619.jpg


Was standing there at dusk when across the river faintly at first we heard singing, then it got louder and recognized America the Beauftiful sang by thousands of Canadians. Still tears me up to this day thinking of thst wonderful gesture. Before that day I had hard feelings about Canadians, there was a lot of issues during the economic times in the 70s with us and Canadians. But today would fight to protect them in thier hour of need.

seems like yesterday.
 
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Thank you for your service @HayesGreener. I was at work that morning. I was still in social work at that time, at the office in Winnipeg, when several people in the conference room starting shouting at the monitor on the wall, which was usually on for the news. I rushed into the room, and could not believe my eyes. They were showing footage of the first tower being hit. We all stood there in disbelief. I feel that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I remember this, just as I did that day.

In the following hours, days, things went fast...kind of a blur. I had friends working at the airport. I got calls, everything was grounded. They were parking aircraft anywhere they could find a safe spot. Thousands of American passengers were displaces for days. There were heavy security concerns. I contacted the airport security office (a friend was a supervisor) and asked if I could help. He knew of my military experience and asked me how fast I could get there. Apparently they were recruiting anyone with Transport Canada security clearance to work to keep the airside secure. I tendered my resignation that afternoon and went to work security at the airport. Never looked back.

I came across a post on social media this morning that triggered (I hate that word, but that is what it did) that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach again. This is how I responded...

The passage of time blurs the lines, and the intensity of what happened that day has faded with that time. Every time I think about that day I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. If something like this happens again on our soil, it will be as if those brave men and women died for nothing that day. We must remember, and never let it happen again.
 
I was there several months later on business again. The thing that sticks hardest are the pictures, thousands and thousands of pictures of missing loved ones. Tacked up on everything that was not moving, in vain hope that thier loved one survived and was wandering out there somewhere.
 
The younger generation has no clue. The younger adults my children's age. The 18-23 yr olds. Sure they have read about it, but its just that, a study of history.
Its our job to tell them the proper story. Why illegals in this country are a huge risk. A huge problem.

Not just for their jobs, but for their safety and all of our safety .

9/11 will happen again. To many hate the United States and to many are here. Look at all the protests
 
My wife and I made our children watch 2 shows.
The documentary on 9/11. Showing the people jumping from the building, all the carnage, the loss of life and the hate for the USA from some countries abroad. Do you want that to happen again?

The show “Trafficked” hosted by Mariana van Zeller on Disc Channel. Episode was about drug smuggling into the US and how its made. Showed them making Meth with bleach, concrete, acid and all sorts of stuff in the jungles of S America. Showed them how hard drugs are made and do you want bleach and concrete in your body? Do you want the violence in our cities.

They understand the world is a cruel but beautiful place and why we carry
 
KillerFord1977 said:
The younger generation has no clue. The younger adults my children's age. The 18-23 yr olds. Sure they have read about it, but its just that, a study of history.
Its our job to tell them the proper story. Why illegals in this country are a huge risk. A huge problem.

Not just for their jobs, but for their safety and all of our safety .

9/11 will happen again. To many hate the United States and to many are here. Look at all the protests
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Part of the reason I carry a flashlight in my pocket was one one the people who I met on that business trip. He told me of walking down flights and flight of stairs in pitch black after the first trade center bombing , which made me think of my own experience in a blackout in a pitch black factory by myself.

It will happen again.
 
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I was at a training session 300 miles from my duty station when 9/11 hit.

Fortunately had my own rig and was able to get back w/o any issues compared to the other attendees that were SOL due to the flight restrictions.

Got some lessons learned from both 9/11 that will stick with me.

Something worse will happen sooner than later the way things have gone the last 4 yrs.
 
HayesGreener said:
I retired from my PD in 2000 and we moved to our ranch where I intended to raise cattle and breed horses.

I was still a reserve agent in Air Force OSI, and was taking some short term assignments from time to time. I was given a week long assignment to give a threat briefing in the midwest to a deploying unit that was supporting Northern Watch over Iraq. I was in process of building a barn and told Mrs Greener this was my last trip of the year. The briefing was on 9/11/01 in the morning and I was to fly home that afternoon. I gave my briefing then walked into the intel office to destroy my classified and go home. As I walked into the intel office I watched the second plane fly into the building on the TV screen. I was immediately mobilized for 16 months, and spent a total of more than 6 years gone on active duty over the next 10 years. I never bought the cattle and never bred the horses. I had to hire someone to put the roof on my barn along with a very long list of things I could not be there to work on.

But my story is not unique. Countless reservists and guardsmen answered the call along with their active duty counterparts. Everyone including civilians was impacted in this country in profound ways. Our world was fundamentally changed by extremists and would never be the same. The great reward to me was the opportunity to serve again, to travel around the world, and to work with so many magnificent patriots serving in our military. Mandatory retirement in 2011 was bittersweet. I miss the people, but it was time.

It is hard to comprehend that it has been 23 years. There are young lieutenants and fighter pilots who were not yet born on 9/11. Advances in technology since then are stunning. Our security is much better in some ways, and worse in others. But the threat is still there-today perhaps greater than ever due to world tensions and millions of illegals in our country. I fear the potential for even greater terrorist attacks and how it might affect my children and grandchildren. We cannot become complacent. To use the words of the late Toby Keith, "Have you forgotten?"

Buy ammo. Teach your grandkids about firearms. Vote wisely.
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After 9/11 one can’t say anything threat wise to America is impossible unless one has forgotten, but then many Americans tend to have short memories.
 
Thank you for your service @HayesGreener

I remember that morning like it was yesterday, I was in university across the river from NYC. Walking to cafeteria for breakfast with my buddy who was telling me about a plane crash in a way that made no sense. We got to the food checkout line which had a TV nearby and I saw for myself. The girl behind us overheard us, we pointed at the TV and her face instantly turned pale, she left her tray of food ran out saying "my mom works there" in a terrified shaking voice.

The rest of the day was locked down, some local TVs and radio stations stopped working after the antennas on WTC lost power and came crashing down. I tried to call my mom but all phone lines were jammed, even hard wired payphones were unable to make calls to NYC. We could see the thick black smoke billowing in the distance. It was a horrible day for most, and it was a tragic day for thousands who lost family members.

Terrorism is terrible indeed. There's also growing threats of domestic terrorism now from home grown extremists. Different platform, same horrible mentality.

Stay safe and healthy y'all.
 
i vividly recall, doing my trucking job from RI to NJ, 5 nights a week.

so going into/thru the city was an every night thing, twice in fact (going both directions)



what is vivid in my mind, was the heavily armed National Guard? maybe Reserves? they were standing guard at ALL toll plazas' along the way

at one time, we truckers used to use the lower level of the GWB...not after 9/11....all up top after that.

what i didn't recall was, how many years its been.

i was home that morning, watching the news, and seeing this shite happen live......
 
HayesGreener said:
I retired from my PD in 2000 and we moved to our ranch where I intended to raise cattle and breed horses.

I was still a reserve agent in Air Force OSI, and was taking some short term assignments from time to time. I was given a week long assignment to give a threat briefing in the midwest to a deploying unit that was supporting Northern Watch over Iraq. I was in process of building a barn and told Mrs Greener this was my last trip of the year. The briefing was on 9/11/01 in the morning and I was to fly home that afternoon. I gave my briefing then walked into the intel office to destroy my classified and go home. As I walked into the intel office I watched the second plane fly into the building on the TV screen. I was immediately mobilized for 16 months, and spent a total of more than 6 years gone on active duty over the next 10 years. I never bought the cattle and never bred the horses. I had to hire someone to put the roof on my barn along with a very long list of things I could not be there to work on.

But my story is not unique. Countless reservists and guardsmen answered the call along with their active duty counterparts. Everyone including civilians was impacted in this country in profound ways. Our world was fundamentally changed by extremists and would never be the same. The great reward to me was the opportunity to serve again, to travel around the world, and to work with so many magnificent patriots serving in our military. Mandatory retirement in 2011 was bittersweet. I miss the people, but it was time.

It is hard to comprehend that it has been 23 years. There are young lieutenants and fighter pilots who were not yet born on 9/11. Advances in technology since then are stunning. Our security is much better in some ways, and worse in others. But the threat is still there-today perhaps greater than ever due to world tensions and millions of illegals in our country. I fear the potential for even greater terrorist attacks and how it might affect my children and grandchildren. We cannot become complacent. To use the words of the late Toby Keith, "Have you forgotten?"

Buy ammo. Teach your grandkids about firearms. Vote wisely.
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Thank you for your service sir.
 
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