Reflecting on Patriot's Day

Like countless Americans, I remember exactly what I was doing when the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center Towers on September 11^th, 2001. Both my spouse and I had the day off since it was our one-year wedding anniversary and we planned to relax and spend time with our daughter, who was seven months old at the time. We woke up to the phone ringing and my mother-in-law told us we needed to turn on the news right away. All she knew was that a plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

We immediately turned on the television and like countless other Americans, we sat there in disbelief as the North Tower began to burn. If I close my eyes, I can remember how I felt as we watched the South Tower be hit at 9:03 am. Our chubby little baby had just began pulling herself up and walking along the coffee table. She walked over to me and I picked her up and cradled her close to my chest. At this point it was clear that the first plane crash had not been an accident and something terrible was happening to our nation.

Both my husband and I had been honorably discharged from active-duty Army less than two months before the attacks on 09/11. I had recently submitted my paperwork to enlist in the Michigan Army National Guard, because I had terribly missed my military life after only being out a few short months. Little did I know as we sat there on the couch, staring at the television in utter shock, that my paperwork would be approved on 09/11/01 to enlist in the Michigan Army National Guard.

As the morning progressed and the attack on the Pentagon happened and Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania, it was clear that our nation was under attack and we both knew that our country would fight back in some capacity.

My first weekend with the Guard was the following month, and there was a somber mood amongst everyone. We were informed that the unit would be changing its mission and many of us would need to change our MOS (job description) in the coming months. This is was my first clue that I would eventually deploy in some capacity to defend our country.

The year 2001 passed, Operation Enduring Freedom began shortly after the attacks and then it wouldn’t be until 2003 that Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off. During that time, my MOS changed to be a truck driver and from month to month we lived on pins and needles, waiting to get the call that it was our turn to deploy.

My call came in October of 2003. At that time, another unit out of Howell, Michigan was being activated but they needed additional soldiers from other National Guard units to join them. The call was from one of my closest Army friends to let me know she was volunteering to go with them. I hesitated for a moment, thinking about my sweet daughter, who was now going on three years old. How could I leave her and my husband behind? But the more I thought about it, the real question became, how could I let my closest Army buddy go to war without me?

The answer was clear. I had to volunteer to go with the 1462^nd Transportation unit from Howell, Michigan. A majority of soldiers from my current unit had agreed to go together, wanting to serve and defend our nation together ratherthan be split apart later into other smaller units.

I needed to go to honor the 2,996 Americans who were killed on 09/11. I needed to go to protect not only my daughter from the monsters but to protect other daughters and sons so they wouldn’t have to worry about another terrorist attack.

Twenty years have gone by, and I think about all those lives tragically lost not only on09/11/01, but in the twenty years that have passed. 7,074 American forces have died protecting our country from terrorists, and over 53,000 American forces have been wounded in action over the course of twenty years. Each one of those numbers is a person. A son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister, aunt, and uncle. They left behind a legacy and families that will never forget their ultimate sacrifice.

By the time you read this, it will be past 09/11, but I hope you will remember these numbers. Remember that they represent an individual and a family. It’s not enough to say we will never forget. We need to live our lives and dedicate our service to others to those that are no longer here. Live your life to the fullest, be kind to others, give back to your communities. And remember that men and women continue to stand at the ready to volunteer their lives to defend and protect our nation.

Because freedom is not free.