Ten Years

I'm sure all of you who are old enough to remember do remember what you were doing on September 11th, where you were when you found out, the horror of the rest of the day as we watched endless loops on cable news of towers burning and falling, people jumping, people running. The clean-up effort afterward, the way our nation pulled together, the beginning of the war, airport security tightened, the Department of Homeland Security was created, Americans joined the military in droves.

I spent last September 11th in Afghanistan, fighting the war that continues to this today. This year I'll also have the pleasure of wearing the uniform on September 11th, as my unit holds their monthly Inactive Duty Training (IDT), or what most reservists just call "drill". It's part of the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" that I signed up for. I doubt I'll have a chance to return to Afghanistan, but I'm proud to continue to wear the uniform and make a contribution towards the safety and security of our country.

I stopped in the PX after drill today and was walking through the aisles when a gentlemen pointed at me. As I stopped, he said, "thank you". Since I was the only person in uniform in that section of the store, I assumed he was thanking me for serving, so I said, "you're welcome". "I slept safely last night," he explained. "Someone had to stand watch." You're welcome, sir, and thanks for your appreciation. I am truly grateful that the VFW throws parties for us and random people stop me and that I don't have to go through what the Vietnam-era veterans experienced.

Security on the base is tight, as it should be, and it will likely remain that way for a while. That's fine. The war is not over, and our fight against extremists who will go to any measure to hurt us is not done. Be vigilant. Look up "Operation Gratitude" or "Operation Shoebox" and send a care package to service members who are currently overseas. (Or, if you wait a week and send me an e-mail, I'll send you the address of a friend of mine who just left--he can easily distribute things to his unit.) Things that are good to send: baby wipes, chap stick, trial-size toiletries, individually packaged snacks/candy, gum, a deck of cards, cheap paperback novels, and those Starbucks "via" instant coffee packets (yes, they're expensive, but they're like gold over there).

For all those who died that day, and for all the Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen who have given their lives to provide justice: we will not forget.