T.B. Reflects on 9/11 From 17 Years in the Military

Presenter / Creator Information

T. B.

Document Type

Personal Reflection

What were you doing on 9/11? (Or, What was your interviewee doing on 9/11?)

I was in my 17th year of military service, at McConnell AFB, Wichita, KS 67210

How did 9/11 affect you personally and or professionally?

Professionally, it was an attack on the country that I signed up to protect and serve. As I watched the towers fall while I was holding my one-year-old twins, I knew that it wasn't going to be long before we maintainers would be recalled to start preparing aircraft for unknown missions. At no point did I say I would not be a part of those missions. I was ready to go. Personally, it impacted me because my family was young and I was concerned for their safety. What once was something that had never happened at the volume on America, but now impacted so many families, I am still worried about harm coming to my family and if my kids will ever have the peace of enjoying life as American citizens that I did growing up in this country.

What do you want future generations of professionals, particularly those going into your field, to know about 9/11?

The main purpose of joining the military should always be to be ready to serve and to go. Once we are in that uniform. The needs and lives of those we are asked to protect and serve should be the number 1 priority. 9/11 changed the way that we did everything. The way we did missions, the locations we were deployed to, the type of training we have to do, the creation of new career fields just to counter-terrorism. The fear of having this happen again should always be present. But the sense of urgency and willingness to respond should always be there and never in doubt.

On 9/11, what sector were you (OR your interviewee) in?

Military

On 9/11 what was your (OR your interviewee’s) occupation? (optional)

I was an aircraft maintenance production supervisor