Photo By Sgt. Lisa Vines | U.S. Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Allen Cecil, the Chief of Staff for the North...... read more read more
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Boots hit the ground in force at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2021, in Raleigh, North Carolina, as North Carolina National Guardsmen and women took off for a 9.11-mile ruck, walk, and run to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks on this day in 2001 and to honor our fallen.
The day of remembrance began with an opening ceremony reminding all who listened that the day's events are to keep our memories alive and educate us on how 9/11's string of events changed America and its military operations.
"The morning of September 11th forever changed the lives of so many Americans," said U.S. Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Allen Cecil. "The National Guard was a strategic reserve of the Department of Defense. By the end of 2006, the North Carolina National Guard had mobilized 95%, almost 11,000 Soldiers and Airmen, to respond to the horrific attacks on America."
Following the morning's speakers, over 100 runners, walkers, and ruckers lined up at the starting line at Joint Force Headquarters. Runners took off at 8:46 a.m., the same time that the North Tower of the World Trade Center was struck by American Airlines Flight 11. Walkers and ruckers stepped off at 9:03 a.m. when hijackers crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower.
"Today has been very emotional," said U.S. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Casey Kirby, an active National Guard Soldier who completed the 9.11-mile ruck. "I've had several close friends lose their lives for our freedoms and for that day."
Kirby, like many others, can recall where she was and what she was doing when the news reported the attack.
"The day the first plane hit the Twin Towers, I was sitting in Algebra class just hanging out with my friends doing typical eighth grade stuff, and my teacher rolls in a big TV and turns on the news. Up until that point in my life war had never been introduced. I knew about wars and studied them in history class, but it wasn't something that I thought I'd have to be a part of or want to be a part of. It changed me."
Over the past 20 years, Guardsmen have engaged in various missions and deployments against the Global War on Terror in response to 9/11. 26 North Carolina service members lost their lives on the battlefield.
"Today has definitely been an emotional ride, but it's also been a day of celebration that we're all here and we get to continue on their legacy," said Kirby.
Throughout the day, the North Carolina National Guard members demonstrated their resilience and desire to remember and honor those who died on 9/11 and those who sacrificed their lives overseas in the years that followed. The day’s events were also an educational tool to show future generations what happened and how the terror attacks shaped the National Guard. Banners with defining events were hung and informational cards were distributed with the overarching goal of sharing and continuing the history of our military force and fallen service members.
“Nothing more has shaped our organization into what we are right now,” said NCARNG Maj. Shawna Fitzpatrick, one of the organizers of the day’s events. “This was a way to acknowledge that, celebrate it, and also to remember. That’s what we did.”
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2021 13:57 |
| Story ID: | 405036 |
| Location: | RALEIGH, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NCNG: A Day of Remembrance, by SGT Lisa Vines, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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