Photo By Joshua Free | U.S. Army Capt. Cristian Acosta, assigned to the Project Manager Simulation staff at...... read more read more
More than 200 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, government civilian employees and industry partners who help make up Team Orlando gathered at Warfighter Park on board Naval Support Activity Orlando on Sept. 11, 2026, for a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.
The staff of the U.S. Army’s Capability Program Executive Simulation, Training, Test and Threat (CPE ST3) sponsored the ceremony with a theme of “Remembrance, resilience, and service,” with Brig. Gen. Christine A. Beeler, capability program executive for CPE ST3, serving as the keynote speaker.
“Remembrance is more than recalling events, it is carrying forward the truth, honoring those we lost, and ensuring future generations understand the significance of that day,” Beeler told the audience during her remarks. “For the United States Army, Sept. 11 reshaped a generation. It changed our profession, accelerated innovation, and called forth service from Soldiers, families, and communities who sustained the mission for years.”
Beeler thanked the CPE ST3 staff and other members of Team Orlando for their work in simulation, training, test, and threat capabilities, and their tireless efforts to help improve the readiness of the Joint Force and train America’s warfighters.
“As we mark 25 years, remembrance has evolved; in 2001, it was shock, grief, and rescue. In the years that followed, it became deployment, sacrifice, and endurance,” Beeler said. “Today, remembrance is a duty - to teach, honor, and connect memory to mission. “We Will Never Forget” must be something we live through service, decisions, and care for one another.
Following Beeler’s remarks, a wreath was placed in honor of the 2,753 lives lost in New York, 184 lives lost at the Pentagon, and 40 lives lost in Pennsylvania.
Individuals taking part in the wreath ceremony were Department of the Navy police officer Steve Delrosario, representing the first responders called into action that day, and Army Capt. Cristian Acosta, assigned to Project Manager Simulation staff at CPE ST3, representing the U.S. military who responded with the War on Terror around the world.
Delrosario, who was in middle school on 9/11, said he joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating high school to serve his country. Acosta, who was four years old at the time, grew up in a world shaped by the events of that day.
“I was inspired by the courage and selfless sacrifice of an entire generation that answered the call to defend our freedom,” Acosta said. “That enduring legacy defined my sense of duty, making the decision to serve in the United States Army a personal commitment to protect our nation and its values.”
Following the presentation of the wreath, a brief timeline of the events that took place on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, was read aloud. The sound of a ceremonial bell marked the time of the impact of the four plane crashes as well as the collapse of both the South and North towers of the World Trade Center in New York.
A moment of silence followed, along with the playing of Taps to honor the 2,977 lives lost on 9/11. Following the conclusion of the ceremony, those who attended were invited to view the wreath and pay their respects for the fallen. The immediate response and evolution of Army capabilities in the aftermath of 9/11 forged a generation of adaptive leaders and modern warfighters who form the foundation of today’s Joint Force.
Today, the Army serves as the foundation of that Joint Force, providing the foundational capabilities – from logistics and engineering to intelligence and maneuver forces – that enable all other branches to project power globally.
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, CPE ST3 is comprised of a highly skilled and diverse workforce of 980 Soldiers, Army civilians and contractors, who work with Army partners to enhance operational readiness and support the Army’s modernization efforts by fielding and sustaining the next generation of multi-domain operations testing, training and information operations capabilities.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.11.2026 16:18 |
| Story ID: | 574482 |
| Location: | ORLANDO, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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