FORT HUACHUCA, AZ— Soldiers, civilians, families and guests gathered at the Greely Hall flagpole Sept. 11 for a remembrance ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Hosted by the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) Command Chaplain Section, the ceremony honored the nearly 3,000 people killed in New York, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It also recognized the first responders, service members, veterans and families whose lives were changed by the attacks and the conflicts that followed.
“Twenty-five years ago today, on September 11, 2001, our nation experienced an attack that changed the course of American history,” said Sgt. 1st Class William Rogers, narrator for the ceremony and a member of the NETCOM Command Chaplain Section.
“For some gathered here, the images, sounds and emotions of that morning remain vivid,” Rogers said. “For others, September 11th is a history learned from parents, teachers, leaders and those who served before them.”
The observance began with an invocation from Maj. Tony Hunley, NETCOM deputy command chaplain, followed by the national anthem. Command Sgt. Maj. Adam Schuessler, NETCOM command sergeant major, provided senior leader remarks.
The ceremony recounted the events of that morning, including the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as the actions of passengers and crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who resisted the hijackers and prevented the aircraft from reaching its intended target.
Organizers used four symbols to represent the places, people and generations connected to the attacks and their aftermath.
Assistant Chief Zachary Sielaff of the Fort Huachuca Fire Department placed a firefighter’s helmet in remembrance of the first responders who ran toward danger while others sought safety.
Robert Story, who was serving the nation in uniform on Sept. 11, 2001, placed a folded American flag to honor those killed at the Pentagon and represent the resolve of a nation wounded by the attack.
Pfc. Nilah Masdeu, a Soldier born after Sept. 11, 2001, placed a single white rose in memory of the passengers and crew members of Flight 93. Her participation represented a generation that did not witness the attacks but has inherited the responsibility to remember their lessons.
Sgt. Maj. Adrian Say, a veteran of the conflicts that followed Sept. 11, placed a pair of combat boots in honor of the service members who answered the nation’s call and the families who supported them.
“A helmet, a flag, a rose, a pair of boots. Different symbols, one story,” Rogers said during the ceremony. “A nation attacked, a people who responded and a promise that, 25 years later: We still remember.”
The ceremony concluded with a moment of silence for the victims of Sept. 11 and all those whose lives were forever changed by the attacks. Emergency sirens sounded during the observance, followed by the playing of taps.
“Today, we gather as one community, not simply to remember how our nation was attacked, but to remember the people we lost, those who answered the call and the responsibility entrusted to the generations who followed,” Rogers said.
The event concluded with an invitation for attendees to gather for refreshments in the Greely Hall foyer.
| Date Taken: |
09.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
09.11.2026 17:54 |
| Story ID: |
574504 |
| Location: |
ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: |
12 |
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0 |
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This work, NETCOM honors lives lost, service and sacrifice during 25th anniversary Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony, by Gabriel Archer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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