SAN ANTONIO – At approximately 7:46 a.m., as morning settled over the stillness of Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, and first responders, stood shoulder-to-shoulder in silent tribute. Among those assembled to observe the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, stood James Ohman, not in uniform on this day, but still carrying a vivid memory captured in a photograph showing himself, on active duty a quarter-century ago, running as smoke filled the sky.
Today, Ohman serves as the deputy chief of staff for operations and planning at Naval Medical Forces Development Command (NMFDC). In 2001, when the world irrevocably shifted, he was an active-duty U.S. Navy commander in charge of Battle Force Manpower Programming on the OPNAV staff in the Navy Annex to the Pentagon.
“My section of the staff was all Line Officers from the Surface, Aviation or Submarine Communities and our office was situated right there on Columbia Pike, the roadway the terrorists apparently used to line up the strike on the Pentagon,” said Ohman. “With the World Trade Center already burning, we heard the roar of the airliner and explosion and knew what had happened. We thought we might be of some use on-scene or at a triage location, so, we immediately bolted down the hill. In actuality, there was very little we could do at that point.”
With the passing of 25 years, this year marks a critical milestone for the military community. A young generation of service members entering the ranks today was not yet born when the towers fell, the Pentagon was struck, and Flight 93 crashed. For leaders at NMFDC, personal accounts like Ohman’s bridge the gap between historical abstract and lived reality.
“Many people today recognize the iconic images but don’t have a sense of the scale of the tragedy,” said Ohman. “Although young people had no peers who were murdered that day, there are wonderful Sailors here who know what it is to lose comrades, so the connection is not hard.”
NMFDC plays a foundational role within Navy Medicine, developing the education, training, and operational capabilities necessary to sustain warfighters in high-consequence environments. For Ohman, the lessons forged on Sept. 11 inform how military personnel prepare for unexpected, large-scale operational crises. Surrounded by joint-service personnel and first responders during the installation’s inaugural ceremony, Ohman noted that the phrase, “Never Forget,” is not merely a memorial slogan, but also an enduring commitment to readiness.
“Standing alongside our partners this morning, 25 years later, you realize that the solemn pledge we made hasn’t aged a day and the hearts and spirits of those who wear the cloth of our nation and communities are as strong as ever,” said Ohman.
As with tradition, the event concluded with the ceremonial and somber playing of ‘Taps,’ honoring the 2,977 lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
NMFDC is the headquarters element designated within the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as a direct subordinate to the Surgeon General of the Navy, charged with leading and managing all medical training, education, professional development, and instruction to produce highly trained and ready medical personnel.