The day that changed my life

[smoke_screen]

8 years ago today, everything in my life changed. I am where I am at today because of the events that happened on September 11, 2001. My focus changed to wanting a life of nothing more than serving my country first in the Armed Forces, then onto a life in politics to prevent any future disasters as best as I can.

God Bless all the families who have lost loved ones in this war against evil. And Godspeed to the fallen. We will never forget.

[SmokeRings]

We appreciate people like you! Thanks for doing what you do!

[veteranvmb]

[QUOTE=smoke_screen;2692830]8 years ago today, everything in my life changed. I am where I am at today because of the events that happened on September 11, 2001. My focus changed to wanting a life of nothing more than serving my country first in the Armed Forces, then onto a life in politics to prevent any future disasters as best as I can.

Thank you for your sevice. When 9/11 happened I was in a mountainous area in Kosovo. We were at an outpost about 30 kilometers out of the army base ,camp bondsteel.
There was only three squads at this small outpost, doing seek and destroy missions on gun runners through the back areas.
It was such a defenseless place, we wore out full battle rattle 24 hours seven. Even sleeping.
We kept a 4 person perimeter, with the scanning radio always on.
I can still remember the squaking on the box, just repeating full battle rattle, full battle rattle, prepare for incoming attack.
We all got on the perimeter, chased the locals out of the post(civilian workers) and got behind the sand bags expecting some sort of attack.
We found out about an hour later that the world trade center had been attacked, and the whole military was put on the utmost alert.
I remember the lt. and myself, trying to organize a defense stratedgy, as basically we were in a clearing surrounded by rocks, boulders and trees, going into a higher elevation. A pretty poor defensive situation.
There were only 22 of us, and thankfully we had three automatic grenade launchers mounted on our humvees to defend a swarm.
So we sent out four junior men as flankers to alert us to an attack that never happned directly, but killed and affected every one of us inside.
A few of the marines had relatives and family in new york, and they were allowed to return to base, to make phonecalls.
Very scary moment in my life. Thats why men in combat form an extreme attachment that lasts for life, that no one could understand. Not a wife, a parent or a sibling. You are willing to die for that person in a second. Not because you are brave, you just dont want to let your buddies down, and have to live with the thought that you messed up.
Semper Fidelis Jerry

[smoke_screen]

Thats an amazing story, thank you for your service. I can only begin to imagine as I am not on the front lines, but even doing what we do, which for the most part is defending and policing our national waters, I would take a bullet or jump on a grenade for my shipmates any day of the week. And like you said, it has nothing to do with bravery, it is just what you do.

[Randy_LL]

thank god for people like you,,, with the way things are if we dont do things like this we are doomed

[Cigary]

Bump for those who serve. We are free because of their willingness to put themselves in harms way to protect our freedoms that we enjoy today. They are the true heros and our gratitude to them seems so inadequate,,,,,we are glad your life was changed as it betters our lives as well.

[mc2712]

Thanks guys, but this day should have changed every Americans life.

[smoke_screen]

very true, and I am not claiming that I am the only one. I was just sharing my personal story. Today changed everyone's life in this country.

[commonsenseman]

Thank you VERY much for your service.