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Remembering 9/11

  • Published
  • By Col. Gary Goldstone
  • 375th Airlift Wing commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Tomorrow Team Scott will gather on the Parade Field to participate in a commemorative formation run to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The team from the Air Force Network Integration Center will be leading the formation and the associated events. As you can imagine, hundreds of activities are taking place throughout the country as we come together to honor the heroes of that day and remember the victims and their families. 

It hardly seems possible that it has been eight years. Sometimes it seems like yesterday in many ways. Our lives have changed since Sept. 11, and that day will always be one where we will remember what we were doing, what we saw and how we felt ... the disbelief, shock and sadness as the events unfolded. 

Yet, what I remember most is how our country came together ... the displays and outpouring of friendship, love and support for each other. Neighbors were flying flags, the radio played patriotic songs for days and the whole nation united under a common bond of grief while figuring out a way to respond and move forward. 

It's this portion of our nation's history that led David Paine to create MyGoodDeed.org, a nonprofit group that led the effort to establish Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, which is being recognized officially this year. 

He started the group with the goal of creating a long-term legacy that would appropriately honor the 9/11 victims and the thousands of first responders, volunteers, recovery workers and military personnel who rose to service in response to the attacks. 

Mr. Paine explains, "Besides the terror of that day, I will never forget the incredible spirit of unity that instantaneously emerged within minutes of the attacks, and helped sustain the nation for many weeks afterwards. We stopped being strangers and became neighbors, thrown together by our common outrage and our overwhelming compassion to help. For a moment, we were reminded of what is really most important in life--each other. That's the spirit of unity that we hope we can rekindle each 9/11, by encouraging everyone to perform at least one good deed that helps others in need. As terrible as 9/11 was, it gave all of us a glimpse of what the world could be like if we all come together." 

Jay Winuk is also a co-founder of MyGoodDeed.org. His brother Glenn was an attorney and a volunteer firefighter and EMT who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center South Tower. 

Jay said, "The anniversary of 9/11 is always a very personal day of sadness and reflection for me and my family, but it can also be a day when the nation comes together to embrace once more the spirit of compassion that helped our family and the entire 9/11 community see us through the very dark days following the attacks. The anniversary of Sept. 11 is now a national day of service and rightly so, and such a designation not only pays appropriate tribute to those who were lost and those who rose in service, but also provides a constructive and meaningful way forward for our nation." 

Their organization promotes volunteer efforts on 9/11 as a way to rekindle that time in history. We are lucky to be surrounded by people not only in the military but also the Greater Scott community who live a life of service all year long and not just on a particular day. And, if we're looking for a way to remember and honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, performing an act of service tomorrow and throughout the weekend--in your neighborhood, community or family--is certainly an appropriate and welcomed idea. 

Many of the men and women serving today in our military have joined since 9/11. There are countless stories of these heroes who say they wanted to do something worthwhile for their country, and indeed they are. They are Enabling Combat Power throughout the world and work side-by-side with our sister servicemembers--Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard--to protect America from future attacks. Their service is deeply appreciated and is a living tribute to those we lost eight years ago ... and those we've lost since fighting against extremists who wish to destroy our nation and what it stands for. 

Please don't ever forget or take for granted what was lost that day or what we've gained since then. Time has a way of easing the pain, but it should never remove the sense of duty and call to action that brought us together as a united people. Air Power!