PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FROM GREG MARTIN: REFLECTIONS ON THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11
“Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?” - Alan Jackson Lyrics
On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was standing on an airfield with a Battalion of Marines getting ready to board a flight back to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina from a training exercise in the Mojave Desert of California. Our Battalion Commander called us together and told us what was happening. As one of the more senior leaders in the unit, I was able to go to the pilot’s “ready room” and watch the rest of the morning’s tragic events unfold.
We had about 600 Marines in the Battalion and would be stranded for the next few days as air travel over the United States of America ceased. All of us spent the next few days making phone calls on the few available cell phones, checking on the welfare of family and friends, reassuring our families at home that everything would be okay, and wondering what our futures would hold. One of our collective emotions was, “Lets go get the SOBs who did this.”
That day changed our lives and the course of our nation’s history more than any day in my life. The way our government operates and protects its citizens shifted, and we all felt a little less safe. But we were united, proud and resolute. As a career Marine, my life took on a whole new character as America would be at war for the next 20 years. Many Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, first responders, and their families would give much in service to their country. We will forever honor and remember the precious lives lost 20 years ago on this day, and in the years that followed, as a result of 9/11.
At Warrior Foundation Freedom Station, we see the high price paid by young Americans who answered the call to duty after 9/11 everyday. They are the ones who disbanded Al Qaeda, killed Osama Bin Laden, and prevented another attack on our own soil for two decades. They did whatever their country asked and, in many cases, continue to pay a high cost as they work through wounds (physical, mental, and spiritual), injuries, and illnesses to have the brightest possible futures. Our commitment to them is enduring for as long as necessary – even a lifetime.
As you reflect on your own thoughts and feelings during these troubling times, remember our collective responsibility to serve those who have served us. I would say that gratitude is the best way you can do this. The expression “Be an American worth fighting for” comes to mind also. Be there for each other.
On behalf of our Warrior Foundation Freedom Station family, God bless you and your families and thank you for all you have done to support your country and its warriors over these last two decades.
Semper Fidelis,
Greg Martin
President, Warrior Foundation Freedom Station
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.)
About the Photo: The special moment above was captured by our WFFS board member Dian Self when she took her granddaughter Kaydi to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York. As Kaydi gazes upon one of the Memorial’s twin reflecting pools, it reminds us of the importance of teaching our children about important moments in our history. As these younger generations understand the sacrifices that were made by so many, they will also learn how to rise from tragedy with hope, strength and resilience.
