WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Where were you on 9/11 when you heard the news about the planes crashing into the twin towers? Those who were alive during that time can recall their location, who they were with, and the emotions that flooded hearts during those hours. Today, the generation entering the Air Force was not born when 9/11 occurred. Regardless of age, rank, or duty station, the events of 9/11 are a shared scar all memorialize in a unique way.
Where we were: Remembering 9/11
The 88ABW sat down with civilians, military who were serving during that day, and first responders. They recalled without hesitation the memories of where they were when the news came across to them about the World Trade Center being hit on Sept. 11, 2001.
Dave Slavens was a Staff Sergeant at Lackland Air Force Base serving as a military training instructor, leading 240 security forces students. When asked what he remembers the most about that day he said, “Of all the students, maybe 20 of them were older than 20, most were 18 and 19. I will never forget looking at them and saying, ‘You’re going to war.’ I never thought I would ever have to tell anybody that. I had all these young kids in front of me, and it suddenly became a reality. A few months later, we were at war. I will never forget those words that came out of my mouth that day.”
Assistant fire chief at Wright-Patterson AFB, Duane White, was in his dorm room at Andrews AFB. He turned on the TV and went outside to look over the area of the Pentagon, where he could see the smoke of the plane that hit the Pentagon.
District fire chief, Kirk Buggert was stationed at Offutt AFB Fire Department. His wife was nine months pregnant, and he was preparing to deploy to an undisclosed location in Iraq. He said “I was shocked and proud of the New York City Fire Department and their response. I remember explaining the chirping noises coming from the rubble pile to my wife. Noises that were devices activated for a downed unresponsive fireman.”
Teresa O’Harrow, civilian and military spouse, was the administrative executive for Public Affairs at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana on 9/11/2001. She shared that it all felt surreal, as if watching a movie unfold in front of her. She recalls watching the plumes of clouds of dust, people running and watching the second building collapse on her computer.
Not long after that, she began receiving calls from local news stations asking for comments and what the VA would be doing to help through all of the events. Meanwhile, the veterans in their medical center were getting restless, many experiencing PTSD while watching the events unfold on TV.
Erin Weaver, now a civilian with Security Forces, had recently separated from serving in the military. When he learned about the news, he was working as a teacher. He shared, “Unfortunately, because I had just come off a tour in the Middle East, I wasn’t shocked. I was angry. I tried to call friends in New York City, and I could not get through.” He remembered long lines at gas stations. That next weekend, he went to pre-selection for special forces. After that, he deployed in 2002, 2003, and 2006.
Rising Together: Lessons learned and memories honored
For the younger generation entering today’s Air Force, Senior Airman Aaron Bradley shared his thoughts about those events. He joined the Air Force in 2022. He was born in 2002. When 9/11 happened, his mom was pregnant with him. From his perspective, he learned about the events of that day through stories of his mom and in grade school. Bradley shared that when he first learned about it at a young age, he really didn’t understand. However, as he grew into his teenage years, the reasons for being in Afghanistan and Iraq dawned on him.
When asked about what future generations could learn from the history of 9/11 he said, “We take a lot for granted. We could learn more grit because I feel we lack that in today’s era. Every day could be your last day, you don’t know what that day holds, so let that day be your best day.”
On this day, we reflect on those moments that changed the history of our country. Some of us gather in parks around pieces recovered from the towers. Others attend services to reflect on the men and women who lost their lives. We celebrate the first responders who were heroes on that day. And we recognize the military who sacrificed their lives following that day by fighting the war on terror.
We asked first responders how to balance honoring the memory of 9/11 with the need to move forward and adapt to new challenges. Assistant Fire Chief, Duane White, WPAFB, shared, “The Fire Department culture will never forget the 343 firefighters that lost their lives that day and the heroes like Chief Ganci who refused to leave the North Tower, saying ‘I’m not leaving my men!’ As we move forward and we hire in firefighters who weren’t even alive on 9/11/2001, we carry on the traditions such as the moment of radio silence.”
Other first responders answered by sharing they attend 9/11 events every year, while making sure to pass on knowledge to new firefighters from all that was learned.
Erin Weaver was medically discharged from the military after his deployment due to a combat injury. He spends the day honoring the memories of his friends who lost their lives fighting the war on terror. He shared he remains serving the government today to live up to the memory, to live the best life he can.
Dave Slavens said his advice to the generation entering the Air Force today is to stay vigilant. “Don’t just look at it as a page in a history book. It’s very real. You have to stay prepared.”
Teresa O’Harrow, former military spouse and now civil servant, said that we should always remember those who lost their lives that day. The businessmen, the first responders, the moms, the politicians, those who were on the planes and in the towers. She said, “We should remember them. Not so much that they died, but how they lived.”
The reality is that none of us are untouched by the meaning of this day. Whether we lived through it or were born in the years that followed, 9/11 has left an indelible mark on us all. It calls us to pause, to listen to the stories of others, and to honor the unity and resilience that rose from such profound loss. Though grief and pain are woven into its memory, so too is the strength of community and the enduring spirit of a nation. May we never forget the lives lost, the sacrifices made, and the reminder of who we are—both as individuals and as one united people.