Sep 11, 2001.

19 Years ago, today, I was conducting an overnight field training exercise with some radio operators, medics and ground support troops assigned to the 375th Aeromedical Evacuations Squadron in the woods on the back end of the base.

My unit was in the process of changing our mission from stateside patient movement to Tactical Aeromedical Evacuation.
These folks were Med Techs and support troops who hadn't trained for this type of stuff since basic... Let's just say that the field craft was lacking for those who had previously only worked in hospitals or offices.

So practice practice practice was the plan with older line NCOs such as myself on hand to gently encourage improvement in the areas that were substandard.

We were a few hours into day 2 when I got a call from our orderly room.
I was told that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. The Airman on the line gave me no details, and I pictured a small plane dicking around and crashing into the building.

I hung up and went back to showing the proper way to build a sand bag revetment to a group of young men and women who really didn't give much of a shit.

Then my OIC came over and told me to break camp and pack up.

We were to report to the warehouse to be briefed by the Commander.

As you know, another plane had crashed into the WTC, into the Pentagon, and a fourth plane had crashed into a Pennsylvania field as well.

19 years ago today.

Several of the Airmen at that training event were 19 or younger when the attack happened.
Looking back at all the incompetence and fuckery that followed the attack it is too easy to forget that exact moment.
But we never should

Those kids looking to get the GI bill for college or a fresh start away from their hometown all disappeared.

We became a true "Squadron" in the course of 5 minutes - The 2 minutes my Colonel spoke followed a 3 minute CNN video recap in the back of a hot dusty warehouse.

I don't know how many man years that group spent in theater, I deployed twice and that is probably below average.
I am proud to have served with them and I hope that my work kept them a little bit safer, more efficient - and I hope sane.