To me, September 11, 2011 will be a day I will never forget as it will be for so many Americans. On this day, I was ten days from graduating boot camp for the United States Navy in Great Lakes, Illinois. My division, 374, were sitting in damage control class learning how to keep a U.S. naval vessel afloat despite being hit several times either by enemy fire or things that may be floating in the water. A Chief Petty Officer was talking to us about shoring when someone cam running into the room requesting the Chief’s immediate attention. A short time later, the Chief came back and told us the grave news of what happened in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. September 11th gave me a new purpose not only in my 4 years in the Navy, but also throughout the rest of my life.
I have wondered from time to time will there ever be another 9/11 but I also have put more faith in the people who have been trained here in our country to handle counter-terrorism and to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who I have proudly served with who take such a heavy burden of being away from the friends and family members who they so dearly care about and love. What we should, as Americans, take from this they is that we are a nation that can rebuild. We are a nation that despite seeing the darkside of a few from humanity, there are many that will bring light to help those who need to be helped. We are the United States of America and together, united as one, we can survive anything, anyone throws at us. We are a nation of people, that when banded by one cause, we can achieve one goal.