While the United States’ eyes are understandably on Florida and Hurricane Irma, I want to pay tribute to those that have conducted air operations in response to the Islamic terrorist attacks of what we know refer to as 9/11.
“Where were you when John F. Kennedy was shot?” Was replaced by, “Where were you when the Challenger blew up?” Was replaced by, “Where were you on 9/11?” Or as Alan Jackson sang, “Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day”? Of course the world that God set into motion and guides by his principles did not stop turning that day, despite the awful things we chose to do as humans. But it felt like the world stopped that day.
To answer the question, I was turning to pull into the parking lot under Fairchild Hall at the United States Air Force Academy where I was about to begin a day of teaching cadets. A sergeant stopped me as I began to turn into the garage on that sunny Tuesday morning. “Given all that has occurred today, you may not want to park in here this morning sir.”
“What happened today,” was my reply. I had not had the news on that morning. He informed me that an airplane had run into the World Trade Center. Although I was saddened by the news, the scope of what had occurred did not dawn on me as of yet as I drove up the hill by the observatory and an alternate parking location, outside.
When I entered the mobile trailers where our offices were temporarily housed while our sixth floor offices were being renovated, I saw the black and white TV on in the office area. A young captain named Eric pointed out the smoking emanating from one of the towers. A plane hit it, he told me. I asked if it was a small private aircraft or a larger one. They aren’t sure yet he told me. I figured it had to be a small, private aircraft with an inexperienced pilot.
I returned from the office once again, a few minutes later, and got an update from Captain Carlene Perry. The building was still smoking and people were trying to get out she told me. I left the trailer, entered Fairchild Hall, walked down a hallway, entered an elevator, rode the fifth floor, walked down a hall towards my classroom and spotted another room. Inside was another black and white television and on the screen was a picture of black smoke. “It collapsed”, they told me. The tower had collapsed and was smoking and burning. Until this point, I still figured it was a small plane and that was the extent of it all. The enormity began to hit me.
Ironically, in my Aviation Psychology class that day we were watching a film on how air and ground troops had worked together to rescue a trapped platoon during the First Gulf War. Little did I know how air and ground troops would be working together for the next sixteen year to combat terrorism.
This is a salute to my friends and fellow aviators who have been involved in these air operations. Air operations in Afghanistan where cargo aircraft have carried untold tons of equipment, supplies and troops. The fighter aircraft who have performed bombing missions and troop support to warfighters on the ground. The bombers who have taken out enemy strongholds and supplies. The reconnaissance planes and drone flyers who have taken pictures and identified areas such as Obama Bin Laden’s villa. 
The helicopter crews who have performed rescue, moved troops and supplies, and evacuated the wounded. The air refuelers, such as the Mighty KC-135 who have made all of this transport possible without extra stops for refueling across the globe.
The missions have continued into the War in Iraq, also known as the Second Gulf War. They have also been conducted at other dangerous locations throughout the world. I include a picture of many of the aircraft involved throughout this blog.
Let us not forget that there are many in the world who have goals with sharp differences from the United States. They desire a rigid, unified Islamic state running from North Africa all the way to India—a pan-Islamic state. Those that oppose this plan must be stopped or silenced they declare. Let us also not be ignorant of the fact that their goals differ greatly because they differ greatly from the United States at the deepest spiritual and philosophical levels. They call America, “The Great Satan”. They believe that the nineteen terrorists who were aboard those airplanes did a gloriously good deed and are rewarded with admission to the highest levels of Heaven.
What is perhaps most sobering to me, as I consider these countless air missions, is that many of the cadets I trained carried out those missions. Including some who were sitting with me in class, “that September Day”. Thank you for serving us and helping protect us from Islamic terrorism.