I am sure we all know the tragedy which struck our country 6 years ago. I was a Marine Corps vet at the time and working as a police office in Lake Havasu City when I was awoke with a phone call and told to turn on the news because our country was under attack. Like many of you I cannot begin to describe my feeling when I watched the events unfold on the television. I went to work that afternoon and was told to patrol the airport and to not let any planes leave the airport, to stop them by all means necessary. Being a Marine Corps machine gunner I knew what that meant, but never thought I would here those words come out of my Lt on the LHCPD. While patrolling the airport I knew this was not my place I needed to be back in the Corps, and so two weeks later I was back in as a reservist waiting to get activated. By the first of the year I was gone performing mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom before being deployed to Iraq as part of the invasion force for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Please do not take the above as a poor me or give me some credit it was just for credibility. I believe in our troops and everything they stand for. I believe in this country and everything it stands for. Our sons, daughter, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and my friends are still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide people with something intangible, but something we take for granted everyday; FREEDOM. I know there will be responses about a mismanaged war, and a bullheaded president and I am okay with that. I believe we fought for other people to have the same right to complain about their government some day. People take for granted they can come on this forum and share their feeling and beliefs about our government and president without being kidnapped from their homes in the middle of the night to be tortured and killed.
This country stands for many things and provides hope to not only our citizens, but to people around the world. Let us not forget the innocent people that died on this day, let us not forget our vets who are still sleeping in the dirt around the world to keep us free. May your God bless you and keep your family safe.