TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla -- 9 September 2022
Airmen of AFSC,
Each year we reflect on the events and the sacrifices made on and after September 11, 2001. This year marks the 21st anniversary of that day.
Some memories dim and the edges soften over time, but not the events on 9/11. The actions of our heroic first responders, our citizens, our service members and DoD personnel remain an inspiration. For those of us who witnessed that day, the looks of determination, of hope, of loss, are etched in memory. Some remain in great detail, some come as flashes. We remember the victims and the survivors, the first responders and the citizens who stepped up to help their neighbors, colleagues and strangers.
September 11 was not the first attack on our home soil, but it was a rallying cry to our society against a different foe, the likes of which we had not faced before. Our focus in the Department of Defense, and entire way of life as a nation, shifted that day to a global effort to combat terrorism, and you, our Airmen, answered the call to be fast, flexible, and fearless.
As we mark this important day with memorials and ceremonies, keep the memories of those affected in our hearts and minds. Take a moment to stop and reflect on what this day means to you and keep the motivation we gained that day alive in all that you do.
We reflect on the loved ones lost, the loved ones found, and the loved ones, friends and colleagues who rushed toward the threat to help both here and abroad, and we never forget.
STACEY T. HAWKINS DENNIS L. D'ANGELO, SES
Lieutenant General, USAF Executive Director
Commander
ROBERT C. SCHULTZ, CMSgt, USAF
Command Chief