1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:13,207 I was scheduled to do an air refueling 3 00:00:13,207 --> 00:00:15,262 mission that evening and teach a few 4 00:00:15,262 --> 00:00:17,318 folks airy feeling , getting current 5 00:00:17,318 --> 00:00:19,484 and qualified , maybe some check rides 6 00:00:19,484 --> 00:00:21,596 and so I was just at home with my one 7 00:00:21,596 --> 00:00:23,762 year old daughter and my wife and just 8 00:00:23,762 --> 00:00:25,762 biden the day alone . So I had crew 9 00:00:25,762 --> 00:00:27,929 rest coming and fly and of course uh , 10 00:00:27,929 --> 00:00:30,151 someone called and said an airplane hit 11 00:00:30,151 --> 00:00:32,373 one of the towers . And then as we turn 12 00:00:32,373 --> 00:00:34,429 on the news , then we uh , we get to 13 00:00:34,429 --> 00:00:36,596 witness the second airplane going into 14 00:00:36,596 --> 00:00:38,762 the building which really brought home 15 00:00:38,762 --> 00:00:38,670 that uh , United States was definitely 16 00:00:38,670 --> 00:00:41,030 under uh , some sort of attack . It 17 00:00:41,030 --> 00:00:44,090 looks like it went in the pentagon , uh , 18 00:00:44,100 --> 00:00:47,330 building collapse . Two airplanes have 19 00:00:47,330 --> 00:00:50,920 crashed into the World Trade Center in 20 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:52,920 an apparent terrorist attack on our 21 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,540 country . And so uh , it was just kind 22 00:00:56,540 --> 00:00:58,540 of a day of shock that all that was 23 00:00:58,540 --> 00:01:01,480 going to uh , all that happened . And 24 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,536 uh , and then it was , you know , so 25 00:01:03,536 --> 00:01:06,270 many attacks at one time , which was , 26 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,660 you know different from any attack that 27 00:01:08,660 --> 00:01:10,771 we've had an american soul prior to . 28 00:01:10,771 --> 00:01:12,938 That was always like a lone actor . So 29 00:01:12,938 --> 00:01:14,882 obviously this was coordinated was 30 00:01:14,882 --> 00:01:16,993 gonna require big response . Probably 31 00:01:16,993 --> 00:01:19,216 one of the biggest problems was slowing 32 00:01:19,216 --> 00:01:21,160 everyone down because everybody is 33 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,327 ready to go , tell me where I can go , 34 00:01:23,327 --> 00:01:25,549 what I can do and how I can get there . 35 00:01:25,549 --> 00:01:27,760 Uh , you know , the area line travels 36 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,040 were shut down for several days and I 37 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,040 flew admission a few days after the 38 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,570 towers fell up to wheeler sack and uh , 39 00:01:35,580 --> 00:01:37,747 the north part of new york and we flew 40 00:01:37,747 --> 00:01:41,050 by . New york city saw the smoke . But 41 00:01:41,050 --> 00:01:43,217 it was surreal because we took off out 42 00:01:43,217 --> 00:01:45,383 of here and there was really no one to 43 00:01:45,383 --> 00:01:45,260 talk to , there's nobody else flying . 44 00:01:45,340 --> 00:01:47,910 But I had members that were taking 45 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,330 vehicle rides and thumbing rides from 46 00:01:51,330 --> 00:01:53,552 different places that they were located 47 00:01:53,552 --> 00:01:55,441 in the United States because they 48 00:01:55,441 --> 00:01:55,410 couldn't get on an airliner and they 49 00:01:55,410 --> 00:01:57,720 couldn't get a rental car and they were 50 00:01:57,730 --> 00:02:00,470 getting back home packing their gear 51 00:02:00,470 --> 00:02:02,581 and want to know when they could come 52 00:02:02,581 --> 00:02:04,748 work for the Air Force Reserve . So it 53 00:02:04,748 --> 00:02:06,859 was a it was a chaotic time trying to 54 00:02:06,859 --> 00:02:08,803 manage the people because everyone 55 00:02:08,803 --> 00:02:11,026 wanted to be there right away . Tell me 56 00:02:11,026 --> 00:02:13,081 what I can do . Can I go to new york 57 00:02:13,081 --> 00:02:15,137 and help can I go to D . C . And how 58 00:02:15,137 --> 00:02:17,303 can I go and take the fight to whoever 59 00:02:17,303 --> 00:02:19,570 did this . So uh it was it was amazing 60 00:02:19,570 --> 00:02:22,860 to see uh it was amazing to see that 61 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:25,900 cohesive missed and that drive to to 62 00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:28,030 keep the american dream the american 63 00:02:28,030 --> 00:02:31,590 way of life intact . Even in such uh 64 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,850 you know a horrific event with so many 65 00:02:33,850 --> 00:02:36,100 innocent people who couldn't fight back 66 00:02:36,110 --> 00:02:38,332 and were taken from us as a nation . We 67 00:02:38,332 --> 00:02:40,388 have so many things that divide us . 68 00:02:40,388 --> 00:02:42,221 But when it comes to freedom and 69 00:02:42,221 --> 00:02:44,332 defending that you will find a unique 70 00:02:44,332 --> 00:02:46,166 way to see people unified and be 71 00:02:46,166 --> 00:02:49,140 extremely surprised at how passionate 72 00:02:49,140 --> 00:02:51,307 we become defending that way of life . 73 00:02:51,307 --> 00:02:51,430 Yes