Honoring and Remembering September 11: Twenty-Four Years Later  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏
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Dear John,

‌


I can still remember my first view of that gray ash cloud that loomed over
lower Manhattan when I first stepped outside and looked south that morning; it
hung there for weeks. It is now the 24th anniversary of the attacks of
September 11, 2001. Once again I want to ask Americans to take a moment and
honor the memories of those we should never forget.

‌


While I spent the morning and afternoon with my National Guard unit helping
prepare and organize, by late evening I was at ground zero helping secure the
area from civilians for their safety and the efficiency of rescue and recovery
operations.


I lost several friends that morning. America lost more. Not only did we lose
almost 3,000 individuals, we lost our post-Cold War sense of security. While
terror had touched Americans oversees, an attack here at home seemed
unprecedented.

‌


Despite the immediate unity in the days that followed, it now seems sometimes
like we also lost our national unity. I’ve been open about the effects
September 11, 2001, had on my life. How I wasemotionally impacted there
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. How I experienced the Global War on Terror through deployments to Iraq and
Afghanistan and numerous homeland security missions.

‌


I’ve talked about how those experiences further impacted my life through the
deaths of comrades
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andsuicides
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at home. I also gained hundreds of brothers and sisters through my military
service and my work at Concerned Veterans for America.


I’ve also shared how my journey through the post-September 11 world reshaped
my approach to foreign policy
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.


At CVA over the last decade, I’ve been privileged to work with dozens of
veterans who served in various theaters of this long war. Many of them were
inspired to serve because of what they experienced as young Americans that day.

‌


September 11 united Americans in grief and anger in 2001. Today, its deep
impact on the collective national consciousness is immeasurable. From the
leaders we’ve selected, to the way we conduct foreign and domestic policies, no
aspect of American life has gone untouched. Those of us who lived through it
will always remember that. I humbly ask on behalf of all Americans that some
time this week you dedicate a few moments of silence, to remember and mourn
those who died that day, to honor those who’ve died through their service since
then, and to reflect on the continuing impact that day has on everything we do
as Americans still.






For America,





John Byrnes
Strategic Director
Concerned Veterans for America






Concerned Veterans for America

4201 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1000

Arlington, VA 22203



This email was sent to:

[email protected]



Concerned Veterans for America

is a project of Americans for Prosperity




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