20 Years Later: Inspiring heroism towards generations ahead
/By: Will Sheehan - Legislative Director, New Jersey Veterans Network (NJVN)
I was a teenager living across the river from Manhattan when the Twin Towers fell. As I walked down my childhood block, I watched as the soot from the collapsed towers drifted down and settled on my neighbor’s cars. Amidst the gray fog was an eerie silence - reducing Bayonne’s daily clamor to only the sounds of sirens as members of the Bayonne Fire and Police Departments reported to Ground Zero.
In our nation’s darkest hour, our police officers, firefighters and EMTs served as our brightest light - running directly into danger, to help others. We have all heard the stories of 9/11’s heroes - first responders charging through the plumes of smoke, past bent steel and into the darkness. For many, that fateful sprint into the towers was the ultimate sacrifice. And for others, it was exposure to carcinogens while participating in rescue and recovery missions at Ground Zero. Each first responder represented the very best of the American spirit - imprinting a legacy of service and sacrifice on my generation, and the ones that followed.
As New York City rebuilt in the months following September 11th, my peers slowly returned to the normalcy of being teenagers, worrying about SAT scores and prom. However, there was nothing normal about a terrorist attack on American soil. I knew that there was no way we could repay our brave first responders for their service and sacrifice - we could only pay it forward, which is why I accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, to join the fight against the world’s evil. I entered the academy as Congress drafted a declaration of war, and graduated during the height of the Global War on Terror. For nine years, I served as an intelligence officer with the SEAL Teams, deploying with Joint Special Operations Command in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In Iraq, I had the honor of serving with men and women who were true heroes. Brave soldiers, sailors and Marines who deployed to far corners of the globe not because they hated what was in front of them, but because they loved what was behind them. From the brave first responders who ran into harm's way on September 11th, to our brave troops who ran directly into danger every day after, their sacrifice and service is defined not by their actions, but by their tireless devotion to our fellow countrymen and women. To me, there are endless parallels between America’s troops and our first responders. From the iconic image of six Marines raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima, to the image of three New York City firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero - both serve as a reminder that even in our toughest hours, the American spirit always prevails.
Twenty years later, I have the immense honor of interviewing prospective students for the U.S. Service Academies, all of whom were born after 2001. They don’t remember a world before September 11th because they never lived in it. But, each and every student possesses a steadfast commitment to something larger than themselves. For some, this commitment has already manifested - as volunteer EMTs, firefighters, and junior police officers in their local community. For others, it’s a future career in the Armed Forces. For many, it’s a combination of both.
As we mark the twentieth anniversary of September 11th, we must renew our promise to always honor the heroism of our brave first responders - especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice - and may the generations to come continue to be inspired by their commitment, service and spirit.
