I was home on leave painting my mothers front porch ceiling and the next morning waiting in line for hours at the COSCOM gate to get to work at Ft. Bragg. Within a year I was living in a bombed out mud building on Bagram Airbase. The events of 9/11 led to serving 61 months in Afghanistan and Iraq through 2011. I lost many Soldiers there and attended even more memorials and hundreds of plane side transfers of remains. I would do it all again if called upon and hope and pray the youth of these young generations will answer the call as so many did after 9/11/2001.

May God Bless America Always