WEBVTT 00:00:02.466 --> 00:00:12.352 - If everybody can find your seats, we're going to start now. I'll bring uniform personnel to attention, 00:00:12.352 --> 00:00:22.526 - and we'll have the callers presented by the Bloomington Police Department. Uniform, personnel, attention. 00:02:18.914 --> 00:02:35.902 - So proudly we hail at the twilight's last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars 00:02:52.194 --> 00:02:52.638 - again. 00:04:39.042 --> 00:04:48.736 - that have a seat, you may be seated at this time. Let's have a word of prayer. If you will bow with 00:04:48.736 --> 00:04:58.526 - me, our father in heaven, we come before you today, recognizing you as the God revealed to us in the 00:04:58.526 --> 00:05:08.414 - holy scriptures, the creator of heaven and earth and the father of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. 00:05:09.154 --> 00:05:19.183 - 25 years have passed since the morning of September 11th, 2001. Yet there are memorials that time does 00:05:19.183 --> 00:05:29.212 - not erase. Today, we remember. We remember those who began that morning expecting an ordinary day, but 00:05:29.212 --> 00:05:38.462 - never returning home. We remember husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, 00:05:39.202 --> 00:05:47.332 - friends and coworkers whose lives were suddenly taken. We remember the firefighters who climbed stairways 00:05:47.332 --> 00:05:55.540 - while others were coming down. We remember law enforcement officers who moved toward danger, EMS personnel 00:05:55.540 --> 00:06:03.210 - who treated the wounded, dispatchers who carried desperate voices across radio and telephone lines, 00:06:03.210 --> 00:06:07.582 - military personnel who answered the call of their nation 00:06:08.898 --> 00:06:18.596 - and countless ordinary citizens who became servants to strangers in an extraordinary hour. Lord, we 00:06:18.596 --> 00:06:28.681 - remember the families who have carried an empty space at the table for 25 years. Give them grace today. 00:06:28.681 --> 00:06:37.118 - Comfort those whose memories remain painful. Strengthen those whose wounds are unseen. 00:06:38.850 --> 00:06:47.642 - We also thank you for the men and women who continue to serve our communities today. Some wear uniforms, 00:06:47.642 --> 00:06:55.346 - some sit behind a dispatch console, some work in government offices, hospitals, firehouses, 00:06:55.346 --> 00:07:03.887 - police departments, military units, emergency services, and countless positions of public trust. They 00:07:03.887 --> 00:07:08.158 - carry burdens that the rest of us often never see. 00:07:09.282 --> 00:07:17.380 - Teach us not merely to notice their uniform, position, and responsibility, but to see the person who 00:07:17.380 --> 00:07:26.039 - carries the weight of their office. Make us a grateful people. Make us a praying people. Make us a faithful 00:07:26.039 --> 00:07:34.699 - people. Remind every servant here that courage is not the absence of fear, but faithfulness in the presence 00:07:34.699 --> 00:07:36.222 - of responsibility. 00:07:37.634 --> 00:07:46.873 - Father, remind every citizen that freedom carries stewardship. Community carries responsibility. And 00:07:46.873 --> 00:07:56.569 - love of neighbor requires more than words. And above all, turn our hearts towards you. You are our maker. 00:07:56.569 --> 00:08:05.716 - You are the sustainer. Our lives belong to you and our days are known by you. And eternity rests in 00:08:05.716 --> 00:08:06.814 - your hands. 00:08:07.554 --> 00:08:14.965 - as we remember those who gave so much, teach us to live faithfully within what you have entrusted to 00:08:14.965 --> 00:08:22.889 - us. And may everything said and done in this memorial honor those we remember, encourage those who continue 00:08:22.889 --> 00:08:30.520 - to serve, strengthen the families who stand beside them, and ultimately bring honor to you. We ask this 00:08:30.520 --> 00:08:33.822 - in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 00:08:45.410 --> 00:08:59.816 - I'm Mayor Carrie Thompson. None of us knows when we'll wake up to a day that we'll remember for the 00:08:59.816 --> 00:09:14.942 - rest of our lives. But 9-11-2001 was that day for many of us. I was driving to Indianapolis for an event 00:09:15.042 --> 00:09:25.078 - when I heard the first plane had hit the tower. It was confusing, puzzling. Was it an accident? 00:09:25.078 --> 00:09:35.846 - A second hit. Now wondering why. Was there a mix-up in a control tower? Threads of wonder and the news 00:09:35.846 --> 00:09:42.014 - reporting that this could be intentional started emerging. 00:09:43.842 --> 00:09:52.544 - None of us could imagine at that point that someone had masterminded a mission to use passenger airplanes 00:09:52.544 --> 00:10:00.919 - as massive bombs. And then our local NPR station reported that a third plane had hit the Pentagon. No 00:10:00.919 --> 00:10:09.621 - real details other than it was close to the helipad, right where I knew that my father was likely sitting 00:10:09.621 --> 00:10:13.726 - at his desk in the D ring that Wednesday morning. 00:10:15.490 --> 00:10:24.094 - For thousands of Americans, the news at the end of the day was worse than anything that they had imagined 00:10:24.094 --> 00:10:32.292 - when they woke up that day. They had lost their mothers, fathers, their children, siblings, spouses, 00:10:32.292 --> 00:10:40.409 - dear friends. And at about 8 PM that evening, my dad arrived back in the suburban DC home I grew up 00:10:40.409 --> 00:10:44.062 - in. Having walked through the lockdown grid, 00:10:44.450 --> 00:10:53.380 - with hundreds of others. We got the news that so many hoped for. That day and for weeks after, first 00:10:53.380 --> 00:11:02.399 - responders like those of you gathered today rushed in to help ensure families could welcome survivors 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:11.595 - home rather than mourning the lost. Your service to our country on 9-11 and daily here in our community 00:11:11.595 --> 00:11:13.982 - is treasured. I thank you. 00:11:15.426 --> 00:11:25.199 - For the rest of us, that day we spent leaning on trusted community members, chosen family, strangers 00:11:25.199 --> 00:11:35.069 - with abundant kindness who got so many of us through our worst nightmares. I hope as a nation that we 00:11:35.069 --> 00:11:43.390 - use today to remember the way that we came together, the way humans were simply that, 00:11:44.322 --> 00:11:53.439 - We were human on that day. No one's race or nationality mattered. What mattered was taking care of one 00:11:53.439 --> 00:12:02.557 - another, taking care of our fellow human. It was only after we created stories with pieces of evidence 00:12:02.557 --> 00:12:12.382 - that we began to have an enemy to hate and a religion of people to fear. We don't want to think that any human 00:12:12.770 --> 00:12:20.819 - would use their intellect and creativity to create such terror. But in fact, that is what happened. 00:12:20.819 --> 00:12:28.867 - I'm grateful that we have leaders and thinkers in this country who use their gifts to keep us safe, 00:12:28.867 --> 00:12:37.158 - to ensure we have response plans when these events happen. And I hope we've all learned that it wasn't 00:12:37.158 --> 00:12:41.182 - one religion of people or even a nation of people 00:12:41.922 --> 00:12:50.050 - who joined together to mastermind such a tragedy. What I know as humans is that we also have people 00:12:50.050 --> 00:12:58.177 - who use their intellect and immense creativity to create a community that thrives, to create beauty 00:12:58.177 --> 00:13:06.549 - in art, synergy in services that help our neighbors reach their potential and places of belonging that 00:13:06.549 --> 00:13:10.206 - help us remember that we do and will always. 00:13:10.658 --> 00:13:19.264 - belong to one another, that we're better when we're working towards a common positive vision and helping 00:13:19.264 --> 00:13:27.624 - one another along the way. By the end of the day on 9-11-2001, I could not have imagined I would want 00:13:27.624 --> 00:13:36.230 - to treasure elements of that day at all. But in fact, there is a lining that still glimmers and is worth 00:13:36.230 --> 00:13:37.214 - remembering 00:13:38.146 --> 00:13:46.528 - how we cared for and treasured one another no matter what that day. How our differences disappeared 00:13:46.528 --> 00:13:54.994 - and our common drive to survive and heal was the most important thing to an entire nation. For those 00:13:54.994 --> 00:14:03.879 - of you who spend your every day rushing in when emergencies happen, working to save and protect no matter 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:06.142 - who is in need, thank you. 00:14:06.722 --> 00:14:14.832 - for your daily contributions to our human peace. From a day none of us hope to see again, may we all 00:14:14.832 --> 00:14:23.343 - take this as our reminder to use our immense potential in innovation, creativity, and intellect to create 00:14:23.343 --> 00:14:31.774 - something that lifts us up and builds us forward together. That is our best path to creating a community 00:14:31.774 --> 00:14:36.030 - and indeed a world that will do the same. Thank you. 00:14:48.802 --> 00:14:57.331 - I'm Chancellor Eric Coyne, Chancellor here of Ivy Tech Bloomington. Thank you to Captain Grapehouse, 00:14:57.331 --> 00:15:05.860 - Chaplain, Mayor Thompson. Thank you to all of you so much for being here today. Mayor Thompson, your 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:14.726 - story about 9-11 really personalizes the day for us. Thank you. Ivy Tech is inextricably linked to 9-11. 00:15:14.726 --> 00:15:18.526 - The 2001-2002 school year was our first year 00:15:18.946 --> 00:15:26.372 - as a standalone campus. 10 years ago, the community's 9-11 memorial was placed on our campus. And we 00:15:26.372 --> 00:15:33.798 - are proud to continue to host this remembrance annually to honor the victims of 9-11 and commemorate 00:15:33.798 --> 00:15:41.445 - the courageous men and women who risked their lives on that fateful day and in the years that followed. 00:15:41.445 --> 00:15:48.062 - As I reflect on the past 25 years, a lot has changed. I was stationed in England on 9-11, 00:15:48.770 --> 00:15:57.607 - It was afternoon for us when the first attack occurred and would soon become the longest day of my military 00:15:57.607 --> 00:16:05.625 - career. It was a time of shock and mourning and would set in motion events that still last today. 00:16:05.625 --> 00:16:13.316 - But for me, I also reflect back and remember it as a time of hope. The chaplain and the mayor 00:16:13.316 --> 00:16:15.198 - both highlighted this. 00:16:16.930 --> 00:16:24.654 - Hope for what we can accomplish when we work together. Hope for what we can be as a nation when we unite. 00:16:24.654 --> 00:16:32.160 - Hope for who we are as Americans. I saw people come together. People showed up for their neighbors and 00:16:32.160 --> 00:16:40.102 - for strangers they had never met. People raised their hands to serve in the military and as first responders 00:16:40.102 --> 00:16:44.766 - and in hospitals and wherever they were needed. So I have hope. 00:16:45.570 --> 00:16:54.202 - that we will remember that day from 25 years ago, and not only the tragedy, but the strength, courage, 00:16:54.202 --> 00:17:02.583 - community, and unity which demonstrated the best of who we are. And so it's my great honor today to 00:17:02.583 --> 00:17:11.299 - introduce one of those people who raised his hand to serve shortly after 9-11. Commander Luis Martinez, 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:15.070 - call sign homey, a native of El Paso, Texas, 00:17:15.394 --> 00:17:24.207 - attended the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. 00:17:24.207 --> 00:17:32.620 - He was designated a Naval Flight Officer in July 2010. Following completion of the E-2 Fleet Replacement 00:17:32.620 --> 00:17:40.792 - Squadron, Commander Martinez reported to the Tiger Tails of Airborne Command and Avionics and Control 00:17:40.792 --> 00:17:44.478 - Squadron 125 in March 2011. While at VAW 125, 00:17:44.866 --> 00:17:52.040 - He served as legal officer, avionics division officer, EKMS officer, and assistant operations officer, 00:17:52.040 --> 00:17:59.004 - where he completed two deployments aboard the USS Carl Vinson in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 00:17:59.004 --> 00:18:06.039 - and Operation Enduring Freedom. In January 2014, he joined the Greyhawks of VAW 120 as an instructor 00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:13.630 - naval flight officer, where he served as auxiliary personnel officer, PEP officer, and E2C training officer. 00:18:14.338 --> 00:18:22.177 - Commander Martinez then reported to Carrier Air Wing 7 in July 2016 as Air Defense Officer, Command 00:18:22.177 --> 00:18:30.722 - and Control Officer, and Assistant Operations Officer embarked aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Subsequently, 00:18:30.722 --> 00:18:38.718 - he reported to the screw tops of VAW 123 in April 2019 for his department head tour as Safety Officer 00:18:38.718 --> 00:18:43.422 - and Operations Officer while deployed aboard the USS Dwight 00:18:43.522 --> 00:18:50.937 - D. Eisenhower in support of strategic deterrence operations in the Arabian Sea. In March 2022, he graduated 00:18:50.937 --> 00:18:57.871 - from the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island with a Master's of Arts in Defense 00:18:57.871 --> 00:19:05.149 - and Strategic Studies. Commander Martinez has logged over 1,300 E-2 flight hours, and his personal awards 00:19:05.149 --> 00:19:12.083 - include the Strike Flight Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and multiple Unit and 00:19:12.083 --> 00:19:13.182 - Service Awards. 00:19:14.338 --> 00:19:21.603 - We know him best as the base commander at Crane. Ladies and gentlemen, it's my privilege to introduce 00:19:21.603 --> 00:19:27.870 - a dynamic leader and someone I'm grateful to call friend, Commander Luis Martinez Pomi. 00:19:46.914 --> 00:19:53.242 - 25 years ago this morning, I was a high school senior on board Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, getting 00:19:53.242 --> 00:19:59.820 - my physical exams done at their medical facility so that I could attend the United States Naval Academy. 00:19:59.820 --> 00:20:06.148 - As I had always wanted to serve my nation and fly in the military, as I was walking from one medical 00:20:06.148 --> 00:20:12.414 - office to another, the doctor and I both saw TV showing images that looked as though they were from 00:20:12.414 --> 00:20:16.862 - a movie. A burning tower in New York City, but no further explanation. 00:20:18.050 --> 00:20:25.069 - We continued to the next stages for my appointment. About an hour later, as I was done leaving the military 00:20:25.069 --> 00:20:31.764 - facility, we passed that TV again, but now two towers were burning. I still didn't understand what had 00:20:31.764 --> 00:20:38.393 - happened. As my sister and I began to drive off of Fort Bliss, things were drastically different. The 00:20:38.393 --> 00:20:44.892 - beautiful West Texas morning and relaxed base posture I started the day with had now given way to a 00:20:44.892 --> 00:20:47.102 - locked down military installation 00:20:47.874 --> 00:20:54.818 - No one allowed to come on. Almost all base gates have been closed. And there were so many armed soldiers 00:20:54.818 --> 00:21:01.431 - everywhere carrying heavy duty weapons behind fortified embankments. There were even tanks near the 00:21:01.431 --> 00:21:08.376 - gates. It was a different world now. Our nation had been attacked. I had wanted to serve in our nation's 00:21:08.376 --> 00:21:15.055 - armed forces before the morning started. That evening as more information came across the television 00:21:15.055 --> 00:21:17.502 - and the news about the day's events, 00:21:18.722 --> 00:21:26.162 - There was no question. I was definitely serving. Good morning, Chancellor Coyne, Mayor Thompson, friends, 00:21:26.162 --> 00:21:33.321 - family, distinguished guests, students and faculty of Ivy Tech, first responders, fellow veterans and 00:21:33.321 --> 00:21:40.340 - service members. We gather today in the space of learning and community to remember 25 years ago in 00:21:40.340 --> 00:21:45.534 - September 11, 2001, the course of American history was violently altered. 00:21:46.434 --> 00:21:53.170 - It was a day that began just as so many others did and ended in unimaginable devastation, profound grief, 00:21:53.170 --> 00:21:59.524 - and a permanent transformation of our world. For those of us who lived through that day, regardless 00:21:59.524 --> 00:22:05.878 - of background, that morning remains frozen in time. We remember exactly where we were standing when 00:22:05.878 --> 00:22:12.550 - the news broke. We remember the sudden heavy realization that the safety and freedom we took for granted 00:22:12.550 --> 00:22:13.694 - was under attack. 00:22:15.138 --> 00:22:21.322 - Whether you live through that days in adults or whether you belong to a younger generation sitting in 00:22:21.322 --> 00:22:27.507 - the audience today, those who have grown up learning about it in history class, the legacy of 9-11 is 00:22:27.507 --> 00:22:33.751 - a pillar of our modern reality. We are here because we made a promise after seeing the smoke and ruins 00:22:33.751 --> 00:22:40.542 - of the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon, and a quiet field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We will never forget. 00:22:41.986 --> 00:22:49.679 - To truly remember September 11th, we must first confront the staggering human cost. 2,977 innocent souls 00:22:49.679 --> 00:22:57.152 - were taken from us in an instant. They were mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, daughters, sons, 00:22:57.152 --> 00:23:04.552 - friends, neighbors. They represented the beautiful, vibrant makeup of our great nation, hailing from 00:23:04.552 --> 00:23:11.806 - all walks of life. This tragedy also struck deeply within our own military family at the Pentagon, 00:23:12.482 --> 00:23:18.509 - 125 personnel, including 42 sailors, Navy civilians, and contractors lost their lives when American 00:23:18.509 --> 00:23:24.716 - Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. More of our brothers and sisters were at their desks, standing 00:23:24.716 --> 00:23:30.984 - to watch, supporting the team when the front line of a new kind of war came and attacked them directly. 00:23:30.984 --> 00:23:37.191 - Among them were friends and colleagues of ours at Naval Weapon Station Crane. On that fateful morning, 00:23:37.191 --> 00:23:41.470 - a team of engineering and technical personnel from our partner command 00:23:41.858 --> 00:23:49.576 - Naval Surface Warfare Center, crane division, were inside the Pentagon when they felt the violent shudder 00:23:49.576 --> 00:23:56.930 - of the impact. They navigated through choking black smoke, pitch black darkness, and intense heat to 00:23:56.930 --> 00:24:04.211 - escape the burning building. Many attempted to rescue their Pentagon counterparts trapped under the 00:24:04.211 --> 00:24:11.710 - debris. Some survived. Some did not. For the families of the victims, the passage of a quarter century 00:24:11.906 --> 00:24:18.696 - does not erase that empty seat at the table at family gatherings. To the families and survivors, we 00:24:18.696 --> 00:24:25.689 - say to you, your grief is not yours alone to bear. Your loved ones are woven into the permanent fabric 00:24:25.689 --> 00:24:32.682 - of this nation's history. But if the enemy sought to break our spirit by showing us the absolute worst 00:24:32.682 --> 00:24:39.676 - of human malice, they failed. Because in one of our nation's darkest hours, we witnessed the brilliant 00:24:39.676 --> 00:24:40.830 - light of heroism 00:24:41.346 --> 00:24:48.667 - and love for your fellow man. We sought in the 343 firefighters, 71 law enforcement officers, and dozens 00:24:48.667 --> 00:24:55.918 - of emergency medical personnel who ran toward the fire and twisted sealed the Twin Towers and Pentagon. 00:24:55.918 --> 00:25:02.960 - These first responders climbed crowded stairwells as they donned survival gear weighing 50 pounds or 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:10.142 - more with an unwavering sense of duty in their hearts to protect their fellow man, even when some knew 00:25:10.722 --> 00:25:17.291 - they might never come back. Here in Indiana, the call to action was answered immediately. Members of 00:25:17.291 --> 00:25:24.056 - Indiana Task Force One packed their gear and deployed into the heart of Ground Zero, working tirelessly 00:25:24.056 --> 00:25:30.560 - through the smoke and rubble in a desperate search for survivors over the following days and weeks. 00:25:30.560 --> 00:25:37.194 - And we saw it in the skies over Pennsylvania aboard United Flight 93. Faced with unimaginable terror, 00:25:37.194 --> 00:25:40.446 - a group of passengers refused to succumb to fear. 00:25:41.346 --> 00:25:48.603 - Upon learning of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, they whispered their final words 00:25:48.603 --> 00:25:55.998 - of love to their families, stood up, and fought back. By sacrificing themselves, they saved their nation's 00:25:55.998 --> 00:26:03.117 - capital from yet another attack. On September 12, 2001, our nation woke up to a changed world. For the 00:26:03.117 --> 00:26:10.236 - United States military, it marked the beginning of two decades which consisted of grueling, continuous 00:26:10.236 --> 00:26:11.134 - deployments. 00:26:12.130 --> 00:26:19.396 - In the days, weeks, and months that followed, a wave of patriotism swept across the country. Young men 00:26:19.396 --> 00:26:26.592 - and women swarmed recruiting stations eager to don the uniform and support this nation. They knew the 00:26:26.592 --> 00:26:33.717 - risks. They knew that what they were signing up to and for to go to war, yet they stood up and said, 00:26:33.717 --> 00:26:41.054 - send me. Those that served post 9-11 and deployed to the mountains of Afghanistan, the deserts of Iraq, 00:26:41.858 --> 00:26:48.406 - flew in the skies overhead and sailed the seas of the North Arabian and Persian Gulfs, or protected 00:26:48.406 --> 00:26:54.954 - our nation in areas not openly discussed. You carried the burden of our nation's defense. You stood 00:26:54.954 --> 00:27:01.829 - the watch in the darkest nights, ensuring an attack like September 11th would never happen on our shores 00:27:01.829 --> 00:27:07.198 - again. You bore the scars of combat. Today, we honor you with profound gratitude. 00:27:08.642 --> 00:27:15.639 - But our defense relies more than just those at the tip of the spear. It relies on the communities that 00:27:15.639 --> 00:27:22.840 - support them. Just south of Bloomington lies Naval Weapon Station crane, third largest naval installation 00:27:22.840 --> 00:27:30.108 - in the world by geographic area. Our workforce is overwhelmingly comprised of patriotic Hoosier civilians, 00:27:30.108 --> 00:27:36.222 - thousands of engineers, technicians, specialists, logisticians. From advanced electronics 00:27:36.994 --> 00:27:44.336 - electromagnetic warfare, and specialized munitions to hypersonic testing and strategic weapons systems. 00:27:44.336 --> 00:27:51.961 - What we build, test, and secure at Crane is the literal shield of the nation. Every circuit board analyzed, 00:27:51.961 --> 00:27:59.020 - every sensor calibrated, the ordinance produced onboard Naval Weapons Station Crane is done to keep 00:27:59.020 --> 00:28:05.374 - America safe, resilient, and ready. The work done right here in southern Indiana at Crane 00:28:05.474 --> 00:28:13.727 - and other installations and facilities ensure our war fighters never enter a fair fight, but instead 00:28:13.727 --> 00:28:22.306 - dominate the battle space. But as we stand here today, a quarter century removed from that tragic event, 00:28:22.306 --> 00:28:30.886 - we must ask ourselves a critical question. How do we honor those we lost? In addition to the 2,977 lives 00:28:30.886 --> 00:28:32.030 - lost on 9-11, 00:28:33.218 --> 00:28:41.366 - Over 7,000 US military personnel were lost during the global war on terror, and over 53,000 were wounded. 00:28:41.366 --> 00:28:49.438 - More than 8,000 US contractors were also killed. Further, it's been estimated that over 30,000 US active 00:28:49.438 --> 00:28:57.279 - duty service members and veterans died by suicide over the 20 years post 9-11. Honoring those we lost 00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:03.198 - cannot just be about pausing for a moment of silence once a year. It cannot. 00:29:03.522 --> 00:29:10.326 - be just about words spoken at a podium. We truly honor the fallen when we protect and cultivate the 00:29:10.326 --> 00:29:17.130 - very thing that the terrorists tried to destroy, our freedoms and our unity. Think back to the days 00:29:17.130 --> 00:29:24.001 - following 9-11. We stood with our fellow citizens and focused not on what divided us, but instead on 00:29:24.001 --> 00:29:30.941 - the values that bound us together. And we looked at what we could do for our brothers and sisters who 00:29:30.941 --> 00:29:32.030 - were suffering. 00:29:33.474 --> 00:29:40.924 - Standing here at Ivy Tech, a place built to bring people together from all walks of life, seeking to 00:29:40.924 --> 00:29:48.375 - enrich themselves and make a positive difference in their communities, I challenge us all to reclaim 00:29:48.375 --> 00:29:55.972 - that spirit of September 12th. As we look to the future, especially to the students here who represent 00:29:55.972 --> 00:30:01.726 - the next generation of innovators, leaders, and citizens, just remember this, 00:30:03.202 --> 00:30:10.667 - We cannot rewrite the history of that fateful morning. We cannot bring back the beautiful lives that 00:30:10.667 --> 00:30:18.722 - were cut short. But let us leave this gathering today with a strengthened resolve and an absolute commitment 00:30:18.722 --> 00:30:26.261 - to one another. The towers fell, the Pentagon was pierced, and the earth was scarred. But the soul of 00:30:26.261 --> 00:30:31.582 - our nation stood tall, unbroken, and resolute. For me and many like me, 00:30:32.194 --> 00:30:40.720 - Most of our time in uniform was in support of post 9-11 military operations. This is all we have ever 00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:49.329 - known. We have never not seen war. Those who chose to serve in the military or pursue careers as first 00:30:49.329 --> 00:30:57.938 - responders, firefighters, EMS technicians, and police officers across this great country do so knowing 00:30:57.938 --> 00:31:00.446 - the gravity of what could be. 00:31:01.730 --> 00:31:11.725 - as evidenced by the attacks of 9-11 and the current state of world affairs. Additionally, those volunteering 00:31:11.725 --> 00:31:21.171 - to serve in these selfless callings do so knowing this stark reality. We no longer live in a sanctuary 00:31:21.171 --> 00:31:31.166 - where our nation is free from attack by those who would wish to do us harm. We no longer live in a sanctuary 00:31:32.098 --> 00:31:39.875 - where our nation is free from attack by those who would wish to do us harm. Our enemies are constantly 00:31:39.875 --> 00:31:47.652 - seeking ways to destroy our nation and our way of life. We must always be vigilant and always be ready 00:31:47.652 --> 00:31:55.353 - to defend our great nation. To those we lost, may we always remember their names. May we always honor 00:31:55.353 --> 00:32:00.638 - our first responders, veterans, and service members. May God bless us 00:32:01.090 --> 00:32:03.390 - and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you. 00:33:25.474 --> 00:33:27.518 - Uniform, personnel, left hand, charge! 00:37:34.626 --> 00:37:40.534 - women of today's fire service are confronted with a more dangerous work environment than ever before. 00:37:40.534 --> 00:37:46.325 - We must continually change our strategy and tactics to accomplish our task. Our methods may change, 00:37:46.325 --> 00:37:52.233 - but our goals remain the same as in the past to save lives and protect property. Sometimes this comes 00:37:52.233 --> 00:37:58.141 - at a terrible cost. However, this is what we do. This is our chosen profession. It's the tradition of 00:37:58.141 --> 00:38:04.222 - a firefighter. The fire service of today is ever changing, but steeped in traditions over 200 years old. 00:38:04.578 --> 00:38:09.849 - One such tradition is the ringing of a bell. In the past, as firefighters began their tour of duty, 00:38:09.849 --> 00:38:15.331 - it was a bell that signaled the beginning of that day's shift. Throughout the day and night, each alarm 00:38:15.331 --> 00:38:20.655 - was sounded by a bell which summoned these brave souls to place their lives in jeopardy for the good 00:38:20.655 --> 00:38:25.979 - of their fellow citizens. Once the fire was out and the alarm had ended, it was a bell that signaled 00:38:25.979 --> 00:38:31.198 - completion of that call. When a firefighter died in the line of duty paying the supreme sacrifice, 00:38:31.458 --> 00:38:37.281 - It was a mournful toll of the bell that solemnly announced a comrade's passing. We, firefighters, utilize 00:38:37.281 --> 00:38:43.104 - these traditions as symbols to reflect honor and respect for those who have given so much and have served 00:38:43.104 --> 00:38:48.817 - so well. To symbolize the devotion that these brave souls had for their duty, a special signal of three 00:38:48.817 --> 00:38:54.310 - rings, three times each, represents the end of our comrades' duties and that they will be returning 00:38:54.310 --> 00:38:59.804 - to quarters. And so, to those who selflessly gave of their life for the good of their fellow man on 00:38:59.804 --> 00:39:01.342 - that fateful September day, 00:39:01.698 --> 00:39:05.790 - Your task completed, your duties well done, this is your last alarm. 00:41:44.194 --> 00:41:53.717 - Let us bow in closing prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, as this memorial service draws to its conclusion, 00:41:53.717 --> 00:42:03.147 - we again turn our hearts towards you. We have remembered names, faces, families, sacrifice, courage, 00:42:03.147 --> 00:42:12.670 - and loss. But as we leave this place, do not allow remembrance to become merely something we observe. 00:42:13.474 --> 00:42:21.831 - once a year. Let remembrance change the way we live. Two and a half decades ago, our nation witnessed 00:42:21.831 --> 00:42:30.025 - terrible destruction, but we also witnessed something else. We saw people serve one another. We saw 00:42:30.025 --> 00:42:38.628 - firefighters and police officers and emergency personnel, medical personnel and military members, public 00:42:38.628 --> 00:42:43.134 - servants and ordinary citizens move towards human need 00:42:43.970 --> 00:42:53.301 - We saw strangers help strangers. We saw people give what they possessed, strength, skill, courage, 00:42:53.301 --> 00:43:03.291 - compassion, and sometimes life itself for someone else. Lord, teach us that faithfulness is still needed. 00:43:03.291 --> 00:43:11.774 - There are still burdens to carry. There are still frightened people who need reassurance. 00:43:13.282 --> 00:43:22.016 - There are still grieving families who need compassion. There are still communities that need servants 00:43:22.016 --> 00:43:30.836 - of character. There are still public servants carrying responsibilities and pressures most people will 00:43:30.836 --> 00:43:39.913 - never fully understand. Give us eyes to see them. Give us hearts willing to pray for them. Give us wisdom 00:43:39.913 --> 00:43:42.910 - to encourage them. Give us courage 00:43:43.490 --> 00:43:57.080 - to stand beside them and give those who serve the strength to remain faithful when their work is difficult, 00:43:57.080 --> 00:44:09.663 - unseen, misunderstood, and costly. Lord, please protect our firefighters, law enforcement officers, 00:44:09.663 --> 00:44:11.550 - EMS personnel, 00:44:12.898 --> 00:44:25.556 - dispatchers, military members, elected officials, public employees, and all those who are trusted with 00:44:25.556 --> 00:44:38.706 - the welfare of their neighbors. Guard their families who share the cost of their service. Give our leaders 00:44:38.706 --> 00:44:42.270 - wisdoms, servants integrity, 00:44:43.074 --> 00:44:52.743 - communities, compassion, and our nation, humility. Lord, remind us also of the brevity of our own lives. 00:44:52.743 --> 00:45:02.320 - Help us to number our days well. May we not spend the lives that you've given us pursuing only comfort, 00:45:02.320 --> 00:45:11.529 - possessions, and recognition of ourselves. Teach us instead to understand that life is entrusted to 00:45:11.529 --> 00:45:12.542 - us by you, 00:45:12.802 --> 00:45:21.123 - our Creator. May we faithfully bear your image. May we faithfully steward what you have placed in our 00:45:21.123 --> 00:45:30.096 - hands. May we faithfully serve the people that you've placed around us. May we faithfully love our neighbors. 00:45:30.096 --> 00:45:38.417 - And may we faithfully walk with you. For those who carry memories from September 11th that few others 00:45:38.417 --> 00:45:41.598 - understand, Lord, please be near them. 00:45:42.402 --> 00:45:49.907 - For those who still grieve, be their comfort. For those whose bodies continue to bear the effects of 00:45:49.907 --> 00:45:57.784 - that day and its aftermath, Lord, give them strength. For those who continue to answer alarms and respond 00:45:57.784 --> 00:46:05.437 - to emergencies and stand watch, that make difficult decisions and enter places from which others flee, 00:46:05.437 --> 00:46:11.902 - Lord, we ask that you give them courage, tempered by wisdom and service by compassion. 00:46:13.378 --> 00:46:21.640 - When we hear the words never forget, may we understand that remembering is more than just looking back. 00:46:21.640 --> 00:46:29.744 - May remembering call us forward. Forward to gratitude, forward to service, forward to responsibility, 00:46:29.744 --> 00:46:37.689 - forward to loving our neighbor, and forward to faithfulness. Father, send us from this place with a 00:46:37.689 --> 00:46:41.502 - renewed understanding that every day is a gift. 00:46:42.338 --> 00:46:52.128 - Every opportunity to serve is stewardship. And every person we encounter is someone that was created 00:46:52.128 --> 00:47:02.015 - by you. May those who died on September 11, 2001 be remembered with dignity. May those who respond be 00:47:02.015 --> 00:47:11.902 - remembered with gratitude. And may those who serve today know that they are seen, valued, prayed for, 00:47:13.538 --> 00:47:22.851 - and appreciative. And may we live the days entrusted to us in such a way that when our service is finished, 00:47:22.851 --> 00:47:31.474 - we may be found faithful. We entrust ourselves, our families, our communities, our public servants, 00:47:31.474 --> 00:47:40.270 - and our nation into your hands. We ask these things in Jesus' precious name. Amen. This concludes our 00:47:40.270 --> 00:47:41.822 - memorial service. 00:47:42.690 --> 00:47:46.942 - Thank you for your attendance today, and may we never forget.