Changes to my life because of 9/11

By growing up in a small town farming community I know that a lot of people might read the paper or listen to the news.  The one thing about a small town community that I enjoyed was the closeness of the people and yet at the same time the lack of grasping the importance of some events since they don’t impact the everyday life of the individuals in the community.

                After the events of 9/11 you might have paid a little more attention to start with but as time went by and your life was greatly affected you went back to doing your business as usual.

                As for myself, my life was turned upside on 9/11.  The military immediately went to a high state of alert and security.  It would take you hours to get to work because of the check points that were established to enter the military bases.  I only lived one mile from base and it would take me two hours to drive to work or only 20 minutes to walk.

                A usual day prior to 9/11 was 0530 morning platoon sergeants meeting and then work until around 1700 (5pm).  After 9/11 we were working around 18-20 hours a day preparing for any mission or contingency we might be called upon to do.  To come to work your vehicle was searched, your identification card was verified and then you were allowed to proceed.  To go into any military building you had to show your identification card and your bags were checked even if you were in uniform.

                Even today while working on a military base in Iraq I have to show my identification card to enter the mess hall, the MWR building, and the Post Exchange.  Yes they are an inconvenience but they are only looking out for our safety by ensuring that no insurgent gains access to these areas.

                Every day that goes by I look at the soldiers who are defending our great country and our way of life and my chest swells with pride knowing that not too long ago I was one of those people.  I say a small prayer every time I see them headed out the gate to go do a recon mission, a route clearance mission, a raid, or an escort mission.  I pray that they can come back in one piece.  

                These are just some of the thoughts running through my head as I go through my days here in Iraq supporting our great troops.  If you have thoughts of your own please feel free to give me a message and let me know.