09/11/2026
25 years ago, I was a freshmen sitting in Mr. Blands English Class when a friend of mine’s pager went off and the message read the World Trade Centers were just struck by airplanes. I didn’t know what the World Trade Center buildings were as I’d never been to NYC up to that point so I thought our day would continue like any other day. Then our principal Mr. Calendar came over the loud speaker and told us that we would be dismissed to our 2nd Period classes with another announcement to follow. 2nd period for me was gym and as I and many other students waited in the locker room Mr. Calendar came back on the loud speaker and told us what was occurring and that we were all being sent home to be with our loved ones as our great nation was under attack. When I got home, I remember my dad pulling in the driveway and talking about the Pentagon and the Plane that crashed in Pennsylvania as well as a possible fifth plane so we all raced inside and turned on the news. For the next 24-26 hours I don’t think I slept or moved from the couch as I repeatedly saw the images of the planes crash into those buildings over and over and over again. Watching firefighters and first responders tear through the rubble searching for survivors. It was at that moment I decided that when I graduated high school I would enlist in the US Military. I remember going back to school two days later and sitting in my favorite class US History with Mr Cunningham, a man who served honorably in Vietnam and believed in me always holding me accountable and pushing me to my fullest, we started the class by him allowing us to voice what we were feeling. I raised my hand and asked “Why? Why would anyone commit such atrocious acts that would take the lives of thousands of people?” His response “Corey, the world can be a dark place at times. You can’t rationalize evil. You just have to hope that you can do enough to prevent evil from prevailing.” The lives lost not just on 9/11 but in the wars that followed are reminders that we have to do more to rid the evil of this world. In a time where division, bigotry, hatred and contempt have taken over we have look at each other through a different lens. We are Americans. We overcome even the worst of times. We persevere, we motivate, we innovate, we achieve together. Some of the greatest achievements in human history have been accomplished right here in this great nation, and that no matter the enemy we will always rise to the occasion. We must never forget 9/11 and we must never forget the thousands of men women and children who woke up that morning with no input on whether they lived or died. Their loss should be our greatest motivation to stay United. To not let the forces of the world break us apart from the one glaring truth. No matter color, race, religion, gender, sexual preference, political affiliation or whatever else we are Americans first and foremost and that we will always stand together to face an enemy foreign or domestic.
The moment we start to forget and get complacent is the moment another tragedy will occur. We can not let those who passed on that dreadful day be forgotten, bc they should be here today.
God Bless America.
-Corey Turner, President Nightwolf Tactical
