Sixteen years ago, we stood transfixed in our Tulsa living room as we watched the World Trade Center building struck by the second plane and then the collapse of both buildings. My first thought was, “Our son will go to war”. Kenny, our younger son, was a senior in high school and took early enlistment in the Marine Corps in August 2001. He became an example of his generation’s belief in protecting our country and serving to protect the world from terror. Kenny was called to active duty in early January en route to his first class at Oklahoma State University (he was Marine reserve); dropped everything and shipped to San Diego within 48 hours. His unit was the “tip of the spear” from Kuwait to Baghdad; the first into the city. We watched his progress on Fox News, as we knew Rick Levanthal was imbedded with his battalion, but had no idea how close to Kenny he was until Kenny’s return at summer’s end. We were surprised to learn that Levanthal was in Kenny’s vehicle for a good portion of the reporting. I was relieved to have been spared that knowledge as I watched him report from the thick of the battles.
As we remember this anniversary, there are still threats to our country from the far corners of the world, and in every area, there are military men and women standing guard for us. We must never forget the sacrifice of not only the service people, but of their families, who suffer separation, uncertainty and fear for little more than the knowledge that they are making a difference.