That morning, my recruits had PT (physical training). We came back to the barracks, and my Police Sergeant came in and told me that a "Cessna" had hit the WTC. My thoughts flashed back to the one or two times a teenager had stolen a Cessna/light plane, and crashed it somewhere. I shrugged it off to that sort of incident.

I went into my office and turned on the radio. That's when the news started rolling in.

Several hours later, we got the word down the chain of command that we were to inform our recruits - the whole truth (as we knew it at that time), no varnish, no nothing. My First Sergeant looked at me and asked, "Sir, who's going to do it?" I looked back at him and said, "Of course I'm going to do it."

I had the Drill Instructors assemble the recruits in one of the squadbays and sit them down. I don't remember exactly what I told them, but I remember verbally walking them through the timeline of the attacks. Then I told them that if any of them got it into their heads to exact a little revenge on one of their fellow recruits that was Muslim, that I'd have their heads. (Turns out none of them were Muslim, but I didn't know that at the time.)

Thank God none of those guys were from lower Manhattan. I told the DI's to put TV's out in their squadbays, and turn on a news channel.

We got through that day, and the boys had a new reason to finish boot camp. I remember telling them that our whole world had changed...

__________________
2010 528Xi
I demand justice.
Or, if there must be injustice, let it be in my favor.

Reynold's Wrap: it's not just for hats anymore.