Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Guardsmen, Kosovo youth remember 9/11 By Sgt. Jerry Boffen
                130th Public Affairs Detachment
 FERIZAJ/UROSEVAC, Kosovo, - Sept. 11 is a date that has been
ingrained in the hearts and minds of many Americans. It marks the
anniversary of that fateful morning in 2001, when terrorist attacks cut
short the lives of about 3,000 people and shook an entire nation. Now, nine years later, the memories of that morning are still fresh in the
minds of Americans, including the Soldiers of Multinational Battle Group
East, who are deployed to Kosovo as part of the NATO peacekeeping mission
here. On Camp Bondsteel, Soldiers stopped what they were doing, and held a moment
of silence at 2:46 p.m., to honor the victims of 9/11. It is the exact
time, 8:46 a.m., eastern standard time, when the first jet struck the North
Tower at the World Trade Center in 2001. "You can ask any American and they can tell you exactly where they were when
that happened," said Capt. Eric Nelson, a member of the Iowa National Guard
and commander of C Company, 2-147th Aviation Battalion. "It's similar to how
other generations can tell you where they were when [President John F.
Kennedy] was shot. You never forget where you were and what you were doing
when something that tragic happens." While the memories of Sept. 11, 2001, may never fade, Nelson and several of
his fellow Soldiers had the opportunity to form some new ones on the evening
of the ninth anniversary of the attacks. About 75 local teenagers joined about 20 American Soldiers to hold a
memorial service in front of the municipal building in downtown
Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo, Sept. 11, honoring the lives that were lost nearly
a decade ago. Most of the Soldiers who attended are involved in an outreach program, in
which they spend several hours each week teaching English to a group of
students at the youth center in Ferizaj/Urosevac. The memorial service,
while intended to honor and remember the lives lost nine years ago, was also
a way for the students to show their appreciation for what these Soldiers
and others like them have done for the people in Kosovo. "This is an important day for us, too," Kaltrina, a local student, told one
of the Soldiers. "It was a sad day for us as well. We wanted to show our
support. You support us and we wanted to show that we support you and that
we love America." The Soldiers began the evening by presenting T-shirts to all of the
students. On the front, the shirts read, "Remember", with "September 11" on
the back. Following the shirt presentation, the Soldiers and students walked
together through the streets of Ferizaj/Urosevac, from the youth center to
the municipal building, where students and Soldiers gathered together to
listen to Beltine Biqmeti, a local student, sing the U.S. national anthem. "She did such an amazing job," said Capt. Joshua Owens, a member of the
Arkansas National Guard and commander, Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 1-114th Security and Support Aviation Battalion. Following Biqmeti's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner", everyone lit
candles and placed them around the edge of a concrete planter. Some knelt
and prayed, while others simply reflected upon the significance of the day. "It's with mixed feelings, being here tonight," said Owens, who heads the
English teaching program. "It's really humbling to us that the people in
Kosovo would take time out of their day to remember something so important
to us." Nelson, who teaches English at the youth center to an advanced group of
students, echoed Owens' sentiments. "It's really incredible that these kids came out here on a Saturday night to
do this," Nelson said. "For a bunch of teenagers to come out on a Saturday
night and show this kind of support to Soldiers from another country; it's
pretty amazing."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership
 By Lt. Col. Ellis Parks,
  Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School
 By Sgt. Denis Nunez,
  Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise
 By Senior Master Sgt. Joshua Allmaras,
  More
 Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise5/3/2024Massachusetts Guard Helps Host Crisis Leadership Seminar5/2/2024Massachusetts Air Guard Airmen Test New Air Combat Tactics5/2/2024 View more Guard News »
 Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School5/3/2024
New York Army Guard Soldiers Heading to North Africa4/30/2024
Pennsylvania National Guard Members Deploy to Africa4/19/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership5/3/2024

Guard Leaders Stress NCOs Role in State Partnership Program5/3/2024

Enduring Partners 2024 Begins with Thai-US Airmen Exchange5/2/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil