story8526.xml
Title
story8526.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-10-18
911DA Story: Story
We all woke up at 4:45am to prepare for our day of training.
As a new member or the United States Air Force, I was looking forward to my first time to throw a gernande.
We put all out gear on, Kelvlar Helmet,Flack ves,Canteens and jumped on the duce to head out to the firing range.
It was a beautiful morning in Texas, that Texas sky is remarkable. I was nervous and im sure the 40 airman around me were to. When we got there we hopped off the duce, and marched to the practice range, to where we would throw practice smoke gernandes. This was a procedure to weed out anyone that we be a danger to the flight. We all got to throw practice. Then the insructure (a very big, black,intimidating Master Seargent) told us all to prepare to march up to live firing range. The instucters all carried radios, kinda like a walkie talkie, to keep in touch with eachother. I remember feeling so small, like a little kid ,looking up to this Msgt as I overheard on the portable radio that we just went in to FPcon DELTA. Military terms there are 4 Force Protction conditions(FPcon)Alpha,Bravo,Charlie and Delta, I was confused, but my leaders knew that something terrible had happened. We continued with our training and they sent groups of 5 airman to throw at the range. We got 10(including me) to throw before they cancelled training. They briefed us that 2 planes had hit the WTC and one hit the pentagon.
With all our gear on, the mood and setting I felt like we were going to war right then and there. We got on the duce and headed back to our dorms at Camp Bullis, where we would be on lockdown for the next 2 weeks.
We all knew something terrible happened to our country, and we all felt so much pride and honor to be the ones to defend it. There isint a day that goes by I dont think of 9/11. When I prepare for work and I button up my BDU's and put my boots on. When I go put that 9mm on my hip or salute the Colonel when he walks by me. I remember why I do this everyday, to defend you. We cant change what happened but WE WILL change what does happen.
A1C Christopher Baird
8SFS Kunsan,Korea
As a new member or the United States Air Force, I was looking forward to my first time to throw a gernande.
We put all out gear on, Kelvlar Helmet,Flack ves,Canteens and jumped on the duce to head out to the firing range.
It was a beautiful morning in Texas, that Texas sky is remarkable. I was nervous and im sure the 40 airman around me were to. When we got there we hopped off the duce, and marched to the practice range, to where we would throw practice smoke gernandes. This was a procedure to weed out anyone that we be a danger to the flight. We all got to throw practice. Then the insructure (a very big, black,intimidating Master Seargent) told us all to prepare to march up to live firing range. The instucters all carried radios, kinda like a walkie talkie, to keep in touch with eachother. I remember feeling so small, like a little kid ,looking up to this Msgt as I overheard on the portable radio that we just went in to FPcon DELTA. Military terms there are 4 Force Protction conditions(FPcon)Alpha,Bravo,Charlie and Delta, I was confused, but my leaders knew that something terrible had happened. We continued with our training and they sent groups of 5 airman to throw at the range. We got 10(including me) to throw before they cancelled training. They briefed us that 2 planes had hit the WTC and one hit the pentagon.
With all our gear on, the mood and setting I felt like we were going to war right then and there. We got on the duce and headed back to our dorms at Camp Bullis, where we would be on lockdown for the next 2 weeks.
We all knew something terrible happened to our country, and we all felt so much pride and honor to be the ones to defend it. There isint a day that goes by I dont think of 9/11. When I prepare for work and I button up my BDU's and put my boots on. When I go put that 9mm on my hip or salute the Colonel when he walks by me. I remember why I do this everyday, to defend you. We cant change what happened but WE WILL change what does happen.
A1C Christopher Baird
8SFS Kunsan,Korea
Collection
Citation
“story8526.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 11, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/10207.