story241.xml

story241.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-03-13

I was stoping by the JAG (Judge Advocate Generals) Office at the Maryland State Headquarts for the Army National Guard, getting ready to go to school at the University of Baltimore. I had finished a morning workout and just got back from a shower when my NCOIC (SFC Sexton) came in, in a hurry, turned the radio right on, and told us of what had just happened. I was shocked. First thinking it was an accident and then, after hearing the second plane hit, thinking this was an act of hatred and or terrorism. I stood and listened, very distrubed, but decided to walk to school. When I got to school, I saw all of the blank emotionless stares on the faces of the students an faculty. When I got to my first class all that could be talked about was what was going on. The professor tried to teach what was on the sylibus, but with minimal success. Then minds of everyone were on the attack. After class I walked down to the student lounge (along with everybody else). Once I had heard that the Pentagon had been hit, I through my backpack on and ran back to the JAG Office at the Fifth Regiment Armory (Baltimore, Maryland). I dropped everything, got caught up with everything that the Maryland Army National Guard was doing and tried to jump right in. By that time the MDARNG EOC (Emergency Operation Center) had already been set up and running. A group of MP's (Military Police) had already been put together and was on thier way down to the Pentagon. Maryland was the very first State to respond and be on scene anywhere! I stayed in the JAG office answering questions and dealing with other things to be delt with. The day seemed to go on and on and on. There was no T.V. in the office so the only thing I had was my imagination and the intranet with pictures. I did not get to see actual vidio footage until 2330 hrs 2400 that night at my fiances house. The days and weeks following that were full of tension and the quesion of when will I be shipped off. The day after the attack I was working at the EOC. It was an exciting time to be in the military. I actually held the origanal document that Govenor Glendening had singed for the State of Emergency. I had gone to Fort Dix in NJ two days after it to haddle some issues there and to the Pentagon the week-end after. My life was flying by the seat of my pants. It was going where ever I was told to go. The normal life which I had had before that (30 hrs/week in retail and full time college with a good amount of off time)came to a quick end. There was one weekend when I was on force protection (Armory Guard) when I had a total of 5 hours of rest from Friday morning through Monday night. This so called easy life of what I used to have, had come to a halt. I am still full time with the Army National Guard and loving it. I can honestly say that I am more than willing to go over seas. In my months working full time in the military I have learned many things (some classified) and other interesting facts. My father is a FireAlarm 1 for Baltimore County, Maryland, USA. He is a firefighter and a paramedic. I have never seen him act the ways I have seen him do, ever in my life. I never new how emotional he was until 11 Sep 01. My father is also Honorguard 1 for the county and had gone up to NY City to do some funerals for the Fire and Police since the 11th and was actually at ground zero. The pictures which he brought back were emence. I started to tear up all over again when I saw them. My father was also one of the luck firefighters to shake the hand of President George Bush during the national Fallen Heros Day in Maryland where the National Memorial is (and there is a picture of that too). As you can see my life has changed dramatically, but not nearly as dramaticly as those who were directly affected by the attack on 11 Sep 01. "Lest us Never Forget"

WILLIAM T. PETRY
SPC, MDARNG
Paralegal