Photo By Sgt. Sarah Martens | Col. Michael M. Greer (left), and Brig. Gen. John F. Hussey place a wreath on the...... read more read more
“If you all remember after 9/11, we were one,” said Brig. Gen. John F. Hussey, the current deputy commanding general for Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay and native New Yorker. “We were one big American family.” Hussey spoke to Soldiers, local firefighters and guests at the Ernie Pyle Army Reserve Center located at Fort Totten, New York as part of the 9/11 Day of Remembrance on September 9, 2018. This event was organized by members of the 6th Brigade (Civil Affairs/Psychological Operations), 102nd Division (Maneuver Support) to honor the memory of six Soldiers from the New York City community who were killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
The ceremony began with the entrance of the official party and family members and friends of some of those being remembered, followed by the posting of the colors and the national anthem. After a musical prelude performed by the 78th Army Band, Col. Michael M. Greer, the commander of the 6th Brigade and installation commander at Fort Totten, gave his welcome remarks and introduced Hussey.
Hussey began his speech by remembering the devastation that spread through the city on that day, but also recalled the unity that was built in the efforts to recover. He went on to say that he immediately grabbed a shovel and went down to Ground Zero to help the rescue workers himself. He recalled several service members who also felt a call to action in another way, and volunteered to go on a deployment even though they were not required to. While on deployment, Hussey and the Soldiers assigned to the unit he was in command of at the time sent a letter each day to a family member of someone killed in the 9/11 attack dedicating a day of the deployment to their memory.
He went on to say that the effects of this act of terrorism spread far beyond the 3,000 lives lost on the day of the attack. The health problems caused by the after effects have already claimed 12,200 more lives, and have left 500,000 Manhattan citizens exposed to cancer causing debris.
Hussey concluded his speech with a call to action.
“In memory of those 12,200 killed as a result of 9/11, it is our duty to come back together as fellow Americans,” said Hussey.
After Hussey’s speech, Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Bruce, command sergeant major of the 6th BDE (CA/PO), 102nd DIV (MS), did a roll call. The roll call is a symbolic event to gain accountability for all Soldiers, even those who have been lost. When Bruce called the names of the deceased, a bell was rung in response after the third stating of the name.
Following the roll call, a wreath was laid on the memorial by Hussey and Greer. As the band performed Taps, Soldiers rendered salute and a 21-gun salute was fired with cannons by the Veteran Corps of Artillery, New York. The family members and friends were then invited to lay roses on the memorial and light candles in remembrance of their loved ones.
As the ceremony concluded, the quiet mood of reflection and respect carried the ceremony attendees out into the world to continue their days. Greer noted the specific importance of this memorial to the Soldiers present.
“It’s a very solemn event here where we remember those days and come together again as a family and reaffirm ourselves again as members of the Army and Army Reserve and go forward from here,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.11.2018 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 292246 |
| Location: | BAYSIDE, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 383 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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