Photo By Tech. Sgt. Sean Madden | New York Army National Guard Capt. Joseph Whaley discusses his experiences as one of...... read more read more
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NEW YORK -- Joe Whaley was a 25 year-old business owner on September 10, 2001, laser-focused on growing a small chocolate shop his father founded, into a serious player in the luxury chocolates business.
But 1st Lieutenant Joe Whaley was also a Citizen Soldier and on September 11, 2001, his future in the military and where he thought it would take him, changed.
As part of the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Whaley took part in a discussion with other veterans hosted by Fox News at the 9/11 National Museum in lower Manhattan.
Whaley spoke with Fox News reporter Pete Hegseth, himself an Army National Guard veteran, about his experiences that day and how a new generation of military members have been shaped by it.
The segment on Fox News, “Modern Warriors: A 9/11 Tribute,” will air September 11 on Fox Nation and air September 13 on the cable Fox News channel.
As a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Whaley had served on active duty with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, before transferring to the New York Army National Guard in 2000.
That brief period in the Guard before 9/11 was “a lull in the world”, he recalled.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Whaley was among the New York National Guard Soldiers on scene at the World Trade Center hours after the terrorist attacks. As part of the initial search and rescue with the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry, based at the Lexington Avenue Armory just blocks away, Whaley’s war had begun.
Whaley and his fellow Soldiers would transition from initial rescue efforts in the rubble of “the pile” to ensuring perimeter security and “everything in between,” including remains recovery, Whaley said.
He had been planning on finishing up his military service and focusing on his business. But his service after the Sept. 11 attacks made him decide to stay, Whaley said.
“I was nine months away from finishing with the Guard and focusing on my civilian career,” Whaley said. “It was tough to walk away after seeing the destruction and the wars that followed.”
From lower Manhattan, troops took on new roles for state and national homeland security missions at West Point during Operation Noble Eagle and then overseas for combat operations in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
In 2004, Whaley deployed to Iraq as a platoon leader with the 69th Infantry for 20 months, conducting various patrolling missions as part of the counterinsurgency effort.
The battalion was stationed in Taji for the first five months through Iraq’s initial elections and then moved to Baghdad to secure Route Irish, the main road between Baghdad International Airport and the city center.
Known at the time as the most dangerous road in the world, Whaley said it was a hotspot for vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.
“Every day there was something for sure,” he said. “We lost 19 of our Soldiers on that deployment.”
Later the 69th Infantry deployed Soldiers with New York’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Afghanistan in 2008 and again in 2012.
In 2012, Whaley became the executive officer of the battalion and was part of the response when Superstorm Sandy hit New York in 2012.
He never expected his National Guard service to be a career, but events continued to unfold with new challenges and responsibilities to keep him committed.
“I have never been in it for myself or the career,” Whaley said. “I have always maintained if we stay focused on the mission at hand and the training doesn't become redundant and life in the Army stays fun, yet challenging, that I would continue to stay. Here I am 19 years later.”
In 2019, Whaley took command of the 69th Infantry’s 800 Soldiers.
Throughout the past two decades of his part-time military career, Whaley said he tried to use lessons he learned there as he grew the business his father, John Whaley, started in 1973.
“Like everything in life, it is a roller coaster. Certainly owning your own business has many ups and downs along the way,” Whaley said. “There are times when you make great decisions which work and times where your ideas fail.”
The important thing, according to Whaley, is how the failures are handled. Being able to manage those failures is something he attributes to his continuing Army career.
“The difference is what you do with the failures and how you respond to getting kicked in the gut or realizing you may not have enough cash on hand to pay the rent,” Whaley said. “The Army teaches you to respond better to those situations and make rash and educated decisions to make the best of a bad situation.”
These lessons have helped his business thrive, Whaley said.
Today there are 20 of his Chocolate Works stores in the tri-state area, as well as in Pennsylvania, Missouri and California.
While many of the National Guard’s newest Soldiers were not even born on 9/11, Whaley said these Soldiers bring the same commitment to serve as his most senior veterans.
“Everyone always says the younger generation of Soldiers, the Generation Zs, aren't the same as the old war dogs,” Whaley said. “I maintain that Soldiers continue to evolve with technology and those willing to put on the uniform are a better breed in general. The level of commitment you get today is the same or better than it was 20 years ago.”
And these great young Soldiers have good leadership, Whaley emphasized.
“Honestly, the Guard is much, much stronger and more prepared today than it was in 2001,” Whaley said. “No doubt about it. We are much better prepared and take the training much more serious, because many of the old-timers have had multiple deployments under their belts and they understand the right way to train and lead.”
| Date Taken: | 09.10.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2020 13:36 |
| Story ID: | 378389 |
| Location: | NEW YORK , NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 274 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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