ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – On Sept. 11 Rock Island Arsenal honored lives lost in the 9/11 attacks with a memorial gathering of Soldiers, Army Civilians and community members.
In a moment of reflection and unity, the installation paused to remember the fallen and reaffirm its commitment to service and resilience.
Maj. Gen. Mark McCormack, deputy commanding general – Operations, First Army, hosted the ceremony which began at 8:46 a.m. to honor the movement when American airlines Fight 11 struck the north tower of the World Trade Center.
“It’s cliché to say, but it’s true: no American can forget where they were or what they were doing on that fateful morning 24 years ago,” said McCormack.
Sept. 11 changed more than just a skyline; it changed a generation of Americans. It did not break souls as it was intended to do. It made the U.S. stronger and kindled a spirit of service in the hearts of all Americans. That spirit resonates with those born after, or who were too young to remember, the attacks.
While the ceremony honors those who perished in the attacks, it also serves as a powerful reminder and an opportunity to educate those who came after that watershed moment in American history. With nearly one-third of today’s service members born after 9/11, it ensures the meaning of the day is never lost.
One of those service members is Sgt. Greyson Joy, an intelligence analyst at U.S. Army Sustainment Command. Born in 2000, Joy represents a generation that didn’t witness 9/11 firsthand but still carries its legacy.
“Every year, we take time to remember 9/11, not just because of the lives lost, but because of what that day means to us as Soldiers,” said Joy. “It’s a reminder of why we wear this uniform: to defend our country, protect our people, and stand ready against any threat.
“That day changed everything,” he said. “For a lot of my senior leaders throughout my career, it was the reason they raised their right hand and swore to serve. The unity, the sacrifice, the resilience; it still drives our mission today.
Remembering 9/11 isn’t just about looking back. It’s about recommitting ourselves to the values we fight for and the brothers and sisters we stand in place for,” said Joy.
After the attack many Americans answered the country’s call to serve.
One of them was Quad City native Staff Sgt. Nathan Cox, who was killed in action on Sept. 20, 2008, while deployed to Afghanistan. Cox, who served in the Army during the 1990s, re-enlisted after 9/11 because he felt his nation needed him again.
During his speech, McCormack thanked Cox and all the people who committed themselves to the nation’s defense after the events of 9/11 and evoked the legacy of that fateful day.
“Let it be that we discovered common purpose and common ground,” said McCormack. “And let it be that it stoked a fire in the hearts of the heroes of our generation, who remind us (that) the reason America is extraordinary is because the most ordinary of men and women walk among us and choose to answer when their nation calls.”
The ceremony, which ended at 9:11 a.m., also featured a wreath laying, a moment of silence, and the playing of echo taps.
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